October 2007
Page 7
Emergency!!!
By Dave Page, Editor, Inside Out
Tuesday, August 14, dawned bright and clear in Winnipeg. It was to be a warm summer day, with a high forecast to be in the mid 20's Celsius. A perfect summer day. Early that morning found me at the Winnipeg airport, where I was to board an Air Canada flight for a quick 2 hour trip to Calgary to attend the 10th Annual Conference of the United Ostomy Association of Canada (UOAC). I have attended many UOAC conferences and indeed Co-Chaired the one in Winnipeg in 2005. I was very much looking forward to the educational sessions, the exhibits, and the opportunity to see long time friends, meet new ones, and to enjoy the social events. Also, this was to be my first conference as a member of the Board of Directors of UOAC.
Little did I know what was to befall me. The flight departed at 9:02 A.M., about 12 minutes late. About 10 minutes into the flight, I felt a very familiar pain, KIDNEY STONE ATTACK! (I have experienced these attacks, periodically, for over 35 years.) I was trapped on the aircraft and knew I had to tough it out until arriving in Calgary! The flight attendant was informed and upon arrival I was whisked off the aircraft and taken to the hospital by ambulance. A CT scan confirmed an 8 millimeter stone in my lower left abdomen. After treatment and observation I was released and arrived at my hotel around 5:00 P.M. What was to have been a quick 2 hour trip had been extended to about 9 mostly excruciating hours.
An Emergency can happen at anytime! This one had absolutely nothing to do with my ostomy. I was first on an aircraft, then in a City and in a medical facility where I was not known, in the ER no less. However I was somewhat prepared as I carry a short medical history with me wherever I go. Ostomates have special information which is very important to their well-being, Make a few copies and be sure to take a copy along with you when you travel or have to go to the hospital. Since emergency rooms are not advised as well about ostomies as we would like them to be, this information could be very helpful and may even save your life.
Below is an example of the kind of information I carry with me. Remember, an emergency is just that, it can happen anytime, anywhere!!
EMERGENCY ROOM INFORMATION FOR DOCTORS
Ostomates have special information which is very important to their well-being. The following list of information may save your life if you are taken to a hospital emergency room. Keep a copy of this information with you, and tell someone that this information is available and where it can be found. Take a little time and write a brief medical history about your surgery and other important medical facts about yourself. Make a few copies and be sure to take one with you when you travel or have to go to the hospital. This information will come in handy and you (or a family member) won't have to try to remember dates and procedures under pressure.
- What kind of ostomy surgery did you have and when?
- What was the reason for your surgery?
- What is your doctor's name, phone number and the hospital s/he works out of?
- Any other health related issues?
- What kind(s) of medication(s) are you taking?
- What dosage(s)?
- Are you allergic to any medications?
- Are you allergic to any materials / preparations routinely used by ostomates?
- What is your stoma size? The size of your appliance?
- What kind of medical insurance do you have?
- Where can your next of kin be located?
- Other important information
Adapted from a Metro MD article appearing in the Re-Route, the on-line newsletter of the Evansville, Indiana UOA Chapter, Sept 2007, via Inside Out On-line Oct 2007.
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