Getting a colostomy for my 31st SCI anniversary!

[wheelady]

Wow am I a happy camper that I got this colostomy. Last night I ate a whole grapefruit before going to bed, it was delicious. I woke up about 4 this morning to find my bag full. luckily I had an extra bag that I keep next to my bed "Just in Case" along with various other supplies. Then I realized that the bag had some air in it as well. What I did not realize was that the grapefruit went right through me in a matter of hours and the filter in the bag must have gotten clogged so the gas could not escape so I decided to burp the bag. It burped alright (not to much of a mess) a few tissues took care of it. What is crazy is that I have had to change the bag three times already. If I had not had this colostomy I would have woken up to a bed full of poop and laying in it as well not to mention that I would have had two accidents in my wheelchair, what a mess it would have been, not to mention what it would have done to my mind with fear of going out.

Stevie P

Hi Stevie
I irrigate every other day and never have any stool in my pouch. The irrigation cleans out the colon, sort of like an enema. I don't know how much hand function you have but the process is pretty easy. You fill a water pouch with water and hang it higher than your shoulders. Thr pouch holds 2,000 cc's of water. Attached to the pouch is a long piece of tubing with a gauge that twirls to show you when water is moving through the tube. At the end of the tube is an on/off valve and a cone attachment that fits down into the stoma. You lubricate the cone and then turn the valve on. I use between 500 to 1,000 cc's of water.

You sit facing the toilet. I usually put a disposable underpad under me in case of spills to protect my cushion. You snap a long sleeve-like device onto the wafer, the top of which is open. It is also cone shaped and is long enough to drape down into the toilet. The bottom is open as well. See link for picture:
http://hollister.com/us/products/pop....jpg&groupid=1

After you've put the water into the stoma, you can close up the top of the sleeve with the wire closure. The whole process takes about an hour for me, but everyone's different. I sometimes rock back and forth or from side to side to get things moving.

When you're done, you use the leftover water to flush the sleeve out. I finish cleaning the sleeve and cone with soap and water in the shower. I usually reuse three times.

Please feel free to ask questions. I understand there is a shortage of good ostomy nurses these days.

Cheers!

[Tim C.]

How was it received anyway?
A pretty bow on that stoma? or stoma stuffed with 31 candles?
Wrapped waffle bandages?