Procedure Week Challenges - Appliance Woes & Scissor Recommendations

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Abefroman1969
Jul 30, 2022 9:30 pm

Started the week with a COVID swab, negative, all good there. PC visit Thursday, all good there, starting next on a new med similar to Cymbalta since that helped a ton. Pick it up Monday. Then super scope day prep after PC DR. No idea why they wanted me to have an enema, it's a stump, so I skipped that part, unnecessary. Did everything else properly. Was supposed to have lower endoscope to make sure there is no cancer so we can move on to Barbie butt reconstruction.
I get there and of course I'm the last patient of the day. Luckily I have the same anesthesiologist from the hospital, my GI doc who isn't doing the procedure is there, this was ordered by the surgeon. Now I'm told I'm having an upper endoscope, ileoscope, and a flex sig. I wake up after and they are putting a new appliance on me, the nurse seems new and to not know how to change and prep skin for a new appliance. In my propofol haze, I explain to clean it all up, use the adhesive remover so we are just dealing with clean skin, I tell her about the powder and how to go easy and spread it into the skin so you can barely see a light film, then use the Cavilon spray I have in my ekit and completely cover the powder and wait for it to dry, should not see any powder (I'm still in a haze and haven't opened my eyes). Instead of measuring, they asked me for stoma size so I told them to cut to 38mm and apply a barrier ring to the appliance, she says but it's too small (now I'm laughing with my eyes closed). I manage to open my eyes and tell her it's pliable and to just match the size of the appliance opening, getting her to giggle too. Appliance on (although it's a transparent emergency one, whatever, I like the Hollister adhesion plate so I can roll with this for a few days.
Still pretty out of it today but had breakfast and lunch in quick succession and took a nap. Woke up, noticed hey it's time to empty, go into the washroom, pull up shirt, entire left side of base has released, powder everywhere, appliance being held on by barrier ring only and right side of baseplate!

Welp, guess it's time to stomp upstairs and lay out change supplies. I get the old appliance off very easily and stoma is active so I'm taking my time but trying not to make a bigger mess, I get cleaned, powdered, and sprayed, dried. I remove the protection from the backing and the appliance sticks straight to the waste bag of the old appliance and dirty cleaning supplies, FML I silently yell into my head. Well, as luck would have it, the other night when I contemplated changing the appliance before the procedure, I had precut 2 bags. So I grab the spare and apply. I finished my change without a snow leopard wanting his bag changed too, but honestly would have liked that.
So for a fun Saturday night, I'm going to pre-cut 5 more bags.

Has anyone found a comfortable pair of appliance scissors? The free ones from the 3 companies are fine but uncomfortable and hurt my fingers.

Now I wait for the test results and a surgery date. And maybe a tip on good scissors.

The Dr loved Homie with a Stomie, by the way!

Homie With A Stomie NS
Jul 30, 2022 10:25 pm

Lol....you using my handle bud....

What a shitty time you had but somehow knew you would laugh through it

Get to feeling yourself real soon and then you can start singing rub a dub dub stomie in the tub....

Stay well

Your homie with a stomie

Tracy

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AlexT
Jul 30, 2022 10:27 pm

These are what I use....
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From Coloplast. Blunt edge so you can't poke a hole in the bag.

AlexT
Jul 30, 2022 10:28 pm
Very helpful

And Cooper says hi...
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Homie With A Stomie NS
Jul 30, 2022 11:29 pm

Howdy, Cooper, and that's what I use as well.

 

My Ostomy Journey: Kimberly | Hollister

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Abefroman1969
Jul 31, 2022 12:17 am

I'll look and see if I have those in the Coloplast emergency supply kit, I bet that's exactly where they are.

eefyjig
Jul 31, 2022 12:18 am

OMG, giving clear directions from your twilight world because you know best only to have it done wrong and make more messy work for you later. You are freakin' trooper!

lovely
Jul 31, 2022 4:54 am

Wishing you the best.

HenryM
Jul 31, 2022 8:22 am
Very helpful


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I use small scissors like this to cut my hole to fit the stoma.  The problem is, as you suggest, finding a pair that your fingers will fit into comfortably.  Years ago, after finally finding a good pair, it got confiscated by the airport guards.  It took a while to find a replacement.  One possible place to look:  a beauty supply store.  Also, a good drug store. 

Abefroman1969
Jul 31, 2022 11:25 am

Sorry about using your handle, I was trying to calm my nerves and told the docs about the site and try and get a laugh, and it worked, thank you for my appropriation

Abefroman1969
Jul 31, 2022 11:26 am

Thank you, Henry. I'll look there.

Justbreathe
Jul 31, 2022 2:24 pm

Glad for you that the past week is now in the past and you are able to be good-humored about it. When I was sent home, Medicare sent a home nurse to our home every 5 days to change my appliance - each time was a catastrophe - once he changed my bag 5 times to get it right! One would think these nurses would be better trained for this important job to us belly-baggers.

Wishing you a speedy and complete recovery from your current medical challenges - will be thinking of you! Hugs. JB

Managed to slice my bag once with some sharp scissors - discovered I had some
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nail scissors in my arsenal for cutting my son's fingernails 50+ years ago!!! They work great! Amazingly, Amazon shows them on their website (around 12)

Here's a picture

Past Member
Jul 31, 2022 2:28 pm

Good luck with everything, Paul. Sending loads of love and positive vibes your way, my friend.

I use these little scissors from Coloplast.


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Homie With A Stomie NS
Jul 31, 2022 6:04 pm

Agree about the nurses, same here in Canada. I have VON and many only know the basics of ostomy ways and procedures, etc. They have never changed me, they showed me once while in the hospital. From there, I did it myself and now my hubby is fully stomie trained as well, lol. Thank God for my amazing ostomy nurse that is with my GP doc.

Tracy

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