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| Problems I had to face along the way. |
| I was very positive from the outset of my stoma surgery, as I had chosen to have a colostomy as an answer to my particular problems of bowel incontinence when it was offered to me. When I was told it would take me a whole year to completely recover, I honestly didn't think that would be the case for me, as I was so positive. I was changing my own appliance from 2 days after surgery, I was so determined to suceed and get on with life. I just couldn't wait to get a life back and make sure everyone knew I was still alive and kicking again; after all the years of being ill. |
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| At first all went very well. Then after about 8 weeks I developed a hernia on my stoma, even after I had taken great care not to do too much (for those who know me, and were caring for me, that is an impossibility), and not to lift heavy objects etc. in the early days after surgery. It wasn't long before I was badgering the stoma nurse as to what I could do and when! I had to have a really tight fitting girdle, a real passion killer. It caused a good laugh though, if I didn't sit down while putting it on, I'd fall over. As the hernia was on the stoma itself, I couldn't have a hole cut for the puch to be pulled through, this meant that when my body wanted to expel any waste matter, it would be held so tight, that the pouch would be blown straight off my skin. Thus causing me to suffer a real messy situation to have to deal with. Ok if I was home, NOT Ok if I was out!!! |
| Yes, I did get over that experience, but it really did shake my confidence in going anywhere for a long time afterwards. And so started my quest for an answer.... Therefore, as I can't write about the experiences that others have had due to copyright, I can only write my own answers to the particular problems I've had personally. So in order to help other ostomates, new and existing, I have added a list of links that have become invaluable to me in my quest for answers to various problems. These links are the result of many hours and months of research. |
| The last straw for me was when we were returning home from our holiday, and 1 hour into a 7 hour journey I had a very messy mishap. That resulted in me standing at the side of a country lane (that took 20 mins to find anyway), with no clothes on in a dreaful mess, and my very embarassed 15 year old son burying his head in a pillow at the back of the car. My daughter of 13 years running around like a headless chicken, trying to help my husband to find my bag of clothes from the boot. When, along come the dreaded wasps, hordes of them, or so it seemed at the time, and they were my daughters worst nightmare. So, she takes off at the speed of light down the lane with all the wet wipes. My son is nearly choking with the smell, and the laughter of amusement all of at once. |
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