Life to the Max Podcast
Welcome to 'Life to the Max Podcast,' where resilience meets inspiration!
Join us on a transformative journey through the life stories of remarkable individuals, including Quadriplegic Army Veteran Maximilian Gross. In this empowering podcast, we dive into tales of triumph, courage, and the human spirit's unwavering ability to overcome obstacles.
Our show is a celebration of diverse narratives, from awe-inspiring achievements to the darkest of traumas. 'Life to the Max' is a testament to the power of living authentically, no matter the circumstances. We believe that everyone has a unique story worth sharing, and we invite individuals from all walks of life to join us.
Discover the profound meaning of living 'Life to the Max'—a concept that resonates differently with each storyteller. It's a journey of perspective, resilience, and finding joy amidst life's challenges. Tune in to be inspired, motivated, and reminded that there's strength in every story.
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Life to the Max Podcast
how to poop in a wheelchair: a helpful guide
Use Left/Right to seek, Home/End to jump to start or end. Hold shift to jump forward or backward.
What nobody talks about… we’re talking about.
This episode pulls back the curtain on one of the most real and least understood parts of life with a spinal cord injury: the bowel routine. It’s messy, it’s awkward, it’s weirdly technical… and somehow, it’s also hilarious.
From the awkward experiences to the outright mishaps to the “you’ve gotta be kidding me” moments, this is an unfiltered look at what it actually takes to keep life moving. Nothing sugar-coated, nothing off-limits—just real talk, dark humor, and a perspective most people never hear.
If you can handle it, hit play. If not… you’ve been warned.
Cold Open And Toilet Talk
SPEAKER_01Hi, I'm Rico. And I wipe my own ass.
SPEAKER_04Hi, Max. I got people for that.
SPEAKER_01We're gonna tell you guys about how Max wipes his ass.
SPEAKER_00Just a couple of guns not trying to get back. Just a couple of teams not trying to go back.
SPEAKER_04Shit. Jet. Shit. Shit. Shit. Shit. Shit.
SPEAKER_01Real shit.
SPEAKER_04Real shit.
SPEAKER_01You guys are recording.
SPEAKER_04Oh. Oh.
SPEAKER_01Oh.
Setting Up The Bidet Story
SPEAKER_04Oh. Oh. So today we're gonna talk about how all mostly all you lucky folks out there are able to sit on toilet. And how I sit on a toilet. I don't sit on toilet. It's kinda sitting on a toilet. So you're telling me a story, like, and I've been waiting to hear it. The bidet story.
SPEAKER_01So have you ever used a bidet?
SPEAKER_04No.
Japan Bidet Panic In The Stall
SPEAKER_01Dude, it's the worst experience of my life. I'll never recover. Tell me. Never recover. Okay, so we're in ja we're in Japan and we gotta go pick up like the officers, right? So we take the gubby.
SPEAKER_04Wait, do are do you are you deployed in Japan?
SPEAKER_01We were, yeah. We were in we're uh we were on camp uh Hansen. So we're on Camp Hansen, we meant main body, so we all flew, and then the officers flew later.
SPEAKER_04Very cool.
SPEAKER_01And so me and my buddy, TH, we'll that, um, he's uh he's one of the drivers, so we go over there and um I was like, man, I gotta get you know, I was like, I'm gonna go to the restroom. So we go into the stalls and stuff, not realizing that like there's no toilet paper. No TP. No TP, dude.
SPEAKER_04It was and I looked over and I was like MRE stuff like in your fucking No, we had to go there in civvies.
SPEAKER_01Like talking like holding off on the MRE, like if it was a different situation, yeah, but this is like before dude wipes anything. And like I we were on because it's on an American base, we were just used to be like, yeah, these are toilets, like with toilet paper. No. So I'm in the airport and I'm looking down and I was like, he's in the he's like, oh yeah. So he's in the next stall. He's like, I'm like, dude, where's the fucking toilet paper? And he's like, Oh. He's like, these are those Japanese toilets, dude. And I'm like, what do you mean? And he's like, you know, like the ones that like shoot water, dude. Fuck. It was like dude, yeah, okay. So it's uh we didn't it had like several different buttons.
SPEAKER_04Speed this up, explain why they're doing it.
