ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY MARYLAND

OSTOMY ASSOCIATION, INC. P.O. BOX 847

GAMBRILLS, MD 21054

OFFICERS President: Paul Rossi 410-647-6171

268 Shakespeare Drive Severna Park, MD 21146

Vice President Stan Novack 410-255-6802 Secretary Jamie Darr 410-987-0094 Treasurer Lyn Rowell 410-672-6983 Webmaster: Janice Winters

BOARD OF DIRECTORS Allyn Mellits Joan Gardner Ginny Gross Stan Baker Sandi Burnett Bob Keller OSTOMY ADVISERS: Irene Repka, RN, BS, CWOCN Michelle Perkins, RN, BS.

Were on the Web! www.annearundelostomy.com Volume 41 Number 7 April 2015

Thank you Anne Arundel Medical Center for printing our newsletter.

Next meeting is April 1st 2015 To Be Announced.

Note: Meetings are held at 7:30pm, the first Thursday of each month at the Belcher Pavilion at Anne Arundel Medical Center in Annapolis. From the 2nd floor of the parking garage take the entrance into the Belcher Pavilion and once inside take the elevator to the 7th floor and check with the 7th floor desk for the room number. If AA County Schools are closed due to inclement weather, there will be no meeting.

Start by doing whats necessary; then do whats possible, and suddenly you are doing the impossible. Attributed to Francis of Assisi

The Anne Arundel County, Maryland, Ostomy Association, Inc. (AACOA) is a non-profit, volunteer-based organization dedicated to providing reassurance and emotional support for people who have had or will have some kind of ostomy surgery, such as a colostomy, ileostomy, urostomy (urinary diversion) or a continent procedure. The goal of the AACOA is to provide moral support, information, and education to people with ostomies and their families and friends. Members receive The Rambling Rosebud newsletter monthly. DUES are $15 please make check out to AACOA and mail to Stan Baker, 958 Fall Ridge Way, Gambrills MD 21054-1454

Membership Application Please Print

Full Name _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Last First M.I. Address: _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Street Address Apartment/Unit # _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

City State Zip Code Phone: ( ) Date of Birth: Gender:

Email Address _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Reason for surgery: ____ Crohns ____Ulcerative Colitis _____ Cancer _____ Other__________________________

Emergency contact if we are unable to reach you: ______________________________________________________________________ What type of surgery have you had?

Colostomy Urostomy Spouse/Family Member Ileostomy Parent of child with Other (please specify) I would like to help with the following committee(s) or activities:

Finance Hospitality Membership Newsletter Program Refreshments Sunshine Visiting How did you hear about us?

Internet Search ET/WOCN Nurse Other Hospital Physician

A WORD OF THANKS for their constant support of our Chapter to: Anne Arundel Medical Center for providing rooms for our regular meetings and special events. We appreciate their support and assistance.

Items from this newsletter may be reprinted in other ostomy newsletters, provided proper credit is given as to source of material REMEMBER!!! The entrance to the Belcher Pavilion is FROM THE SECOND FLOOR OF THE PARKING GARAGE. Once inside the building you will be on its second floor take the elevators inside up to the 7th floor. When leaving, take the elevator the second floor and go through the doors onto the 2nd floor of the parking garage.

OSTOMY ADVISORS FOR STOMA HELP To consult with one of the ETs below, a physicians referral is necessary and a fee will be charged. Call for an appointment.

BALTIMORE WASHINGTON HOSPITAL Carol Canada RN, BSN, CWOCN

410-787-4578 ANNE ARUNDEL MEDICAL CENTER

Michelle Perkins, RN, BS, CWON Email: mperkins@aahs.org

Laura Alberico-Klug, RN, BSN, CWON Email: lalbericok@aahs.org

443-481-5508 / 442-481-5187 Fax: 443-481-5198

Private Consultants Joan M. Sullivan, MAS, RN, CNA, CWOCN

410-932-7312

For those serving on the board, the next board meeting is May 18th at 7:30pm

2014-2015

Live Well Live Independent Live Active

TOWSON 6729 York Road

Baltimore, MD 21212

Phone: 410-377-5300 Fax: 410-377-5302

HUNT VALLEY 10757 York Road

Cockeysville, MD 21030

Phone: 410-773-0300 Fax: 410-773-0301

Toll Free: 1-855-AUSTMED

M-F 9:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. Sat 9:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.

Colleen Simpson BSN, RN, CWON

Think Spring!

