In 2011 I needed to have my ostomy redone. I'll spare you the details. The surgeon moved it from the right side of my belly to the left. He was in my hospital room the evening prior to the surgery going over it with me. It occurred to me that it would be an opportune time to solve one of my age old issues with the stoma, which was so close to my waist line that wearing pants could be problematic. Can you place it a little lower, I wanted to know. What do you mean? he asked. I'd like it somewhat below the level of my navel, I said, so that the waistline of my pants will ride above it. Show me where, he said. I pointed to a spot approximately two and one half inches lower than my belly button. He handed me a felt tip marker. Make an X, he said. I drew a dark X exactly where i wanted my new stoma to be. Okay, said the doc. You got it. X marks the spot.
Hi Henry, my surgeon did the same for me. My 1st colostomy was perfect, 2nd at my waist, which was impossible to hide. So for my ileo I got to pick the spot and have been very happy with it.
Question: You said you had it moved from your right side to your left, do you have an ileo? Or were they able to 'reverse' it to a colostomy?
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Hi Mike and all. I am not sure how panoramic my perspective really is as my peripheral vision shrinks with each passing year. I can tell you that when I came to this website six years ago I was truly ;impressed by the positive attitudes of so many members, especially the younger folks who refused to let their ostomies define who they were or what they would become. I also came to appreciate that having an ostomy is not the same thing as having a disease. Pardon ;my pun now, but ostomies and cancer don't belong in the same bag. One is a solution, the other is a problem. Celebrating National Ostomy Day ;is also well outside my comfort zone. That's like celebrating National Wheel Chair Day. Come on!
I think there is a ;need for improved ;public awareness of ostomies, but I am not sure how that's best done. There ;remains ;some social stigma attached to our situation, and it's acutely felt among our young. We need to get out of the dark ages on this issue, but not by going 'in your face' to everyone else. I think Bill and NDY are 'spot-on' when it comes to telegraphing the right message to friends and family. People will know how to react when they ;see ;how we accept the cards we were dealt. I also appreciate the contribution some people here are making to this effort through their publications.
On a personal note, my son has been suffering from ulcerative colitis for years just like I did. I am very concerned because people with UC are at a higher risk for colon cancer. Years ago my GI told me to get annual colonoscopies to be on the safe side. I am glad I did because he eventually found pre-cancerous cells which led to several surgeries and my becoming an ostomate. Since then I have always ;conveyed a positive attitude to ;my son about wearing a bag because it has kept me alive to enjoy many more years with my loved ones. I think he got the message. We both go to the same gastroenterologist in NYC and get scoped on the same day. Father and Son moments!
Someone once wrote that our children are the letters we write to the future.
PB
Hi Henry when i had my first ostomy surgery 34yrs. ago my surgeon had me come in for an office visit and i didnt have a clue as to why, he had me undress and put the gown on and i couldnt figure out what for until he had me sit and stand and bend over and then he took out a marker and put an X on my right side about 2in. to the right and about an inch down from my navel, and so then i knew what the visit was for.
Learn about convexity and 4 myths surrounding it.
I've had an ileostomy from the start, since '64. In 2011, I somehow managed to have a skin opening just a 1/2 inch from my stoma and it just kept getting worse. So they switched sides. I've had no problems since.
Getting Support in the Ostomy Community with LeeAnne Hayden | Hollister