SPEAKER_01Okay, okay. So I was like, well, the deed was already done. Okay, there's no toilet paper.
SPEAKER_04Yeah.
SPEAKER_01We're you're shits creek without a pedal.
SPEAKER_04Right.
SPEAKER_01Okay, and then I'm looking over, I don't know how to work these buttons. They're all in Japanese, okay? That's fucking words. And it's like winding up like a friggin' cannon. I was like, and I was like, I saw a look over at him, I'm like, what do we do? He's like, we're gonna hit the green button on three. All right. So I was like, You guys are both in different stalls. He's in the one next to me. It's like he's like, we both went. We're like, you know, it's gonna be a long drive back to base. So I was like, all right, might as well get it out now. And like, so we I'm sitting there, I was like, we're gonna hit the he's like, green means go. So we're gonna hit the green button on three. And I'm like, okay, I trust you. And he's like, all right. So he goes, three, two, one. I hit the fucking button. Okay, he does not. He guinea picked, I got honeypotted in the fucking the green button, and then I sit there and like, you ever hit your hand with like a power washer while cleaning the house? Alright, now imagine that. Worst experience.
SPEAKER_04So I hit the green button and goes, Why would you go three the first time?
SPEAKER_01Well, I do he so he goes, Yeah, I don't know.
SPEAKER_04Yeah, yeah. Why don't you pick three? You gotta pick one.
SPEAKER_01I don't know, man. He tricked me into doing it. So we hit the green button, it winds up, it goes, I've never used a bidet. Okay? It's the most terrifying experience of my life. I was like, I'm gonna die. Just like all this, dude. It's crazy. And it's just like power wash. I was like, so I freak out, I'm like, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no. So I'm like, I don't know how to turn the thing off. I'm freaking out, dude. And so I got my hands on like the stall wall. Keep in mind, legs are like my legs are like still open, okay? So the water's shooting in between my legs onto the stall wall, okay? And then finally I figure out how to turn off the fucking bidet. It was one of the 5,000 red buttons on there, and I'm like, all right. So we turn off the red button. We're supposed to meet the officers, okay? To pick them up. Now, I come out of said stall and I look at him and I was like, You piece of shit. You failed me today. I'll never forgive you for this. It's like, you trader.
SPEAKER_04And so I'll remember when we're on the battlefield.
SPEAKER_01So when it, yeah, right. I was like, dude, I was like, I'm giving yeah. So it's uh the water was shooting at the stall, right? So where does it land?
SPEAKER_04Uh the mirror.
SPEAKER_01No, no, no, no, no, no. It's the water was so it shoots the stall, shoots down. No, it's on my the front of my pants. Oh yeah. So it looks like I pissed myself, dude. And so I gotta go there and meet with the officers. There's no dryers, there's no like paper towels or anything. And then so we go there, and the officers are standing there and they're looking at me and they're like, Fuck happened to you. He says, Hey gentlemen, welcome to Japan. The toilets suck here. I was like, they I was like, Don't hit the green button.
SPEAKER_04Did you feel violated?
SPEAKER_01Yeah, I never recovered. Never, never, no, okay.
Life With A Daily Bowel Program
SPEAKER_04So I feel violated every day. So people don't realize like how I like, you know, take a shit. What happens is is my nurses turn me to my side, okay? So I get turned aside, my face is getting smashed into the bed or wherever the fuck we are, and then they're like, okay, we're gonna do this, ready? And then they uh put lube on their fingers, and then they just go straight in. Straight in.
SPEAKER_01Really?
SPEAKER_04Yeah, straight in like and then to add the icing on the cake, I have a fucking like fluffer in the like pushing on my stomach to make sure like gas gets out and shit. Like just and I'm just like really yeah. It's I hate it, it's the worst part of my day.
SPEAKER_01How does how does like is it just like how do you how do you like know?
SPEAKER_04I don't know. So I can't feel thing out.
SPEAKER_01So it's like a ghost shit.