Time to get out of the cold and do some tidying up. Clear out the dust and make room for the new. Discard anything appearing old and check for expired ostomy products that can be donated to your local support group, nurse, or our center here at Austin Pharmacy to help those in a pinch.

As you clear out old items be sure to refresh supplies kept in your purse, car, or spare closet. It is a good idea to have extra supplies on hand for unexpected situations. If traveling, dont forget to inventory for time away. You may want to consider travel sized items that may be available.

Lastly, if ordering a new product, dont forget to give ample time of at least a couple days. Looking forward to your call, and to warmer temperatures!

April 2015 The Rambling Rosebud

4

PRESIDENTS MESSAGE At our recent board meeting we discussed potential speakers for the year and a suggestion was made that when have group discussions, we pick a starting topic to get a discussion going. Of course it doesnt mean we have to stay on that topic. So if you can think of a topic that would be good to discuss please let us know.

The UOAA annual conference this year will be in St. Louis, Missouri in September. Below are details to whet your appetite. Paul 1st Timers Orientation and Reception sponsored by Coloplast for those attending their 1st UOAA National Conference this session will explain the Conferences What, Where, When and How. At the reception meet other 1st Timers and the UOAA Board members in a social setting. Ice Cream Social sponsored by Hollister Incorporated and served by the UOAA National Leaders. Stoma Clinic a free opportunity for those who would like to meet one on one with a WOC Nurse, have their ostomy examined and have guidance regarding their pouching system and skin care issues appointment times can be obtained when registering on-site. Exhibition Hall a kick the tires opportunity to meet with representatives from our major ostomy pouching system manufacturers, suppliers and retailers, specialty manufacturers, related non-profit associations and many others. They will be on hand to talk about their services, answer your questions, demonstrate their latest products and, of course, provide samples. Educational Workshops including Basic Ileostomy, Colostomy, Urostomy and Continent Diversion; Intimacy and Dating; Ask the Doctors and Ask the WOC Nurses; Social Media Update; Advocacy Update and Medicare and Private Insurance Reimbursement Issues; Spouses Meetings and Caretakers Boot-camp; Basic Ostomy Nutrition and Nutrition and Short Bowel Syndrome; Anxiety and Other Ostomy Related Psychological Issues. Conference Speakers include Joanna Burgess, a WOC Nurse who was diagnosed with a rare type of bladder cancer at age 3, and later underwent many surgeries and medical challenges; Dr. Katherine Jeter will share some of the insights about her 3,100 mile cross country bike ride at age 73; Bo Parish was diagnosed with Crohns Disease when 12 years old but resisted surgery for 13 years. He completed his first triathlon 5 months after his ostomy surgery.

Next month well include a registration form for those interested in going.

Continuing your Social Life with an Ostomy From Stillwater-Ponca City (OK) Ostomy Outlook via Tacoma (WA) and Green Bay (WI) News Review Your social life can be as active as it was before surgery. You can enjoy all activities: meeting people, attending concerts, sporting events, civic and social club meetings, parties, religious occasions or whatever you enjoyed before. The first time you go out of the house after surgery,

you may feel as if everyone is staring at your appliance, even though it is not visible under your clothing. You can feel your appliance on your body, but no one can see it. Keep these questions in mind: Did you know what an ostomy was or where a stoma was located, or what it looked like before you had surgery? continued on page 6

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SPEAK DIRECTLY TO OUR OSTOMY SUPPLY MANAGER: KEITH CAPPS Phone: (410) 254 2055 x249 Fax: (443) 740 9297 kcapps@northernpharmacy.com

April 2015 The Rambling Rosebud

6

You may also worry about your pouch filling with gas and sticking out under your clothing. A quick trip to the restroom can take care of this problem. If you are worried about your pouch filling up immediately after eating at a social event, remember, people without ostomies often need to go to the restroom after eating and nobody will think it is unusual if you do the same! You will probably find that you need to empty your pouch less often than you need to urinate. Friendship and Love: You may be wondering about your relationships with others. Now that you have an ostomy, you may feel that it will change your present relationships and decrease new opportunities for friendship and love. True friendships and deep relationships on any level are built on trust and mutual understanding. These qualities depend on you and other persons. You have the same qualities you had before surgery and your ability to develop friendships is unchanged. If you care about yourself, others will feel your strength and will not be deterred. If your ostomy does cause a break in friendship, a sexual alliance or even marriage, this relationship was not built upon trust and mutual respect and probably would have crumbled some time in the future anyway.

