Fans of quadriplegic influencer Steph Aiello were left shocked after she revealed the challenges she faces by urinating through her belly button on a clip uploaded last Friday (September 27).
“This is one of the most brutal surgeries I have had,” the model, who became paralyzed from the waist down following a car accident in 2010, said about the Mitrofanoff Procedure, which has allowed her to go pee anywhere by inserting a catheter into her belly button.
The surgery involves creating a tube using tissues extracted from either the appendix or intestines to create a tube connecting the bladder to the belly button. “It was worth the pain and struggle for independence,” Aiello wrote.
In the clip Steph filmed herself “going to the bathroom” while in her backyard, explaining the entire process in detail. Her fans thanked her for being so open and for the educational nature of the video.
“Thank you for sharing and being so open about your life,” one said.
Quadriplegic beauty influencer explained in detail how she pees through her belly button thanks to a life-changing surgery
While the procedure changed her life for the better, the influencer admits that getting it wasn’t easy. “It’s extremely brutal,” Aiello warned her viewers, adding that the recovery process was a tough ordeal but reassuring anyone interested in getting the surgery that she would “do it again” in a heartbeat.
In her associated post, she explained how in her case the doctors were able to just use her appendix, but stated that people without enough tissue will have to get the “tube” made out of their intestines instead.
“It is also common if you don’t hold a lot of fluid in your bladder, they will use your intestines to enlarge your bladder,” she added. “Fortunately, my bladder can hold sometimes 1000 cc on its own.”
Aiello also went into detail about how she knows when it’s time to go to the bathroom by recognizing signs of a phenomenon called autonomic dysreflexia, a condition where the nervous system overreacts to certain stimuli.
“I know when it’s time to pee because my eyes get a little watery right before the dysreflexia starts to kick in,” she explained.
Autonomic dysreflexia has the hidden perk of serving as a “biological alarm” that tells the influencer when it’s time to go to the bathroom
The phenomenon is common among patients with spinal cord injuries such as Aiello, who has learned not only to live with the condition, but to use it in her favor.
“I have actually learned to work with AD and use it to my benefit. I can always sense when my AD is coming on, therefore, I will check my bladder, check my pants, my shoes, and try to find where the source is coming from,” she explained.
The syndrome effectively serves as an alarm telling Aiello that her bladder or bowel is under stress.
The 33-year-old has, against all odds, become a successful beauty vlogger with over 264,000 followers on Instagram. Aiello has learned how to turn complications into opportunities for growth, not only for her benefit but also that of others like herself.
The influencer regularly collaborates with Wings for Life, an organization that collects funds to help with research in search for a cure for spinal cord injuries.
Aiello’s determination and strength has allowed her to fulfill her dream of becoming a renowned makeup artist and is seeking to inspire others like herself
Steph Aiello suffered her tragic accident when she was 20 years old, just after she had saved enough money to fulfill her dream of attending cosmetology school. The accident took place before her first class when she was driving home to California from Las Vegas, and dozed off at the wheel causing her car to go off the road.
“I didn’t believe it,” she told People Magazine, after she woke up to her new condition as a quadriplegic. “I thought it couldn’t be real. I didn’t think that it was going to be longterm for me.”
She recalled suffering from depression for several years following the incident, slowly gathering her resolve as she taught herself how to get dressed, drive, brush her teeth, and even how to apply make-up using her mouth and both hands.
“I was exhausted from laying in bed and doing nothing,” she explained. “I decided I wanted to take my life back and embrace my new normal.”
Aiello said how opening her Instagram account initially made her nervous, cropping her hands in editing so that “no one knew [she] was disabled.”
Now that September, also known as Spinal Cord Injury Awareness month, is over, her Instagram is full of informative and wholesome videos showcasing her lifestyle, full of fun, friends, and interesting projects despite her condition.
Her fans appreciated the way Aiello explained her method, and some even shared their own experiences with the surgery, and the way it has benefited them
“Yes I had this surgery too! Changed my life for the better. And being able to pee anywhere is a plus when you can’t find an accessible bathroom,” shared one viewer.
“My little sister got the same procedure done when she was 17!” one of her fans wrote. “It’s really cool to see someone else in the world that’s got the same thing done as her!”
“Thank you so much for sharing! I was terrified of catheters until I desperately needed them and then realized it gave me the freedom to take care of my needs when and where I needed to,” another explained.
“As a nurse who works in home care, I’d thought I’d seen it all but have never even heard of this! Thanks for sharing!” a fan said.
“Thank you for the vulnerable post. I appreciate the things you all teach us so much.”
“Thank you for being brave.” Her fans were delighted to have the influencer bring awareness to the daily life of those suffering with spinal cord injuries