SPEAKER_04It's a ghost shit. Yeah, 100%. You never know what's you know what you're gonna get. And uh, like I said, like the last episode, like if I have diarrhea, like call congress call everything, yeah. Because everyone freaks starts freaking out, or if it's hard, everyone starts freaking out, and they're like, we need to give you this, this, this, this, and this. And it's just like I've never like heard people like give me like trophies for how big my shit swerved. They're like, oh, that's a real big one. And then they're like, oh, good job. I'm just like, oh my god.
SPEAKER_02Do you have any stories of like nurses or new trainees being really like awkward or weird about it?
SPEAKER_01Yeah, no, I don't know. What if you have like one serious one that's like making like hide hard eye contact?
SPEAKER_04I can't see, dummy. I'm turned.
SPEAKER_01Oh, yeah, yeah. Yeah, put a mirror up, dude. Put a mirror up. So you can give them hard eye contact.
SPEAKER_04Who the fuck do you think? Just mad.
SPEAKER_01Fucking bitch. She's giving the death stare. You'd be like, you motherfucker, dude.
SPEAKER_04No, I don't, but I like try to get it done as soon as possible because I don't want it like to be on my side. I don't want to talk about shitty. I I actually have a phobia with shit. I don't like shit. So like like I I have this nurse, this guy takes 15 minutes to do my bowel program. That's unheard of.
SPEAKER_01What's the normal like longevity of like that whole process? Three? Three, so he takes five times the over the amount.
SPEAKER_04Wow, you can do math. That's crazy, Maurice. I know, right?
SPEAKER_01I'm working on it.
SPEAKER_04How would you feel like getting a finger up your ass? Oh, multiple fingers up your ass every day.
SPEAKER_01No, no. With lube. No. Okay, so when you were first injured, how did someone explain like the bowel program to you? If I'm saying that right.
SPEAKER_04Bowel program.
SPEAKER_01Bowel program?
SPEAKER_04So like taking a shit. So when I first got injured, they were just like turning me to like get like whatever was coming out because I was on a feeding tube. So obviously it was gonna be like liquidy.
SPEAKER_01So this is like in the beginning.
SPEAKER_04Yeah, this was in the beginning. And then um, I got I went to RIC, I'll never forget it. Dr. Anshell was right there, and my dad and stuff. He's like, Okay, let's talk bowel program. It's like let's not. What the fuck is a bowel program? It's like, okay, so you're gonna go around 7 p.m. every night. We're gonna try to regulate your bowels. And I'm like, well, how am I gonna go? I I I couldn't talk though. That's the thing that stuck too because I wanted to bitch slap this fucking doctor.
SPEAKER_01But you could because you you can't feel that though, right?
SPEAKER_04Like when they're about to go, I couldn't feel it now, but like it's it's like dude, I was a pretty alpha person in the military, and when you go from alpha to fingering your ass because you need to take a shit, it's not it's not a good time. I would have fucking sneezed. It's not a good time.
SPEAKER_01And hit him like you ever see that movie, uh, what's it, um, Hall Pass? The chick sneezes, and it's like, I feel a lot better now. And she's like, she's sitting on like the fire, she's sitting on the the the bathtub, right? And he's like, she's like, oh god, I feel so sick. And she sneezes like like whole shower, repainted it. You should have sneezed, dude.
SPEAKER_04You know, like defense mechanism. I should have, I don't think all bass was out then. No, no, I don't think so. I I should have done that, but I can't breathe in the rubber, so sneezing. Oh I can't go like can't can't do it. I I can sneeze, but it's very like it's like it's like a bumblebee sneezing.
SPEAKER_01Like a bumblebee, like yeah like a pick-me girl.
SPEAKER_04Yeah.
SPEAKER_01Oh, like one of those anime girls. She's like, exactly.
SPEAKER_04Exactly. So he's like saying 7 p.m. Okay, 7 p.m.'s good. And then they shove something called a suppository up your ass for like 45 minutes, and then they cut and you have to be on your side just in case you decide to shit on your own, and then that's what happened. And then like ten years ten years later, that's not how it goes anymore. Now it's like I I choose what I want to, I don't use a suppository, I just I don't believe in all their fucking uh things that they teach you.
SPEAKER_01Well, I mean, yeah, it's like a alpha. Like I like you're like, nah, I don't want to do this. Like, you know, it's like deep like it's not masculine, like demasculating, right?
