A few thoughts that occurred to me as I was thinking about this in the shower.
There is no need to feel guilty about the need for this operation. We often wonder what we did wrong and why this is happening to us. From my listening and reading my feeling is that the need to remove the colon has little to do with your life style. I guess you might make it happen earlier or something but not enough to feel any guilt. That is not a professional opinion based on rigorous scientific research but I think it is true.
The second thing you will find true is that the professionals don’t know as much as they think they do. I don’t know how many times we shared things we had learned and we had a doctor or nurse say, “Of course. I knew that.” I wanted to scream at them, “Then why didn’t you tell us and save us from all the misery?” They do the best they can but they are as human as we are. They are committed, trained and very dedicated. They are not gods. Do not disengage your brain in the process.
I hope this helps. Blessings.
homo unius libri
Welcome to Varied Expressions of Worship
Welcome to Varied Expressions of Worship
This blog will be written from an orthodox Christian point of view. There may be some topic that is out of bounds, but at present I don't know what it will be. Politics is a part of life. Theology and philosophy are disciplines that we all participate in even if we don't think so. The Bible has a lot to say about economics. How about self defense? Is war ethical? Think of all the things that someone tells you we should not touch and let's give it a try. Everything that is a part of life should be an expression of worship.
Keep it courteous and be kind to those less blessed than you, but by all means don't worry about agreeing. We learn more when we get backed into a corner.
This blog will be written from an orthodox Christian point of view. There may be some topic that is out of bounds, but at present I don't know what it will be. Politics is a part of life. Theology and philosophy are disciplines that we all participate in even if we don't think so. The Bible has a lot to say about economics. How about self defense? Is war ethical? Think of all the things that someone tells you we should not touch and let's give it a try. Everything that is a part of life should be an expression of worship.
Keep it courteous and be kind to those less blessed than you, but by all means don't worry about agreeing. We learn more when we get backed into a corner.
Showing posts with label Stoma. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Stoma. Show all posts
Opus 2014-226: Healthy Insights: Stoma Saga, 6 of 7, Our Solution
Our solution was suggested by accident by a visiting nurse when our regular nurse could not make it. His theory didn’t work any better than anyone else’s but we were able to take it and develop it. We had to take what he did, think about it and figure it out for ourselves.
We realized that what we needed to do was cut the hole in the barrier/wafer smaller and slide it on from the side so that the flat surface would move under the point of the stoma. When we got done the up side of the stoma looked like the pictures but the down looked like we have pushed it 1/4 inch into the stoma itself. In reality we had simply put it under the lip. Once we did this the barrier was strong enough to keep the tip from burrowing in and the waste began to slide down into the bag instead of under the barrier onto the skin.
We began to see improvement at once. Keep in mind that the improvement is slow. It takes time for the skin to heal but we were on our way.
Weeks later, when the skin was healed and the bags were lasting the recommended 3 to 5 days we got a little too excited and started pushing the edge up too hard and caused a tear in the under side of the stoma but the stoma nurse said that was not unusual and no problem.
That is what helped us. I remember reading the cries of a woman who had posted years ago. I wish I could turn the clock back and share with her because what she described was what we were going through.
I realize this is a nitch thing but I hope it helps someone.
This is the focal point of the series but since I am on a role, I will continue.
To be concluded...
homo unius libri
We realized that what we needed to do was cut the hole in the barrier/wafer smaller and slide it on from the side so that the flat surface would move under the point of the stoma. When we got done the up side of the stoma looked like the pictures but the down looked like we have pushed it 1/4 inch into the stoma itself. In reality we had simply put it under the lip. Once we did this the barrier was strong enough to keep the tip from burrowing in and the waste began to slide down into the bag instead of under the barrier onto the skin.
We began to see improvement at once. Keep in mind that the improvement is slow. It takes time for the skin to heal but we were on our way.
Weeks later, when the skin was healed and the bags were lasting the recommended 3 to 5 days we got a little too excited and started pushing the edge up too hard and caused a tear in the under side of the stoma but the stoma nurse said that was not unusual and no problem.
That is what helped us. I remember reading the cries of a woman who had posted years ago. I wish I could turn the clock back and share with her because what she described was what we were going through.
I realize this is a nitch thing but I hope it helps someone.
This is the focal point of the series but since I am on a role, I will continue.
