ostomy care

Airplane piolet with an ostomy bag

Marlin PellhamLeave a comment

When I was growing up, I always had a fascination with airplanes. I did not understand how a big metal object would float in the sky as they do. My parents answered all the questions I had regarding planes. I loved to learn about and take in all the information regarding the subject. My father told me one day that if I truly had a passion for planes and wanted to fly, I could become a pilot for commercial flying. When I found this out, I knew I was going to be a pilot no matter what, even when I had developed an illness in my colon and had to get an ostomy bag. 

As I grew up, I had a love of planes, and I knew that no matter what happened, I would eventually be a pilot. When I was about to graduate high school and go to school for pilots, I developed a disease that caused my colon to cease to work. The first sign I had of it was a significant amount of constipation. I told my parents about it after a week of this problem, so they scheduled me for a doctor’s appointment. When I got there, I had to fill out some paperwork. Once I turned it in, I was called back to a room. The doctor came in, and I began telling her about what has been happening. Once I was done telling him the problem, he said I might have a disease destroying my colon, and I would need an ostomy procedure to fix it. 

Once the procedure was done, I felt defeated. After a few days in the hospital, my mom came in with a letter. I opened it with some excitement. It was a letter providing me with a scholarship to pilot school. I think my heart stopped for a moment. I was sure to reply to them as soon as I got home and accepted their offer. Four years later, I got a job at the nearby airport flying the big seven forty seven charter planes. 

Having an ostomy as a pilot is not all that bad. I can easily do my job, and I do not need to worry about going to the bathroom. I love being a pilot. I get to travel the world and meet new people as well as learn about new cultures. Being a pilot has been a dream of mine, and I’m so glad to be where I am today. With my ostomy bag, it restricts my movement a bit, but I do not notice it while I’m flying. I only really notice it when I need to do a big stretch, grab or pull the levers. I hope to keep flying. The pay is pretty nice, nothing to complain about, really. 

I am glad to be a pilot, and thank goodness my parents told me I could become one. I love being a pilot. Being able to see the world is amazing but not as amazing as just being able to fly planes. Ever since I was a little kid, I had a passion for flying, and I am glad to have been able to turn that passion into a career. Getting the ostomy procedure did put a damper on my life, but after getting that letter from college, my life changed for the better. 

What Is An Ileostomy?

Marlin PellhamLeave a comment

An ileostomy is an opening in the belly to reroute the passage of wastes away from the colon. You may need it if a part of your colon or ileum stops working properly. That may be due to an underlying condition or an injury. Sometimes, the surgeon may find out that removing the colon is the only way to save your life or end a chronic condition. That surgical procedure usually ends up in an ileostomy.

An ileostomy can be permanent or temporary, depending on the underlying condition. If it is a temporary ileostomy, you will have to live with it for a few weeks to a few months. While having a permanent ileostomy, you have to live with an ostomy bag on your front for the rest of your life.

Before surgery, an ostomy nurse will mark the site of the stoma. He or she will work with your surgeon throughout the process.

A stoma is a part of the intestine sticking out on your belly. Its mucous membrane makes it look pretty much like the inside of the mouth. A stoma is generally red or pink. It secretes a small amount of mucus the entire time. After surgery, a stoma has a lot of swelling, which subsides over time. it generally takes six weeks for a stoma to settle to permanent shape and size.

A stoma doesn’t have any sphincter muscles, meaning that you won’t have any control over when to move your bowels. There are also no nerve endings in the stoma. That means the stoma itself is not a source of any pain.

During ileostomy surgery, the colon, also known as the large intestine, is removed. Sometimes, the rectum remains intact. In severe cases, the surgeon may remove the rectum as well.

What does an ileostomy do?

Fecal wastes do not pass out through the anus after your surgeon removes or rests the colon and rectum. All those wastes will now leave your body through the stoma. You will have to wear an ostomy bag over the stoma to manage those stool evacuations.

Fecal materials passing out of an ileostomy are usually liquid to pasty. That, however, largely depends on what you eat. Your medications and other lifestyle choices also play a significant role in this regard.

Caring for an ileostomy

An ileostomy produces liquid or pasty stools that are loaded with digestive enzymes, salts, and electrolytes. These unused nutrients and minerals can be highly corrosive to the abdominal skin. That is why it is quite crucial to make sure that no stomal output comes in contact with the abdominal skin. For that, you will have to ensure a tighter seal between the ostomy pouch and the peristomal skin. The side of the ostomy pouch’s skin barrier that goes against the abdominal skin is laden with a strong adhesive. That allows for a securer attachment of the ostomy pouch over the stoma.

While attaching the ostomy pouch, make sure that there are no creases in the skin barrier that could allow for the seepage of the stomal output. You can learn how to attach an ostomy pouch from an ostomy care nurse.

How To Deal With Ostomy Pouch Leaks

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Leakage is the biggest reason people hate ostomies. Reducing the instances of ostomy leakage takes the trial-and-error approach. After surgery, the size and shape of the stoma change a lot before settling to a permanent form.

If you want to reduce leakages, the best approach is to look for the root cause. In many cases, pancaking is the culprit causing those leaks. In several cases, stool gets under the skin barrier, compromising the seal between the ostomy pouch and the peristomal skin.

You can brainstorm to find the most appropriate solution for your leakage problem. You can also ask other people with ostomies to know what helped them fix their problems.

First off, you have to make sure that you are using the correct wafer for your stoma and body. If your wafer is not right for your body type, you will experience leakage. For instance, if your stoma seems sunk inside the abdominal skin, you will not benefit from a flat skin barrier. You can use a convex wafer to push your skin gently. It will allow the stoma to protrude a bit, reducing the chances of leakage. Remember, which wafer suits you best depends entirely on your body type. What works for you may not do the same for another person with an ostomy.

After choosing the correct type of wafer, you have to make sure that its opening fits your stoma nicely. If you are using a cut-to-fit skin barrier, you have to make sure that it allows an active stoma. If the water is too tight around the stoma, the stool will get under it and compromise the seal. A too-small opening of the skin barrier can strangle the stoma, causing several other severe issues. A too-large opening, on the other hand, will result in the skin around the stoma getting exposed to the stomal output. It can lead to skin irritation. If your stoma is regular-shaped, you can use a pre-cut wafer, which comes with a premade opening. You can choose from different sizes of pre-cut skin barriers, depending on the size and shape of your stoma.

Another way to prevent leaks is to take care of your peristomal skin. Peristomal skin, with its integrity taken care of, allows for a better seal. Healthy peristomal skin looks the same as any other part of the skin on the abdomen. If you experience leakage, it is best to take care of it immediately. It will allow you to keep your peristomal skin in good health. It also includes emptying or changing your ostomy pouch before it overfills. A heavy ostomy pouch can pull the skin barrier, causing it to develop gaps that can allow the stomal output to leak through.

Make sure to be gentle when peeling your wafer. Ripping the wafer off the peristomal skin quickly can be detrimental to your skin integrity. If your wafer has a strong adhesive, use adhesive remover while removing the ostomy appliance. It will help retain your skin’s integrity and will help prevent leakage in the long term.