SPEAKER_04No, it's not that. It's of course it's demas uh demasculating. I've I've learned to live with it, but when I'm on my side, I I I like joke around and I like moan and stuff. Just like you're fucking with them and you're like oh yeah, just joke around. Looking over at him and like oh like because I'm like this funny, I gotta make this funny. So your math works. That's why we started this like version of the podcast satire, satire beats everything. One time I like cannonballed one at fucking Really? Yeah. She's over, she's over there.
SPEAKER_01Really?
SPEAKER_04Yeah, it was it was pretty it was wild. I was super proud of myself because I was like, fuck yeah, man. Hell yeah. So it wasn't like a splatter, like hall pass, but it was a cannonball.
SPEAKER_02Well then, I have a question for the men in the room. Um, is this true or is this just in the circles I hang out in? Are are men proud of the size of their shit?
SPEAKER_01Absolutely. Yeah, and the sound of the fart.
SPEAKER_02Really?
SPEAKER_01Yeah, if that thing's got bass, man, we're like, yeah.
SPEAKER_02So I guess a pro, like, have you ever had Rico? Have you ever had a really nice log that you laid and there's no witnesses? It's like when you catch a big fist.
SPEAKER_04He took a picture.
SPEAKER_01With the amount of White Castle, I've probably laid enough bricks to make a house. Yeah, I for sure. For sure. Like you have like that one night where you came back and you're like, There's like levels of like going out and drinking and picking bad food that's gonna affect you the next day. So like Taco Bell is like there, and then there's White Castle.
SPEAKER_04Dude, the the way I the way I shed, it's like it's like days worth of shit.
SPEAKER_01So it's like backing up.
SPEAKER_04It's like back the fuck up. Like the like EV has seen some pretty big shits.
SPEAKER_02Like well, that's what I was gonna say, Rico. You can have a massively beautiful cast of your colon and no one would ever be able to see it. But Max gets several witnesses when he lays a nice loaf. Yes.
SPEAKER_01Really? It's huge. And it's recorded. And it's recorded.
SPEAKER_02Text message, group chat, cameras everywhere.
SPEAKER_01I guess I feel you there because then I'm I have like all these doctors that when I went for my like colonoscopy, there was like zero privacy. Zero.
SPEAKER_04Oh really?
SPEAKER_01Yeah, now, yeah.
SPEAKER_04For Do you have privacy now?
SPEAKER_01Yeah.
SPEAKER_04Then shut the fucking up.
SPEAKER_01So do you like are you familiar with like, so when I got when I was getting diagnosed, uh, I dropped like 20 pounds in Korea. So I got diagnosed with um fructose malabsorption and irritable bowel syndrome. And um I dropped 20 pounds in like two weeks. So we had to do like a height and weight with like our operations guy, and they're like, Rico, like what the fuck, man? They're like, you're 120. You're 120 pounds. And I'm like, I don't like I don't know. Like, I didn't know what it was, so I got diagnosed while I was in. Well, they're the when we get back to like mainland Japan, they're like, You're gonna have to go for a colonoscopy. And I'm like, Oh, what's that? And they're like, Well, it's kind of like uh they get a camera and they go up one end and then they take another camera and they do an endoscopy and they go down the other end. I've had like two with a VA, and for me, I was like, Yeah, no, we're not, we're not doing that. And they're like, you have to.
SPEAKER_04So but this recruit would not like this.
SPEAKER_01You're like, this recruit would not like that happens.
SPEAKER_04You're not recording. But in the military, you have to do it.
SPEAKER_01You have oh, dude, there was worse stuff than that. There was worse. Okay, so you remember the like Iron Giant at the end of the movie where he's got like that little piece that lights up and shit? Yeah. Okay, so I had to eat this camera, right? Like it's like a horse pill, right?
SPEAKER_04Oh, yeah, they eat a camera.