To be concluded...
homo unius libri
Opus 2014-225: Healthy Insights: Stoma Saga, 5 of 7, Our Problem
Now for the reason for these posts.
For the first three weeks nothing seemed to work for us. The seals would never hold. The bags would always leak. We could watch the progress of brown material through the barrier. The pain kept up constantly as the skin around the stoma was attacked by the acid.
If the seal is not good the material, scientifically called poop, pumping out of the stoma comes in constant contact with your skin. If you have ever had heart burn and felt the way it seems to be eating away at your throat and mouth, picture that on the skin of your abdomen. The skin gets red. It gets redder and begins to bleed. You keep changing the bag and it just gets worse. You consult the professionals and they come up with all kinds of solutions but nothing works.
Finally, no thanks to the professionals, we began to figure it out.
Most stomas in the videos stand at attention or at least pretend to do so. Ours acted like a short snake that was trying to burrow back into the ground. You had to get real close with a bright flashlight and move the stoma around to discover this. What we thought was a large stoma that was leaking from the side was actually a stoma of normal dimensions that was bent over. The stoma is a muscle. It flexes. Our stoma had a kink and every time it flexed it put downward pressure as it would emit the acidic contents. It did not take long for it to work its way down under the barrier, disrupt the seal, eat away the adhesive and begin to attack the skin.
If you are having problems or know someone who is having problems, get down real close with a bright light. Don’t be afraid to touch the stoma. Lift it gently. Move it from side to side. See if it is bent over. If not, then I can’t help you. If it is I can tell you what worked for us.
To be continued...
homo unius libri
For the first three weeks nothing seemed to work for us. The seals would never hold. The bags would always leak. We could watch the progress of brown material through the barrier. The pain kept up constantly as the skin around the stoma was attacked by the acid.
If the seal is not good the material, scientifically called poop, pumping out of the stoma comes in constant contact with your skin. If you have ever had heart burn and felt the way it seems to be eating away at your throat and mouth, picture that on the skin of your abdomen. The skin gets red. It gets redder and begins to bleed. You keep changing the bag and it just gets worse. You consult the professionals and they come up with all kinds of solutions but nothing works.
Finally, no thanks to the professionals, we began to figure it out.
Most stomas in the videos stand at attention or at least pretend to do so. Ours acted like a short snake that was trying to burrow back into the ground. You had to get real close with a bright flashlight and move the stoma around to discover this. What we thought was a large stoma that was leaking from the side was actually a stoma of normal dimensions that was bent over. The stoma is a muscle. It flexes. Our stoma had a kink and every time it flexed it put downward pressure as it would emit the acidic contents. It did not take long for it to work its way down under the barrier, disrupt the seal, eat away the adhesive and begin to attack the skin.
If you are having problems or know someone who is having problems, get down real close with a bright light. Don’t be afraid to touch the stoma. Lift it gently. Move it from side to side. See if it is bent over. If not, then I can’t help you. If it is I can tell you what worked for us.
To be continued...
homo unius libri
Opus 2014-224: Healthy Insights: Stoma Saga, 4 of 7, The Making of a Stoma
When the colon is removed it is still necessary to get rid of body waste. This is done through constructing a stoma.
The stoma is the end of the small intestine that is extended through the muscle and skin and sutured in place. It becomes a combination rectum and anus but without the sphincter muscles that allow control. It puts out feces whenever it feels like it and there is nothing you can do about it. Modern medicine has developed technology, commonly called bags, to contain and control the output.
The stoma is a short section of the small intestine which, in the ideal circumstances that are used in the teaching videos, protrudes from 1/4 to 3/4 of an inch through the wall of your lower abdomen near your belly button. The exact placement on right our left depends on the type of surgery. Picture a jumbo hot dog that has been peeled sticking out of your side and you get the picture. It is red, glistening and rough, just like the tip of a hot dog would look without the skin.
The bag consists of a barrier, sometimes called a wafer, that sticks to your skin and a bag to contain the waste. They come in two piece and one piece. They come in different shapes sizes and materials. The difficult part is finding what works best for you and learning how to apply it.
In a perfect world you come home and are able to do the whole process of applying and changing the bags yourself. Life goes on.
We were not in a perfect world and from my reading on-line, neither are others.
