UOAA Reno Conference

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I Get Scared Too.

I Get Scared Too.

Monday, July 18, 2011 at 3:31PM
Jessica in ostomy, relationship, rob

I think that since I’ve started writing this blog, I’ve painted a picture of myself as a typical young woman. Maybe a stronger-and-more-secure-than-normal type of woman… but that may not be entirely true.

Don’t get me wrong, and don’t take me as egotistical, but I am strong and secure. I’ve dealt with a lot of crap in my life and have taken it with a grain of salt. I haven’t caved in under pressure and I refuse to let someone disrespect me.

As strong and secure as I may be… I am still just girl. Like any normal girl, I am insecure about my body.

I’m not surprised I’m like this, to be honest, because of the torture my body endured while dealing with my Crohn’s disease. I’ve been grossly skinny, with bones sticking out everywhere, to overweight with a fat face of an alien thanks to medications. I’ve had thinning hair, pale skin, and dark circles under my eyes. I’ve spent a lot of time looking like I was going to die, so ultimately, my view of my own body is less than great. It has improved immensely since I’ve been healthy, as you can obviously tell since I can pose half naked for pictures haha.

Despite having those (I want to say normal) insecurities about my body, my ostomy is not one of them. I could basically just whip off my pants and show it to the world. I love talking about it and spreading awareness. I am not insecure about my ostomy.

99% of the time.

99% of the time I talk about it like the daily news. 99% of the time I force people to poke it. 99% of the time, I make a joke about it to large groups of people.

1% of the time, I wish I was wearing a huge, baggy sweatsuit.

This 1% of the time only occurs when I start seeing a new boy.

Obviously, I open up (right away, I might add) about my ostomy to a new boy. I explain what it is and how it works, if they haven’t already figured it out for themselves, and I basically make sure they understand. They need to understand it if they’re going to date me.

For some reason, once I’m past the point of explanation and thing begin to get more intimate, I get extremely awkward and weird when it comes to showing my ostomy to them.

I’ve always had the mantra that I am who I am and whoever doesn’t like it isn’t worth my time. That’s exactly what I think when I’m dating, and I know that if a guy can’t handle my ostomy, then he’s not for me.(Duh) It just sucks knowing there’s the small chance that the guy you’ve just fallen for can decide they don’t like you anymore because of it. Obviously I wouldn’t even want to date them by that point, but it’s sad to lose something you’ve grown to like.

I have been extremely fortunate in my life that I have never been in situation like that. Every guy I’ve dated has been accepting of my ostomy whether or not they themselves were a decent guy. (The ostomy really doesn’t filter our the assholes like I hoped it would.. haha) My ostomy has never gotten in the way of anything that has to do with relationships nor, obviously, does it change who I am. But for some reason, I just hate letting them actually see my bag.

I now have a new boyfriend (finally, right?) named Rob, who is amazing. He’s basically just like me. We like a lot of the same things, we think alike in many ways, and we get along really well. He makes me laugh and smile and respects me.

He’s also made it very clear that he completely accepts my ostomy. He asks tons of questions so he can understand it, he giggles with me when it makes weird noises, and he keeps trying to look at it! He’s so accepting of my ostomy that even when I had the wonderful misfortunate of having a “major ostomy issue” (for the first time in, maybe 5 years?) he was perfectly fine with it. I was beyond embarrassed and thought that he would for sure dump me because it was too much. Instead, he pulled me close to him and proved to me it wasn’t a big deal.

It isn’t a big deal.

For someone as confident as I am with my ostomy, it really surprises me that I get like this around guys, especially with Rob. He’s proven that he doesn’t care what I have and that he likes me for me.

Maybe it’s some mixture of the already existing insecurities about my body tied to the fear of losing someone I really like. Regardless of why, I know it needs to stop.

Eventually I know I will get over it.

It’s just something, like every ostomate, that I have to get used to.

http://uncoverostomy.com/blog/2011/7/18/i-get-scared-too.html

Use Reliable Stomas Skin Barriers And Stop Stoma Skin Irritation

Skin problems are extraordinarily popular in most stoma patients and these irritations can be very stressful to them. This can elicit annoying discomfort which can cause insolence on their part.

Normally, irritations are the aftereffect of using ostomy supplies. That's why it is necessary to use solely reliable hollister stomas skin barrier with flange. But, there are some who have skin "reaction" to the materials or the components used. If this happens, make positive to tell the nurse.

How to determine skin irritation?

To determine irritation, a burning and itching sensation will start to manifest below the skin barrier. This is often typically the result of leakage or a reaction of the merchandise, either way immediate checking of the stoma must be performed.

What are the various skin infections?

When skin irritation emanates and is not addressed to immediately, may cause develop a skin infection. This is thus as a result of micro-organisms could begin to proliferate as a result of the stoma is warm, moist, and soiled. This could not cause major diseases except for patients that are tormented by general ill-health or diabetes or maintains immunosuppressive medication would possibly somehow expertise more complications.

For gentle skin infections, an antiseptic could be used to cleanse the infected area. Further, oral antibiotics might be taken for those experiencing severe infections.

Fungal infections could embody Thrush or candida, Tinea corporis or dermatophyte infection, and Pityriasis versicolor. Viral infections on the other hand could embrace herpes simples or commonly called cold sores, viral warts, and molluscum contagiosum.

How to avoid skin irritations?

Avoid skin irritations by looking after the stoma wound area. Follow these easy steps of skin care to own irritation-free stoma. Here's how:

1. Cleanse the encompassing skin of the stoma with water solely and use a cotton wipe. If cleanser is employed, have it totally rinsed immediately. Avoid oily or any perfumed products.