SPEAKER_01So you pretty much gotta like dry swallow this horse pill that's got a camera. And they're like, it's gonna take pictures of your stomach. And it it lights up like an emergency light. Like when you pull like the lights go off at school and it's like straight strobe? Yeah, yeah, yeah. So I'm thinking, I'm like, I'm like, all right, so I I asked the doctor, like I had to call him back because I didn't think of this. I was like, do you guys need the camera back? Because I don't want to do that, dude. So it's like, I don't want to. They're like, no, I was like, I'm not getting it back, dude. I was like, you guys can come get it. I was like, I'm not retrieving your camera for you. Like, no, no, no, you could you just get rid of it. And so what happens was it was like I was thinking, I was like, this camera's like on my body and it's doing like photos and stuff. Yeah. So I sat there, I was like, all right, I gotta get rid of the camera. I was like, I know, I know. I was like, all right, you gotta go do the dude. And I was like, I sat in the bathroom with like the lights off to see if like it would like was still it was, dude. It was crazy. I was like, I sat there, I was like, I played like the blade runner theme song, like doo doo do do do do do do do do I just made fun out of it, man.
SPEAKER_04Dude, that's the best way to do it, is make fun of it. Well, dude, and they had hello. Oh like straight this Rachel. Like, hello do you want to see the inside of my butt?
SPEAKER_02You're like, so what about this one? Your piss looks gorgeous today.
Catheter Mishaps And Lost Privacy
SPEAKER_04Oh yeah, I hate it. What was that? So, like either my girlfriend or my nurse or anybody's like, dude, like nice job. And I'm just like, like, what are you talking about? She's like, nice job. No, you're just your your piss still looks really good. It looks like white gold. I'm like, thank you. Like, it's very, it's it's very weird. Like, I used to wear a condom catheter, so I get it. What is that? Now I have a catheter that's called super pubic, and we'll put a fucking like diagram on top of it. Like a Texas condom cap, that's what they're called, and you you put glue on your deck, and then you put the condom on. And you put glue on it, and then yeah, it's like it's it's like an adhesive, and you put a condom on it, and then like you piss from it. Like, but I would always like go to clubs and stuff, and this thing would pop off, and I'd piss myself.
SPEAKER_01Really?
SPEAKER_04Yes, all the time. Clubs, games, fucking just chilling. Did it like fall off or like how how Yeah, um, dexteral shells, and it comes right the fuck off. And then I don't know it came off though. And then sometimes like I got a nurse that like checks my pants all the time, and then I would they're like, Yeah, it came off. We gotta go in the other room and put another one on. And then when they're in my pants, I'm like, get out of my pants. I just I just say like like in public, uh, they're not wearing nursing uh clothes, but it's just best too. Like they're not wearing they're wearing like like civilian clothes, like regular clothes. We talked about this, dude. It doesn't look like it's a nurse, it just looks like someone's just grabbing my dick in my pants.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, dude, dude, no way.
Boot Camp Pee Anxiety Stories
SPEAKER_04Oh dude, yeah, I really miss the feeling of just letting out a nice piss. Like I really do. I know like after a couple of beers or something, or um either after a couple of your beers, or if you really have to go. Remember at boot camp, they made you drink like uh you had to drink like a whole canteen, and then at night you would have to get up and take a fucking large fiss.
SPEAKER_01Oh, in the middle of the night, and then there's like fire watch, and you're like, I don't wanna so for we were scared. So like half of us had like phobias of the instructors and shit. Because they were all like jacked. So they're like, oh shit, if they're not walking around on the quarter deck, dude, we could just like quickly make it. And the only light on there is the one at the head. So and so you're like looking because like if you you'll get IT'd, like you can get IT'd at night. So you're like, okay, I gotta risk getting smoked on the quarter deck in order to pee right now. Or wait wait a minute until so we were always like on guard.
SPEAKER_04We were like, are they you know it's but it's worth it though when you get there and you take the piss? Like, is because they make you drink a whole canteen in the summer because they don't want you to like eat cat.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, did you guys did they make you guys drink like the do you guys so how do you do you like do they like we had to speak in the third person, so you'd be like, this recruit, like request permission to use make a head call.
SPEAKER_04No, we're not idiots. The army doesn't do that, unfortunately.
SPEAKER_01Lucky lucky. Yeah, lucky lucky.
SPEAKER_04Yeah, we we don't say this recruit is a sort of thing. Must be nice.
SPEAKER_01This must be nice.
SPEAKER_04This recruit's gonna drink this whole canteen, drill instructor, or whatever the fuck you guys say.
