For years following my 1964 surgery, I used a United appliance that compared to what I wear now as a Model T compares to a Lexus. It had a rubber-coated, malleable metal piece that went 'round my stoma and attached to my skin after I brushed on some sticky, white cement (called Skin Bond) that would later have to be removed with an alcohol-based solvent. The attached bag was rubber (or a rubberlike material) and I had a pair of them, one being worn and the other hanging in the bathroom to dry following removal and cleansing. It probably weighed 30 times as much as the disposable two-piece Hollister I'm wearing now. ** After attaching the appliance with the Skin Bond, I had to bind it all down with surgical tape around the face plate for security. It often was what gave me just enough time to get home to my bathroom when the inevitable leaks occurred. ** Removal of the appliance & attachment of the clean one was a clumsy process, with cleansing of the skin being particularly time-consuming. I averaged 45 to 75 minutes in the bathroom for this chore. These days I'm in & out in 15 minutes. ** Naturally, with the weight involved, a belt was absolutely necessary & I hated it with a passion. Now, with such lightweight ostomy items, I don't have to bother with a belt. ** Progress can be wonderful, of course, but sometimes it comes too late. I see adds on TV these days for medication that supposedly can arrest ulcerative colitis and Crohns disease. I had U.C. but, in '64, they had no medications for it. Onward and upward...

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