One gentleman had a sigmoid colostomy performed many years ago and had developed a huge peristomal hernia. He irrigated his colostomy daily and had been using what now classifies as an antique set. The irrigator was a latex bag with no measuring guide to gauge the amount of solution being given. There was a hard rubber catheter with no shield present on the irrigator tubing. He had been forcing the tubing into its full twelve inch length. He poked and poked until it finally went in. All-in-all, it was a miracle that he had not perforated the herniated bowel. He had not been successful with irrigations, continually losing as much water around the catheter as he was instilling. It was difficult for him to accept an explanation of why he was flirting with danger. After all, he had ALWAYS done it this way! Only after a great deal of persuasion was he agreeable to trying a new set with a measuring guide on the irrigator and a cone in place of the catheter.
One elderly lady called the ET office in a state of panic. She was no longer able to obtain the rubber pouches she had been using for 25 years. She had been ordering through the mail from a distant state. She had no idea of any other pouch that could be substituted and also had no idea of what supplies were locally available. She was totally amazed at the new light-weight odor-proof pouches now on the market.
Another case involved a gentleman who had put up with a continued skin irritation from a cement he had been using for many years to adhere his ostomy pouch. He was obviously allergic to this preparation and would periodically have to discontinue wearing a pouch to allow his skin to heal. Had he known several years ago about the new hypoallergenic skin barriers when these became available, how much more comfortable his life could have been.
In conclusion, being an ostrich with your head in the sand is for the birds! Keep updated - read the "The Phoenix," attend ostomy support group meetings, ask your doctor, ET, and pharmacist "What's New?" You may be surprised at the improvements you will discover.
Editor's Note: "The Phoenix" is a quarterly publication of the United Ostomy Associations of America