Poop Pride Farts And Group Chats
SPEAKER_01Yeah, you you have drill sergeants. We got drill instruction. Yeah. Yeah. And then, yeah, we had we had one of those nights where I had to go, like I had to go piss in the middle of the night, right? And so it's during Halloween, we're second phase, we're in Camp Pendleton, and there's a there's like a like a staff sergeant that was it with another platoon, like a drill instructor, and he took a red marker and he started just like KOing Firewatch. He's like, like sneaks up behind him and then just gets him like right here with the red marker, and he's like, You're dead now. And he's like, So I'm getting up to go pee, and like we have like three dudes on firewatch, and I get up and like I'm coming out of the stall, and I just see like this dude balled up on the floor, and he's like, he's like stabs out so he's like killing people off with a red sharpie, and I'm like, What what? And he's like, he's like, yeah, he's like, go ahead in the stall, dude, or he's gonna take you out too.
SPEAKER_04Have you ever caught a girl shit shitting?
SPEAKER_01Caught a girl?
SPEAKER_04Dude, I'm like, I have tried when I was walking, when I was walking, like they they do it so secretively. No, dude, girls see like girls. I like tried staking out my girlfriend one time, and I was just like, I was like, when is she gonna take shit? What the fuck? Um because I wanted to like bow. Yeah, hippie dipping.
SPEAKER_01Like when I was at like a hippie dippy festival, yeah. Yeah, I did. Oh, you did? Yeah, there's camera.
SPEAKER_04So it does happen.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, yeah, it does. Yeah, it does. It's like it does, it totally does.
SPEAKER_02I have a confession to make, and I'm not the only one. Um during bowel program is the time when the nurses and myself are allowed to rip ass.
SPEAKER_04Oh my god, that's gross.
SPEAKER_01Now you just you're just figuring this out?
SPEAKER_04No, I I kind of had a hunch a little bit. Like, I don't know.
SPEAKER_01All at once.
SPEAKER_04I'm not like laying on my side, like, oh yeah, my nurse and my PA's definitely ripping ass right now.
SPEAKER_02Do you have a sense of smell, Make? Yes. You d oh shit.
SPEAKER_04Only for like pungent?
SPEAKER_01So yeah, they're this s well they yeah, they don't fart. There's just alien farts, dude.
SPEAKER_04They don't even No, they they do.
SPEAKER_01They do?
SPEAKER_04They do.
SPEAKER_02I feel like even though you're talking about something that's very Private and very like you said it yourself, it's like a violating thing. The fact that you're able to talk about it was like kind of a big dick move.
SPEAKER_04Do you know what? Yeah. Do you know what's a big dick? Big boss in it. Dude, you're like fucking Batman. That's what Jude is. You're Batman.
SPEAKER_01He'd be like, call me my squire with the finest linen. So wipe it my ass. Come here. Come here, Larry. Come, come, Larry. Wipe your Royal Highness's ass. You must wipe my Royal High until it's shiny. Like, that's and they're like, Yes, my lord. I shall shall wipe your ass. Exactly.
SPEAKER_04Exactly. That's great, dude. Hey, by the way, I don't wipe my own ass. I have people for that.
SPEAKER_01Bitch. You need like a squire too with like the horn where he announces people.
SPEAKER_00Announcing Larry, the royal ass wiper.
SPEAKER_04Yo, if you enjoyed this episode, comment down below, please. We need your engagement. It's great. We love all you guys watching it. Rico, uh, thank you so much for joining again. And just remember, it can always be worse. You could have a finger up your ass every single day, which is absolutely terrible. But we're not gonna talk about that. We're not gonna talk about it. We're not gonna talk about it. It never happened. I was never there. I'm paralyzed for a neck now, breathing through a machine, but that doesn't stop me from following my dreams and doing what I love to do. I don't got any excuse, and neither should you subscribe. Great.
SPEAKER_02Do you guys have anything else you want me to cut it?
SPEAKER_04You can uh there's anything. Oh, uh Iran. Uh Iran I'm gonna sneeze and bomb them all.
SPEAKER_02Forty minutes you go wait, I wanna talk about Iran.
SPEAKER_01Speaking of shit. Speaking of shit.