2. It is necessary to shave any bushy areas round the stoma a minimum of once a week. Create certain that the razor blade is clean and sterilized.

3. Cowl raw areas with a thin hydrocolloid wafer before putting the stoma bag, do this only if it is required by the doctor.

4. Conjointly, a barrier film, pastes or powder is required to protect the skin and avoid leakage.

How to stop skin irritation?

Easy! Use only economical ostomy medical supplies. This suggests that the ostomy products should acquire the subsequent properties:

1. It should be soft, snug to use, and is created from a low-irritant material.

2. Adhesive tapes must be ready to stick evenly to irregular body contours therefore as to inhibit unwanted leaks.

3. Stoma bag ought to be waterproof.

4. The ostomy products should be integrated with charcoal filter to keep it odor-free in the slightest degree times.

Skin irritations may now be evaded with the proper cleansing procedure in as a lot of as learning how to work out a dependable ostomy supplies. Use solely reliable hollister stomas skin barrier with flange and build your patient comfy and gratified.

Read more: http://www.articlesnatch.com/Article/Use-Reliable-Stomas-Skin-Barriers-And-Stop-Stoma-Skin-Irritation/1902055#ixzz1S5qglSJw
Under Creative Commons License: Attribution No Derivatives

What is a Urostomy?

• The urinary system is made up of the kidneys, two ureters, bladder and the urethra. The kidneys produce urine and the urine travels through the ureters (tubes) to the bladder where it is stored. The urine then leaves the body through the urethra. The creation of a urostomy is a surgical procedure in which the urine bypasses the bladder. The urine leaves the body through an opening in the abdomen called a stoma instead of leaving through the urethra. During surgery, your bladder may be left in place or it may be removed.
  
  
• To create a passageway for the urine to travel from the ureters to the stoma, a portion of the colon is used. A portion of the colon is cut and the main colon is then reconnected for normal bowel function. The ureters are detached from the bladder and attached to the portion of colon that was cut. The end of this portion of the colon is then brought to the surface of the abdomen to allow the urine to leave the body. The urine drains into a watertight pouch (bag). The bag is attached to the skin with an adhesive (substance that seals the pouch to the skin).
  
  
• A urostomy is needed when the bladder does not work properly due to certain health conditions. Some of these include bladder cancer, neurologic (brain and nerve) conditions, birth defects, and inflammation of the bladder.

Counselling for Ostomy Patients / support group

I spoke with a patient having problems with the care of his stoma. Since he had no recourse what to do, he called for a Et nurse in a hospital along ortigas passing by Meralco Building. sorry but cannot mention the name of the hospital. The ET nurse charged 1000 pesos for a less than an hour consultation. He left immediately after prescribing stomahesive powder. He narrated that he has to visit 10 more patients for the day. That is a resounding 10k or about 220 dollars.

Kita mo nga naman ang mga iba nating kapwa nurses kung paano mang-abuso ng pasyente. Get in touch with us and we will charge you for free. It is ostomates helping us ostomates. After all, I believe that no doctor or et nurse will understand our situation more than ourselves.

Sad to say masyadong garapal ka naman sumingil pare kong ET nurse from M... hospital.

What is a Twisted Colon?

Twisted colon (colonic volvulus): A twisted colon is a twisting of a portion of the colon around its mesentery creating a colonic obstruction. The sigmoid colon and cecum are the most common portions of the colon involved in a colonic volvulus.

A twisted colon can be very painful. A lack of fiber in your diet is one of the main contributing factors to how your colon got twisted; however, there many other possibilities: chronic constipation, the presence of pathogenic organisms, nutritional deficiencies, a toxic-laden colon, and stress. When twists are present they often occur along with constrictions, ballooning and prolapses that are not normal in the colon.

There are two types of twisted colons: Sigmoid volvulus and cecal volvulus

Sigmoid Volvulus

Background: Sigmoid volvulus is the most common form of volvulus of the gastrointestinal tract and is responsible for 8% of all intestinal obstructions. Sigmoid volvulus is particularly common in elderly persons. Patients present with abdominal pain, distension, and absolute constipation. Predisposing factors include chronic constipation, mega colon, and an excessively mobile colon. Plain abdominal radiograph findings are usually diagnostic. Decompression may be achieved with the introduction of a stiff tube per the rectum, aided by endoscopy or fluoroscopy. Early radiographic recognition is important to prevent mortality related to sigmoid volvulus.

Cecal Volvulus

Background: The term cecal volvulus is a misnomer because, in most patients with cecal volvulus, the torsion is located in the ascending colon above the ileocecal valve. In general, a partial malrotation is necessary for cecal volvulus to occur, because the cecum and also parts of the ascending colon are involved. Early diagnosis is essential to reduce the high mortality rate reported with this condition, which is essentially a closed-loop obstruction that may lead to vascular compromise with consequent gangrene and perforation.



Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/109349

What is Hirschsprung disease (HD)?

Hirschsprung's disease (HD) is a disease of the large intestine that causes severe constipation or intestinal obstruction. Constipation means stool moves through the intestines slower than usual. Bowel movements occur less often than normal and stools are difficult to pass. Some children with HD cannot pass stool at all, which can result in the complete blockage of the intestines, a condition called intestinal obstruction. People with HD are born with it and are usually diagnosed when they are infants. Less severe cases are sometimes diagnosed when a child is older. An HD diagnosis in an adult is rare.

After appearing in a local tv show here in the Philippines, some cases asking for free colostomy bags are of this particular disease. What I do not understand is the size of the stoma