*******************

DO WE HAVE YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS? Bad weather canceled our March meeting schools were closed during the day which meant we canceled our meeting. However, if you would like to be included on any email reminders or notifications, please supply us with your email address.

******************** UROSTOMY HINTS & IDEAS Via Green Bay Ostomy & BOA Friends Together

The stoma will shrink in the first few months after surgery and should be re-measured as

needed during that time. The appliance opening should then be made smaller to fit the new smaller sized stoma. You will find a measuring device and instructions in every box of pouches. If you gain or lose weight, you may also need to recheck equipment fit.

If you develop itching or a rash or become sensitive to your adhesive, talk to your doctor or ET to help you clear up your skin irritation problem. Individual body chemistry differs, so do manufacturers formulas for skin barrier adhesives. If your adhesive is not giving you a good seal, ask for help in finding one that does. A poor seal may let urine leak onto the skin. If your pouch begins to leak, change it immediately.

Some urostomates may have a high incidence of complications, some occurring after 10 to 12 years. Most complications are gradual, the most common is caused by an ill fitting pouch, urine that accumulates on the skin around the base of the stoma may become reddish brown, with raised, thick leather like areas. It is important to have a faceplate or pouch opening that fits to an eight of an inch of the stoma to prevent this and other long-term complications. If the reddish brown growth is extremely bad, it may be treated with soaks of white vinegar three times a day for three or four days. Vitamin C, taken according to the directions on the bottle, may also be helpful to acidify the urine. Alkaline urine on the skin is irritating. If these measures are not successful, a revision of the stoma is an alternative.

NOTE: At each pouch change, check your stoma for color, shape and function. Watch for any stoma problems such as swelling, retraction, stenosis (narrowing of the outlet) or prolapse (displacement of the stoma). Any stomal complications should be reported to your ET nurse.

************ The older you get, the tougher it is to lose weight, because by then your body and your fat have become really good friends.

April 2015 The Rambling Rosebud

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ILEOSTOMY AND SALT Via: UOA Resource Library & Ostomy Support Assoc. of Ft. Worth, TX. New Directions & Evansville Ostomy News

The salt output from an ileostomy is very high, around one teaspoon per day, as opposed to almost none in the feces of a person with an intact colon. Therefore, the proper intake of salt by the person who has an ileostomy is very important. The body, however, seems to compensate for the salt and water loss by discharging less salt than normal through the urinary tract and through perspiration. The intake of too much salt is avoided, in that it increases ileal output. Urine output is generally less with an ileostomy. Therefore, it would be advisable for the person with an ileostomy to increase their water intake above normal so as to increase urine output. In this way, the possibility of kidney stone development can be kept to a minimum.

A grandfather was delivering his grandchildren to their home one day when a fire truck zoomed past. Sitting in the front seat of the fire truck was a Dalmatian dog. The children started discussing the dog's duties.

"They use him to keep crowds back," said one child.

"No," said another. "He's just for good luck." A third child brought the argument to a close. "They use the dogs," she said firmly, "to find the fire hydrants."

SAVE THE EARTH - its the only planet with chocolate!

STOMAS via Semi-Colon and Cheers & Tears;

I think that I shall never see a stoma well-behaved like me. A stoma that will understand

when restrooms aren't near at hand. A stoma that will quiet be

when the room is full of company. A stoma that will really rest

when I change at a time I think is best. But let's not dream and let's not pray;

a stoma is not built that way. A stoma is built to work, not to play; and work it does, both night and day. A stoma has a head, but not a mind;

it sometimes can be so unkind. Yet thankful we must always be that surgeons work so skillfully.

Sure, God can make an anus perk, but only man can make a stoma work!

COLOSTOMY QUESTION

Via Snohomish County Insights & Metro Maryland Ostomy Newsletter

Q. When a colostomate who wears a pouch gets a blockage from eating improper or too much food, should a laxative such as prune juice be taken? Should heat be applied? A. When a colostomate gets a blockage in most cases it is due to constipation. There are a number of things that could lead to a person becoming suddenly constipated such as eating constipating foods, lack of physical activity, using pain medications, etc. It is quite satisfactory for a colostomate to take a mild laxative. The use of prune juice is an excellent suggestion. Foods with fiber like bran make the stool less constipating. For a person who does not irrigate, these methods should be tried first. If the pain is such that it is intolerable, seek medical attention at once even if you have to go to the emergency room in the middle of the night.

A.A.C.O.A. P.O. BOX 847 GAMBRILLS, MD 21054