Chapter 14
On my first full day back home it was now time for me to put my big boy pants on. Sherry was extremely busy at her job in Barrie as it was tax season. She was already behind that year after missing numerous hours of work the past ten days looking after me. Sherry needed to get back to the office, but she was worried about leaving me alone.
I would now be home alone and there would be no nurses around to assist me. I assured her I was going to be fine and that I would spend most of the day sitting in my chair watching television. I promised I would call her if I had any problems.
Sherry went to work as I watched her drive away looking out the window from my chair.
I did get a visit that morning from my new Homecare nurse Heidi. Heidi was also a nurse at the hospital, she had assisted Dr. G many times in surgery and had nothing but praise for my surgeon. She told me she would be dropping by every four or five days to check in on me. She would also be bringing me my ostomy supplies when I needed them.
I was then that I realized the free Homecare ostomy supplies would need to be upgraded.
I would now be home alone and there would be no nurses around to assist me. I assured her I was going to be fine and that I would spend most of the day sitting in my chair watching television. I promised I would call her if I had any problems.
Sherry went to work as I watched her drive away looking out the window from my chair.
I did get a visit that morning from my new Homecare nurse Heidi. Heidi was also a nurse at the hospital, she had assisted Dr. G many times in surgery and had nothing but praise for my surgeon. She told me she would be dropping by every four or five days to check in on me. She would also be bringing me my ostomy supplies when I needed them.
I was then that I realized the free Homecare ostomy supplies would need to be upgraded.
I wanted the much stronger, more secure flange and pouch system. The free ones just weren’t going to cut it because they were flimsy and of poorer quality. I kept the first box Heidi gave me that morning putting them in a drawer in case of an emergency. I told her that I would not be using the free supplies and I would be upgrading to the more secure system.
Or in other words, I would be using a more costly system which I would be paying for out of pocket.
It was a good thing I kept those pouches Heidi gave me because right after she left that morning my bag filled up rather quickly. I could feel by squeezing the outside there was a liquid and sludge combo inside. I was due for a bag replacement anyway, but I was going to wait until Sherry got back home from work.
Or in other words, I would be using a more costly system which I would be paying for out of pocket.
It was a good thing I kept those pouches Heidi gave me because right after she left that morning my bag filled up rather quickly. I could feel by squeezing the outside there was a liquid and sludge combo inside. I was due for a bag replacement anyway, but I was going to wait until Sherry got back home from work.
But now I would attempt to do it myself.
I grabbed one of the free pouches Heidi had left me from the drawer.
I was about to find out that replacing a bag was much more difficult than just emptying one. I was not prepared in the least for what I was about to experience.
So how does a person position themselves comfortably while changing an ileostomy bag?
I was about to find out that replacing a bag was much more difficult than just emptying one. I was not prepared in the least for what I was about to experience.
So how does a person position themselves comfortably while changing an ileostomy bag?
The last bag I physically changed was on that empty 2 litre bottle in the hospital. Since the bag is positioned in your appendix area, sitting normally does not allow for a flat surface to attach the flange. Standing up is even harder because it is difficult to see your lower abdomen area properly from above.
I discovered that sitting slouched in a chair or a recliner worked best. I could see everything I needed, clean the stoma area then apply the adhesive flange. Once that was done, attaching the bag to the flange was the easy part.
I carefully removed the full bag for the first time all by myself. I propped it leaning against a box on top of my chest freezer which would be a big mistake. I should’ve had a container ready to throw the full bag into.
Without a bag attached, green liquid began to slowly trickle out of the stoma again. So for now that full bag was staying put on my freezer. I had a package of baby wipes and every time I wiped the area clean, more green waste would trickle out.
The full bag that I thought was safe against the box on top of the freezer toppled over. The contents splattered all down the side of the freezer onto the kitchen floor and under the freezer. I lifted my feet as the puddle got much larger under the chair I was slouched in.
There was nothing I could do.
I could not get a new bag on until the trickle which was now a steady stream coming from my stoma stopped. Just when I thought it had stopped and I had the area all cleaned, it started coming out again.
Finally, after about an hour I had the new flange and bag on.
Then within a half hour, the new flange started leaking badly and I could not stop it.
I discovered that sitting slouched in a chair or a recliner worked best. I could see everything I needed, clean the stoma area then apply the adhesive flange. Once that was done, attaching the bag to the flange was the easy part.
I carefully removed the full bag for the first time all by myself. I propped it leaning against a box on top of my chest freezer which would be a big mistake. I should’ve had a container ready to throw the full bag into.
Without a bag attached, green liquid began to slowly trickle out of the stoma again. So for now that full bag was staying put on my freezer. I had a package of baby wipes and every time I wiped the area clean, more green waste would trickle out.
The full bag that I thought was safe against the box on top of the freezer toppled over. The contents splattered all down the side of the freezer onto the kitchen floor and under the freezer. I lifted my feet as the puddle got much larger under the chair I was slouched in.
There was nothing I could do.
I could not get a new bag on until the trickle which was now a steady stream coming from my stoma stopped. Just when I thought it had stopped and I had the area all cleaned, it started coming out again.
Finally, after about an hour I had the new flange and bag on.
Then within a half hour, the new flange started leaking badly and I could not stop it.
Why the fuck was it leaking anyway?
I did everything properly and exactly like I had been shown. My legs were now covered in green, my kitchen floor was covered in green and my freezer was covered in green. It looked like a broccoli war had been fought inside my kitchen.
I wished Sherry was there. I wished Heidi was there. I wished anyone was there to help me.
I started to cry.
It took me well over an hour to clean the mess up. I felt sick to my stomach, but I got it done while my stoma was still leaking outside the flange. I just held paper towels against the area; it was all I could do.
When Sherry got home she called her sister who is a nurse at the Royal Victoria Hospital (RVH) in Barrie. Her sister asked how much of the barrier paste we had applied.
“What barrier paste?” Sherry asked.
Apparently a barrier paste needs to be applied liberally to the part of the flange that adheres to the skin. This helps to prevent it from leaking.
I wished Sherry was there. I wished Heidi was there. I wished anyone was there to help me.
I started to cry.
It took me well over an hour to clean the mess up. I felt sick to my stomach, but I got it done while my stoma was still leaking outside the flange. I just held paper towels against the area; it was all I could do.
When Sherry got home she called her sister who is a nurse at the Royal Victoria Hospital (RVH) in Barrie. Her sister asked how much of the barrier paste we had applied.
“What barrier paste?” Sherry asked.
Apparently a barrier paste needs to be applied liberally to the part of the flange that adheres to the skin. This helps to prevent it from leaking.
Why didn’t the ostomy nurse at the hospital apply the paste to the empty 2 litre pop bottle?
There was never any mention of barrier paste until Sherry’s sister told us that night. There was also no paste in the starter kit that the ostomy nurse had sent me home with.
Otherwise, I would’ve used it.
Where the hell do you buy this barrier paste and will the leaking ever stop?
I was totally exhausted.
Otherwise, I would’ve used it.
Where the hell do you buy this barrier paste and will the leaking ever stop?
I was totally exhausted.
I literally had spent a half day changing my first ostomy bag, cleaning up the mess and then trying to contain the new bag that wouldn't stop leaking.
Maybe had someone told me about the barrier paste and had there been barrier paste in the starter kit, there is no doubt I would’ve had a much better day.
Maybe had someone told me about the barrier paste and had there been barrier paste in the starter kit, there is no doubt I would’ve had a much better day.
It is what it is.