To be continued...
homo unius libri
The stoma is the end of the small intestine that is extended through the muscle and skin and sutured in place. It becomes a combination rectum and anus but without the sphincter muscles that allow control. It puts out feces whenever it feels like it and there is nothing you can do about it. Modern medicine has developed technology, commonly called bags, to contain and control the output.
The stoma is a short section of the small intestine which, in the ideal circumstances that are used in the teaching videos, protrudes from 1/4 to 3/4 of an inch through the wall of your lower abdomen near your belly button. The exact placement on right our left depends on the type of surgery. Picture a jumbo hot dog that has been peeled sticking out of your side and you get the picture. It is red, glistening and rough, just like the tip of a hot dog would look without the skin.
The bag consists of a barrier, sometimes called a wafer, that sticks to your skin and a bag to contain the waste. They come in two piece and one piece. They come in different shapes sizes and materials. The difficult part is finding what works best for you and learning how to apply it.
In a perfect world you come home and are able to do the whole process of applying and changing the bags yourself. Life goes on.
We were not in a perfect world and from my reading on-line, neither are others.
To be continued...
homo unius libri
Opus 2014-222: Healthy Insights: Stoma Saga, 3 of 7, An Anatomy Lesson
First, a description of the digestive system. This is important because it is the body system we are dealing with and you probably did not listen in high school. Now you need the information and wish you had paid attention. This is anatomy 101. If you listened then you can skip it now.
Your digestive system is a long tube that starts at your lips and ends at your anus. Not a very pretty picture but simple and clear. Food enters the mouth, descends through the esophagus and passes through the stomach, small intestine and large intestine to exit through the anus.
The mouth starts the digestive process by chewing and mixing with saliva. It breaks down the large units of food into smaller pieces so that digestion will proceed more efficiently. Think of how much easier a powder dissolves than a pill. This is why we are told to chew our food well. The saliva begins to chemically break down the food.
The esophagus simply pushes the food down into the stomach. What you eat and drink does not fall by gravity but is forced down by muscle action. This will be true from this point on.
At the top and bottom of the stomach are sphincter muscles (circular like a camera iris) to keep food in the stomach while the muscles of the stomach churn the food for digestion. The lining of the stomach excretes acid and mucus to make a smooth paste that will pass on into the small intestine. Contrary to popular belief, your stomach is not located behind your belly button. It is high up, under your rib cage. The lower part of your body houses your intestines. Think of your stomach as a balloon that stretches and contracts as needed to contain varying amounts of food.
When the mixture is right the stomach relaxes the lower sphincter muscle and pushes the ooze into the small intestine. The small intestine is about the width of a polish sausage and about 20 feet long. Muscle contractions squeeze the food down the tube. This muscle action is like you trying to get tooth paste out of a tube. As it move along the small intestine extracts the substances needed to keep you alive and functioning: Carbohydrates, protein, vitamins, minerals, salts.
By the time the remains reach the large intestine there is little but waste and water. The job of the large intestine is simply to remove water. As the waste moves through it thickens until it comes out the anus. Too little water removed causes diarrhea. Too much result in constipation.
Wasn’t that exciting?
To be continued...
homo unius libri
Your digestive system is a long tube that starts at your lips and ends at your anus. Not a very pretty picture but simple and clear. Food enters the mouth, descends through the esophagus and passes through the stomach, small intestine and large intestine to exit through the anus.
The mouth starts the digestive process by chewing and mixing with saliva. It breaks down the large units of food into smaller pieces so that digestion will proceed more efficiently. Think of how much easier a powder dissolves than a pill. This is why we are told to chew our food well. The saliva begins to chemically break down the food.
The esophagus simply pushes the food down into the stomach. What you eat and drink does not fall by gravity but is forced down by muscle action. This will be true from this point on.
At the top and bottom of the stomach are sphincter muscles (circular like a camera iris) to keep food in the stomach while the muscles of the stomach churn the food for digestion. The lining of the stomach excretes acid and mucus to make a smooth paste that will pass on into the small intestine. Contrary to popular belief, your stomach is not located behind your belly button. It is high up, under your rib cage. The lower part of your body houses your intestines. Think of your stomach as a balloon that stretches and contracts as needed to contain varying amounts of food.
