Did you have any influence at all on what bag was purchased for you as a teen?

I realize not everyone had a parent buy them their own bag, but those who's mom or other caregiver bought them their own bag this question:

Did your mother simply buy what she wanted you to have, or were you able to steer her decisions directly or indirectly as to what to buy for you?

Were you there whan she made the selection?

In my case, my mother did not buy me my first enema bag. She did give me guidance on what not to buy. My first bag was a Davol amber bag, which I lovingly used until I wore it out.

My Mother was told by our doctor that I would require enemas to help me poop from the get go. I was born early and had something wrong with my colon. So, Mom used a small red bulb on me at least when I was up to about the age of 7. Then, that doctor became ill and had to give up his practice. Our new family doctor for some reason did not believe in the use of enemas at all. In fact, he stated to Mom right in front of me that she was to cease giving me enemas and start giving me oral laxatives instead. Mom chose Castoria, which I absolutely hated. One day one of my neighborhood friends told me that her mother gave her an adult enema with her douche bag. I told her that my Mom had given me enemas too, but with a small red bulb instead. She said that I ought to try and get Mom to give me an adult enema and that if she did that I'd absolutely love it. Well, I decided to try and get her to give me one. So, I asked and my Mom looked at me like I had a screw loose or something! I didn't give up and I asked her at least once a day if she'd do it. When that failed, I rode my bike over to where her Mother lived and enlisted her help. Grandma agreed to talk with her daughter on my behalf, but she didn't guarantee success. I hugged her neck and rode back over to my house. After arriving home I went and sat on the front porch swing and was there when Grandma drove up. She got out of her car and pulled a rather large sack out with her. It had a black and orange box sticking out of the top. Grandma came onto the porch and sat on the swing with me. We made small talk in which she asked me again "are you sure you want me to do this?" I told her that "I was!" Well, with that said, Grandma got up off the swing, kissed me on the top of my head and entered the house carrying the sack with the black and orange box in it. About 5 minutes later, Grandma reappeared on the porch. She smiled down at me and gave me a thumbs up. I blew her a kiss and she waved and left the porch. I waited on the swing for at least 5 minutes thinking Mom would soon come get me. She didn't. So, I went in and found Mom in the kitchen. When she saw me her first words were "Mike, how could you involve my Mom in this? I can not believe you!" Well, weeks went by and finally one Saturday morning when Mom didn't have to go to work and I didn't have school that she surprised me with that special adult enema. After that initial enema, Mom didn't give me another one so I took the syringe and gave myself my own enemas. One day, Mom caught me and became irate. The next thing I knew, she grabbed the hot water bottle and hose out of my hands and took it into kitchen and cut it up. I wanted to cry! I could hear her screaming at me and saying you know what the doctor says about you taking those things! The next morning she had me go with her to the doctor's office. While there the doctor talked with both my Mother and I about my use of enemas. I listened but did not open my mouth. After he had finished telling me all of the reasons as to why I shouldn't be taking enemas, both Mom and myself thanked him and left his office. Once we were in the car, I asked Mom if we could talk. She agreed. I didn't beat around the bush, I asked Mom if she could give up her Salem cigarettes? She didn't respond. I, then, asked her if she'd rather for me take up cigarettes or alcohol or even drugs rather than me taking enemas? She did not answer. She just looked at the floor. We sat there in the parking lot for I know a good five minutes. Finally, Mom started the car and we left the parking lot. The next thing I knew Mom had pulled into the parking lot of the local Rexall drug store. Once she had parked the car and turned off the engine, Mom turned to me and said "ok, Mike, if you want to take enemas, you will need to go in there and get yourself a brand new enema bag since I cut up the one your Grandma got you. So, here's some money." I told Mom thanks, took the money and went inside to get myself a new enema bag. I chose one just like the one Mom had cut up. I paid for it and went back to the car. Once I got in, I gave Mom her change and then she asked "Well, Mike, what did you get? Can I get a look at it?" I smiled up at her and opened the box. Mom just looked at it and then said "Well, Mike, I guess you will want to try it out when we get home won't you?" I leaned over and gave her a hug and a small kiss on her cheek. I think Mom made the right choice!

While my mom never specifically bought an enema bag for me, she did give me 20 bucks to go buy a new one when our old red fountain syringe sprung a substantial leak while prepping my sister for an impending G.I. exam. I wrote about it in a story "Many Shades of Red". Because I had become enamored with a red folding/travel syringe, that's what I bought. I got a strange reaction when I took it home to my mom and took it for a test drive when I found it hanging to dry later on.

I didn't get enemas as a child, but I understand how this would have an effect on someone. Nowadays, I fill the bag when I am about to get one, and it makes the whole thing... Interesting!

NO, I didn't have any knowledge of my Mom purchasing me a pink enema/ douche folding syringe. After my at- home wedding and while I was closing my suitcase to leave for my honeymoon, she handed me the box and said, "Here, you're going to need this!" I think it was the last item I put in the suitcase.

Oh boy, was she right! (Thank you Mom!) ☺

No, my mom did not buy me an enema bag. Not when I went off to college nor when I got married. Both of my sisters had folding syringes and I don't know their origins. My older sister wound up bringing one home from college her first year and I strongly suspect that she bought it on her own. If anyone is the likely recipient of a bag, it would have to be my younger sister who is probably more likely the klismo in the family. I know that my mom gave her lots of enemas over the years.

I was 22 when I bought my first enema bag. I was influenced by two women, a home health nurse age 23 who helped me recover from a serious accident and one afternoon gave me an enema while I was lying in bed that "awakened" me down there like I'd never experienced before, and a retired nurse, probably in her 60s, at a medical-surgical supply. She helped me select a fountain syringe and a hot water bottle, then showed me a drawer with soft rubber rectal tubes, at which time I must have turned redder than a fire engine. I never had girl talk before about a tube that I should stick up my behind, but this grandmotherly nurse was so nice and matter-of-fact, it was actually fun once I got over being embarrassed. She recommended a French number 20 size which came with a glass connector. This was in 1984 when there were still pharmacies and medical supply stores that carried enema bags and accessories.

In today's world, it's probably unlikely that home health nurses or grandmothers working at a pharmacy who would be advising women about the finer points of taking enemas. What a different time we are in!

No, she did not get one for me. When she stopped giving me bulb enemas, she said I was to take enemas on my own. It was understood I could use the typical family 2 quart bag hanging in the closet. I did so, but not often. For some reason I felt sort of guilty about taking enemas at that age, for sexual interests. In my later teens I bought a pink travel syringe which I used rather regularly.

Very much later in life she asked me one day about coffee enemas. I denied knowing anything about them. A lie I had taken many of them, but had no idea where this was coming from or going to. She looked straight at me and asked; "you do still take enemas, don't you?" I answered, "yes but I have never used coffee. " I now wish I had continued that conversation instead of badly wanting to avoid it. How enlightening for both of us that might have been. Oh well.

It’s interesting that some folks were given enema bags. I just always got them, but they stopped around what is now know as middle school. By then I had started sneaking enemas with the bulb or bag, depending on how much time I had alone.

I think my mom may have suspected something, though. One time while at my grandmothers beach cottage my mom and grandmother returned from yard sales with all kinds of stuff. My mom presented me with a bucket of nuts and bolts and sitting right on top was a white bulb syringe. She said she thought I could use all of it. Both her and my grandmother slightly smiled.