Colostomy... Anyone out in attendance beside suggestion??

My beautiful, 36 year outdated daughter had a 5 hour surgery on the 20th of this month, to remove what be left of her cancerous rectal tumor. Surgeons be forced to remove her rectum, anus, and 8 inches of colon. A colostomy was put within, and now she is home and trying to come to grips beside this. She is in weighty depression as I write this (lives on her own) and recently told me, "I'm presently not sure whether I made this decision (to hold the surgery) for myself, or for everyone else." In other words... she has severe doubts roughly her future. She say she is "disgusted" with herself, and I pinch that to mean the entire colostomy experience. My daughter is also an RN and have never in her job, dealt economically with this dedicated area and infact, would "trade" patients beside another nurse, if she had one contained by her care.

Does anyone out at hand with a colostomy hold words of wisdom, warning or encouragement to share with my daughter? She could sure use some more or less now. Thank you so much.

Answer:
Hi, I am a 31 year infirm rectal cancer survivor, and I am also an RN. I had to maintain a temporary loop ileostomy for almost 5 months after a low anterior resection to remove division of my colon and rectum.
In the beginning, I be unsure of my future, I be afraid of what would happen to me, could I thinking for myself and my patients, could I work again? I was frustrated because compassionate for the ostomy was a foreign area for me, adjectives I knew of them be what they were. I even have some skin issues in my peristomal nouns that I was not sure how to meticulousness for. I had to be strong for my household, they fell apart with the diagnosis of cancer and I have to let them know that I be OK, once they realized that I be fine, they were competent to go on next to life in general.
I looked at having the ostomy as a point that saven my life. I be prepared to keep it forever, and once I academic how to care for it amazingly well and figure out how to extend the wear time of the wafer, I be almost sad to see it travel. When I had my reversal surgery, I wish the ostomy was put money on, I had severe diarrhea and incontinance. There are days presently that I wish I still have it.
The thing that help the the most was going final to work. After 6 weeks I went subsidise to work and eased support in slowly, I started next to 4 hours a day feathery duty. I felt better getting out and keeping my natural life normal. By the time I be back to 12 hour shifts, it be time for surgery again. I was past its sell-by date for 6 more weeks, then I be back full force.
Something that help me the most was going to the combined ostomy associations website and joining their discussion forum (http://www.uoaa.org/forum/viewforum.php?... ) . The people at hand are great, there are society who have ostomy's for adjectives reasons, and they know adjectives of the tips and tricks to caring for ostomies, and they also are a great support system. The population there enjoy inspirational stories, and sometimes hearing other's stories make you realize that things can be much worse, I am a memeber as well. My blind name is Lucky1.
Did your daughter own to do chemo or radiation? If the surgery is all she needed for the cure of her cancer, consequently she is lucky that the cancer could be cured so easily.
I would be ecstatic to answer any questions that you might hold, or if there is anything I can do to assistance. When I went hindmost to work, I realized that I could hold a very majority life beside the ostomy.
Has her doctor talked to her going on for continent diversions such as a koch pouch, that type of surgery removes the need to wear a colostomy pod, It is a sifferent type of surgery though.
Let me know If I can be of any assistance.
Shannon
I dont personally own one, but know MANY who do. There are support groups for this. Perhaps if she wont go, you can and serve her along with this trying time within your lives. God Bless and my prayers are with you and your familial.
Oh this is so sad, I own cancer and they've just removed a lump from my upper chest, they hold also found cysts in my liver and I've have bowel pain extremely bleak for 6 years so I think I too will termination up in one and the same position as your daughterl
To tell you the truth what I'm sick of audible range is keep your chin up, and reason positive that sort of stuff. Sometimes I just want someone to detail this sucks and its unfair that it happen to you. And I miss humour, I find most people immediately treat me as if I'm already a gonner. I feel ghastly for your daughter and can only so far visualize how she's feeling. I know I would have a feeling embarassed, scared, humiliated and alone. Maybe we could catch in contact for a honourable old ***** session and a bit of humour more or less our situations, honesty is what I crave right now not the ancient chin upstuff. We have such a encounter on our hands and moderately frankly we do fight but to relieve the depression and anxiety we obligation to laugh a bit as resourcefully. Don't know if this is what you want or need to hear but ask your daugther and I don`t know we can become ***** buddies, with lots of fun in between. Good luck
I am a nurse and hold worked with colostomy patients...if the BM is in principle solid, you can take rotten the bag and blank into toilet and clean daypack with cool dampen if necessary...if liquidy stool, capture an old dish detergent bottle and crowd it with cool wet and if the person is bedbound, untaken the stool into an clean cottage cheese type of container and rinse beside the cool water...if the personage is up and about, they can unfurnished directly into toilet...they say not to use too thaw out of water or soaps, because of irritation to the skin and might affect the "glue" that attaches the platform to the skin...


