Whiz Easy Fail – pStyle Rules

After complaining to some friends about my chronic challenges urinating successfully with the Whiz Easy, Judy the Bear Whisperer recommended trying the pStyle from Krista’s Cups. She was training herself – starting with the shower (why didn’t I think of that!?) – and was having success so far. Could it be that simple? Could it be that it’s not ME at fault, but it’s actually a gear problem? Let’s find out, shall we? Of course, I ordered the purple one. I know better this time (yes, yes I can learn) – no first time in the pub for me. Into the bathroom. Kick the rug out of the way. Replacement clothing is a short walk down the hallway, so optimistically I pull the pants (etc) only far enough down as necessary to get the device in place. The pStyle looks like it will require considerably less exposure than the Whiz Easy – that looks promising! Device in place, I stand. I relax. I relax some more. I push a little. I squeeze out a few drops. Hmmmmmm… this isn’t going as planned, and my bladder is still uncomfortably full. Toss the device aside and assume the traditional “sitting” position to finish the job – I’d only managed about a 25% elimination. Second try, device in place, I stand. I relax. I relax some more. I push a little. I squeeze out a few drops. I consider that perhaps I have the device placed a little too firmly against something and am blocking off production, so I back the pressure off slightly. Aha – slightly more success. Back the pressure off even more. Absolutely zero leakage, and 100% elimination. Stellar. I consider that I may now know what it feels like for a man with an enlarged prostate. Poor suckers – that must be really torturous. Too bad it’s not as simple as just backing off on their own pStyle. I have a couple more slow starts, but I soon learn to back off on the pressure and after several successes with no failures, it is time to go camping. Brent and I head out on a Friday night to Pigeon Lake near Edmonton for the weekend. It’s a perfect opportunity to try out the pStyle “in the real world” (but still not quite the backcountry). After my “Yay I’m Camping” beer, it is growing quite dark and I’m ready to give the pStyle its maiden outdoor voyage. I contemplate the wisdom (or lack thereof) of trying it out, in the dark, with a beer in me. Ha! What could possibly go wrong… right? I wander away from our camping companions and the light of our fire and stumble around in some light brush trying to find a decent amount of privacy. Finally I find a suitable spot (a time in the summer with leaves on the trees may have been more conducive) and pull out my new gear. Being a little paranoid, I start out a little too firm on the pressure, but I soon relax, back off the pressure, and have my first-ever, completely successful standing pee in the woods. I am now completely converted and I will bring the pStyle with me whenever I am recreating outdoors. The major benefit, I find, is that, as advertised, you can “squeegee” any excess drops off of yourself, completely eliminating the need to carry t.p. along (or live with the consequences of NOT having t.p. for the pop-and-squat).