DISLODGEMENT.
For those with stomas, ‘to dislodge’
is not a concept we can dodge,
for it has meaning in excess
of that which others might express.
For what stomas are there to do
is expel our unwanted pooh
into a bag or some device,
which, is a drag, and not so nice.
And, while the stoma’s working well
there’s rarely any mess or smell,
as it’s contained and managed so
no other person needs to know.
But functionality depends
on how our peristalsis sends (muscle contractions)
our pooh, without restriction, through
from where we chew to where we pooh.
If there are blockages for us
then this can be quite serious
because of all the complications
if we don’t have defecations.
Apart from pain and bloating we
are susceptible you see
to ruptures of the bowel which will
be serious enough to kill.
And, if we don’t dislodge the block
we can go into septic shock,
with all the hassle that entails
because of blocks in our entrails.
I think most stoma folks agree
that dislodgement for us is key
if we want to be hassle-free,
or should that be - ‘relatively’.
For our stomas will still need care,
so hassle-free is rarely there!
DISLODGEMENT. (continued)
When I began writing this rhyme
it was at an earlier time,
then, I did not have blockages
or even minor stoppages.
But since my colon’s prolapsed I
look back, and now I wonder why
I’m having this problem right now
and have to manage it somehow.
I’ve been and seen the stoma nurse,
who tells me if this thing gets worse
I’ll need to have a consultation
to ascertain the block causation.
I understand the logic here,
but that’s not what I want to hear
as I don’t want the hassle and
the knife within the surgeon’s hand.
I know my intestinal tract
has given up, and that’s a fact,
so logically I can foresee
me having an ileostomy.
This will be so irritating
as I will not be irrigating,
and I will have to manage bags,
which for me, will be a drag.
So, even though I know it’s wrong,
I will irrigate as long
as it is possible to do
hoping this thing does not come true.
The risks I take along the way
may mean that I might have to pay,
but that might be a long-time hence
so, right now, it still makes sense.
Old age makes me more reflective
and also brings a new perspective.
B.Withers 2023
