I've had the post-void residual test done at least 8, maybe 10, times, along with full ultrasounds of kidneys, bladder and the entire pelvic cavity. With modern equipment, there's no need for a catheter to test for post-void residual. Post-void residual means any urine left in your bladder after you feel you have completely urinated.

If a person can't empty their bladder all the way, it can lead to urinary incontinence, bladder irritation, urinary frequency, burning -- all the symptoms of infection without infection. The most common reasons for post-void residual in women are hormones and poor pelvic floor muscle tone. In men, it's an enlarged prostate. And impatience in older people. It takes longer to empty your bladder as you get older. When you first think you're done, you're not. People learn that the hard way. There are other reasons for sure, some of them serious, but sometimes the University of Google can scare the living daylights out of us. I'm hoping your test results come back with nothing alarming.

It works like this: They told me to wear comfortable clothes, with no talc or lotions on my torso. They had me take off my top and put on a hospital gown, but I kept my pants and underwear on. Once on the exam table, they had me undo my pants and pull them down to my pubic bone. No private parts were exposed, just the midsection.

They have you drink a lot of water before you come in so that your bladder will be at least partway full. They go over the front and back and both sides with the ultrasound tool, using warm lubricant, with you having to turn this way and that. It does not hurt. If you have low back pain, ask if you can have a pillow under your knees. It helps.

After they've thoroughly imaged you, they have you go to the bathroom and empty your bladder as much as you can. When you get back on the exam table, they ultrasound your bladder again. Just by placing the ultrasound tool over your bladder on your belly, the machine can tell if you still have urine in your bladder. The machine also measures how much in CC's. That takes no time at all. They then look to see if both of your kidneys are properly emptying urine into your bladder. About every 7 seconds one or the other of your kidneys will squirt a little urine into the bladder. On the ultrasound machine this looks like a shower of sparks. Sometimes they have to turn you this way and that in order to get a clear view. And then you're done. The whole test of the entire system takes about 30-45 minutes.

Testing for post-void residual takes about 10 seconds if they have good equipment. If that's all they're looking for, you'll have you pants down and up before you can blink.

When I looked at the screen, all I could see was a haze of light and dark splotches. The only object I could recognize was the large dark blob of my liver and the shower of sparks, which alarmed me no end until the tech explained it was normal urine flow. Unless there's something in there as big as your liver or a baby, it's hard to see it without special training.

I've had this test so many times because I have a disorder that can lead to kidney failure so they check me out regularly. So far, so good. I'm going to be keeping my fingers crossed for you!