Yes, she did. Are you familiar with that? Hardly anyone is! She's not able to do it herself yet, so I'll need to be with her.
Thank you so much Sue for your information, it's very appreciated!
In that case you worry way too much, IMHO.
In even the most yukky bathrooms you can cath with a mitrofanoff without any risk of any transfer of stuff. One uses a wipe and a sterilised cath and can cath on a garbage pile without risk. Don't even need to wash your hands if need be. Simply don't touch anything other than the mitrofanof with the sterilized cath tip and don't pull down the protecting package before entering the cath but as it is entering thus avoiding touching any off the sterile part.
If not competent enough to do that -and very easily learned- that is where the wipe comes in to clean the belly a bit in case of risk touching the surrounding area of the mitrofanoff at a moment with the cath at an area that enters the mitrofanoff.
One of the big things with a mitrofanoff is the freedom it comes with. You can literally cath anywhere and anytime without any real risk and without anyone knowing what you are doing when having a bit of practice with it. To give you an idea; I ended up cathing in my BC seat on my flight back home yesterday, because I'm not stable enough to use an aisle chair, get into the bathroom and cath there, seeing I'm recovering from a stroke I had on that trip. The person sitting next to me was chatting along with me all the while I was doing this. She did notice me unbutting my jeans (have high rise jeans) but didn't gave it a second though. She had NO clue what I was doing, nor did the other flyers around me, joining us in the conversation standing beside and above me with a very high interest in me because of the subject of discussion. FA's didn't even have an idea, eventhough I called for them, had them around and had them get my mom in from economy to help me out and they KNEW one of the jobs she was helping me out with was emptying the cath bags for me. Same thing while in ICU for the stroke and having half a dozen docs and nurses around me and again knowing I cath and at that time checking me for multiple vitals every 5 minutes.
I've done it at concerts, yes on Mainstreet USA waiting for a parade, you name it. No clue for those around, soooooooo easy and convenient for me to do it where ever I am without having to move if don't feel like it or not possible.
Biggest hurdle will be learning to go with that freedom. Find out which materials work best for this body and their personal likings -also a big factor!-. The latter can take quite a lot of time when that best fit is not the 1st or 3rd type you try. But keep in mind that keep trying is very much worth it when you do find that perfect fit.
I had a medical need, there was no discussion possible. It was either mitrofanoff of an incontinent uronostomy. I know what it is like to pee as Mother Nature intended. Had no clue I had any medical problems until being a teenager, had no uro-problems until about a year or 5 before going for the mitrofanoff (got mine in 2008), didn't use a wheelchair until almost 13 years ago. I kinda know the different states going from "standard Mother Natures intended way" to just making transfer to cathing through the urethra while using a chair etc. etc. Can't say anything else than that I truely feel having the mitrofanoff is by far the most relaxed, easiest way of peeing. Never needing to worry about access or looking for a bathroom but being able to pee 24/7 and literally everywhere need be. Very quick, easy and smallest risk of infections of them all for me.
Enjoy the freedom you will find!
