The word “incontinent” is such an icky word. When I hear it - I think of an old lady with pantyhose falling down at her ankles. That is definitely NOT me! I’m active, I’m young! My fashionable fishnets stay up around my waist, I smell like Chanel -NOT mothballs, and a good night out involves beers and maybe a pool game, not bridge and warm milk.  But here I am a 26 year old female leaking urine when I jog, cough, sneeze - basically, anything strenuous.  What gives?!

When I mentioned my “condition” (blech - that’s an icky word too) to my mother, she told me that this is just something that happens to women when they get older,

“Just deal with it, honey! It’s a part of growing older…”, she sighed.

WHAT?!  You’re telling me that there are 1 in 3 women (yes, it’s true - I looked it up online) that are quietly sneaking pads in and out of their handbags and are making secret prayers that last sneeze didn’t make a dark spot in her pants?! And they’re keeping it a secret?!  We’re WOMEN, for crying out loud! My girlfriends know an embarrassing amount of information on me and I, in turn, have loads on them. As women we share, we laugh, we cry, we are sisters….but for some reason, we are too embarrassed to tell our best girlfriends that we are “leakers.”

Well, I’m not keeping it a secret. I’m telling. I’m sharing. And I’m doing something about this.  I’m taking back control of my life. I’m watching my diet, I’m squeezing before sneezing, and I’m strengthening my pelvic pyramid every chance I can get.  Let’s talk about it, ladies.  It’s time to get the word out.