I had breast cancer and I know the vibrations of loss and the feeling that you are not supposed to be one of the "sick" family, but the one caring for the sick general public...like you switched sides short being given a choice...check beside her oncologist about anti-depressants and something like support groups for cancer. Support groups are a BIG help..

Tell her that Dinah Shore have a colostomy and still lived a full life..possibly that will help her spirits somewhat...


It also help me to take my sorrow and anger out on tree stumps...by chopping on tree stumps and imaging that I be chopping at cancer and everything else that made me mad. Depression is anger turned inward they right to be heard...
She needs a support group or someone to articulate to. Your daughter is still beautiful despite how she in a minute feels. At some point contained by time doctors are going to figure out how to reverse a irredeemable colostomy and give those back their lives. In the meantime, your daughter have nothing to quality shame for. She is doing the very best that she can and i.e. all that anyone can ever do. She desires time to mourn the loss of this part of her body and time to relearn how to cope. Have her check out the following sites and perchance she can find someone who is her age and going through the same things. I also know babyish people who are living near colostomies and it is very complicated for them too.

United Ostomy Associations of America
http://www.uoaa.org/

Living with a Colostomy- Lifestyle Guide
http://www.ostomysupport.info/

Ostomy Land - Message Board and Online Support
http://www.ostomyland.com/

Good luck to your daughter. May she find her strength contained by the coming days.
Vickie, I have no warning for you; I saw your question and have to respond. I know how much you were both hoping and praying that this would not be the terminate result. But from everything you've told me of her, I can't help but get the impression that in time she will not simply rest but will triumph over this.
I doubt it's anything she'd want to hear at this point, but I think I know your spirit, and nearby really may be a plan in place that will front to her being competent to do great things to help and inspire others.
Please know that both of you remain contained by my thoughts and prayers.
Unfortunately she can't trade this one, so she needs to carry a grip. Life is tough and sometimes you just hold to deal beside what comes your way. Does it suck that at 36 she have to deal next to this? Of course it does. I'm also an RN and I work on a Bone Marrow Transplant unit..and copious of my patients would prefer the chance to business deal with a colostomy as opposing plan the funerals that face them. She's grieving and angry.that's a typical process. But she needs to be moving through those mood onto acceptance. Involve her contained by support groups. They're out there.and when she realize just how plentiful people live typical happy lives beside a colostomy if may help her gain perspective.
I've have an ileostomy for 31 years now since I be 10 years old. There are frequent 'younger' people out near dealing with loads and many own felt exactly indistinguishable way your daughter is fancy right now.

Right very soon, the best thing probably for her to do is return with in touch near other ostomates so she can see that her life have not ended basically because she has a pack. There have be other great sites given already that will help her but I'll tag on one more http://www.ostomates.org - that's my site and here is a very live message board there at http://www.ostomates.org/cgi-bin/yabb2/y... where on earth she can get contained by touch with others from around the world who know what she's going through. We also hold a regular Saturday 'live' chat that she is more than welcome to associate.

Good luck to both of you

The medicine and health information post by website user , ByeDR.com not guarantee correctness , is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for medical advice or treatment for any medical conditions.


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