When the mixture is right the stomach relaxes the lower sphincter muscle and pushes the ooze into the small intestine. The small intestine is about the width of a polish sausage and about 20 feet long. Muscle contractions squeeze the food down the tube. This muscle action is like you trying to get tooth paste out of a tube. As it move along the small intestine extracts the substances needed to keep you alive and functioning: Carbohydrates, protein, vitamins, minerals, salts.
By the time the remains reach the large intestine there is little but waste and water. The job of the large intestine is simply to remove water. As the waste moves through it thickens until it comes out the anus. Too little water removed causes diarrhea. Too much result in constipation.
Wasn’t that exciting?
To be continued...
homo unius libri
Opus 2014-221: Healthy Insights: Stoma Saga, 2 of 7, The Quest Begins
Are you still with me?
We received lots of well meaning DVD’s about how to care for the stoma. There were You Tube videos offering advice. They were interesting in general principles but our problem was that everyone in the DVD’s and on the internet had a trim body and a normal stoma. Think about it. If you had rolls of fat on your stomach you would not want to make a video to show the world. In our case we have layers of fat that denied us a firm foundation for attachment. We had a stoma that had a mind of its own. Where most stomas stand tall and firm, ours layed over on its side and kept trying to dig its way back into the body.
I remember going to discussion chatrooms and reading people who were totally frustrated. No one seemed to offer them any hope except “hang in there.” Maybe I didn’t look far enough but I found no answers. We eventually put it together. We learned by failure and were motivated by pain.
I will try to share what we learned.
To be continued...
homo unius libri
We received lots of well meaning DVD’s about how to care for the stoma. There were You Tube videos offering advice. They were interesting in general principles but our problem was that everyone in the DVD’s and on the internet had a trim body and a normal stoma. Think about it. If you had rolls of fat on your stomach you would not want to make a video to show the world. In our case we have layers of fat that denied us a firm foundation for attachment. We had a stoma that had a mind of its own. Where most stomas stand tall and firm, ours layed over on its side and kept trying to dig its way back into the body.
I remember going to discussion chatrooms and reading people who were totally frustrated. No one seemed to offer them any hope except “hang in there.” Maybe I didn’t look far enough but I found no answers. We eventually put it together. We learned by failure and were motivated by pain.
I will try to share what we learned.
To be continued...
homo unius libri
Opus 2014-220: Healthy Insights: Stoma Saga, 1 of 7, Stoma? What’s a Stoma?
Do you know what a stoma is?
If not, count your blessings. You may also want to skip this series of posts.
If you do know, are you slender, with little extra body fat? Is your stoma standing straight and at attention? Then most of what I am going to say will not be necessary for your happiness and comfort.
If you are having trouble with your stoma or know someone who is, I offer this in hopes that our journey may give you some insights on your own rough road. The stoma I will be addressing is the result of the removal of the colon. People with a stoma are on a bag. It is technically called a “ileostomy” since your small intestine is labeled the ileum. You can read about it on Wikipedia is you want.
We have moved to the second stage of our journey which produced a new type of stoma. We are going through struggles on how to work with this one because it is totally different. This made me think of the lessons we learned by trial and error on the first stoma and my attempts to get help in dealing with it. Looking back I find that I either ran across answers for standard, low maintenance stomas or frustration with struggles with difficult stomas. The first I didn’t need. The second was a matter of sharing pain, not results.
The journey begins.
To be continued...
homo unius libri
If not, count your blessings. You may also want to skip this series of posts.
If you do know, are you slender, with little extra body fat? Is your stoma standing straight and at attention? Then most of what I am going to say will not be necessary for your happiness and comfort.
If you are having trouble with your stoma or know someone who is, I offer this in hopes that our journey may give you some insights on your own rough road. The stoma I will be addressing is the result of the removal of the colon. People with a stoma are on a bag. It is technically called a “ileostomy” since your small intestine is labeled the ileum. You can read about it on Wikipedia is you want.
We have moved to the second stage of our journey which produced a new type of stoma. We are going through struggles on how to work with this one because it is totally different. This made me think of the lessons we learned by trial and error on the first stoma and my attempts to get help in dealing with it. Looking back I find that I either ran across answers for standard, low maintenance stomas or frustration with struggles with difficult stomas. The first I didn’t need. The second was a matter of sharing pain, not results.
The journey begins.
To be continued...
homo unius libri
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