‘My life revolves around going to the washroom’: COVID-19 leaves chronically ill begging for access – CBC.ca

Remo Testini says he has to use GPS to find washroom locations on his route before he leaves home each day.

Mapping the nearest washrooms before leaving home is routine for Remo Testini. But add a pandemic to the mix and finding a bathroom can feel nextto impossible.

For 14 years, Testini's been living with Crohn'sdisease; achronic inflammatory bowel condition that can lead to severe abdominal pain and a sudden urgent need to use a restroom, among other problems.

When at a job site as a labourer, Testini says, finding a gas station or coffee shop with an open washroom is a difficult endeavour at the best of times. Butwith COVID-19the few he felt were available to him to usehave now shut their doors.

"I really have to beg to use a washroom," Testini said.

If he has a flare up, which can happen suddenly for those living with Crohn'sdisease and ulcerative colitis, he can have the urge to use a washroom. But if the nearby gas station or coffee shop won't let him use theirs, the consequences can be degrading and embarrassing.

"[It] just releases. It's not like you can control it. You don't know when it's going to happen. It canhappen at any time. You could be standing in a line up, and all of a sudden it's like, 'Oh I gotta go,'" Testinisaid

He says going to the washroom away fromhome isn't something he wants to do, but often times, it's his only option. With COVID-19 numbers spiking across the country, more and more restroom doors arelocked, and there's no public order forcing them to stay open.

B.C.'s Ministry of Health says public restrooms are deemed essential services. But there's no order mandating that other rest stops, like gas stations, keep the welcome mat out.

"We do encourage people to make it available to those in need in a safe way," Henry said on Dec.11.

Testini is one of 33,000 British Columbians living with Crohn's or ulcerative colitis. One in140 Canadians livewith one of the chronic illnesses, according toCrohn's and Colitis Canada.

Family physician Birinder Narang describes the chronic diseases as invisible, leaving many patients already feeling abandoned.

He says businesses are fearful of COVID-19, but he reminds them, there's no public health order dictating their closure.

"COVID transmission is droplet based and airborne. So, while it can live on surfaces,with regular cleaning,It hasn't been an identifiable source," Narang says.

Shell Canada and Tim Horton'sare among the businesses that tell CBCNews they're making an effort to keep washrooms open.

But, Testini says, the problem is many of those doors are still closed. He wants to see government mandate these businesses to keep their washrooms open.

"People use the washroom sometimes five to 20 times a day depending on how bad their flare is," said Matthew Sebastiani, the president of the Vancouver chapter ofCrohn's and Colitis Canada.

He says access to washrooms needs to be backed by government bodies, but for now, there's an appthose living with chronic illnessescan use to find a washroom. It's something Testini relies on daily.

The Go Here app has businesses, all shared on a map, that support Crohn's and Colitis Canada and keep their washrooms open.

But if they don't, Testini says, he's often stuck sharing personal details about himself to a store clerk in hopes they'll empathize.

"Nobody wants to beg. Leave the washrooms open."

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'My life revolves around going to the washroom': COVID-19 leaves chronically ill begging for access - CBC.ca