United Ostomy Association, Inc.
Evansville, Indiana Chapter
Re-Route

 
Contents:

Volume 25, Number 10  July, 1998

AN OSTOMATE'S LOOK AT SPORTS
By: Barbara Hurewitz
Sporting activities are some of the most exciting things for an ostomate to participate in . Good muscle tone and increased strength are important for anyone who has suffered a prolonged illness; but for ostomates there is added pleasure of doing something which, because it is a challenge, adds to our emotional strength. When I was ill, I had no desire to do any kind of vigorous physical activity. After my operation, while I felt better, I was still worried about taking part in many activities, especially athletic ones. I was afraid my pouch would strain my abdomen, and that I would feel inhibited from really throwing myself into a sport. But, by starting gradually to do various exercises, and by taking a certain number of precautions, I not only have enjoyed vigorous activity, but have also found myself doing many sports I had never done even before my illness. This successful activity has in turn increased my courage and made it easier to accept my ileostomy. It has certainly brightened my outlook many times. Swimming is one of the first sports an ostomate should try. It is a gentle form of exercise which uses all the muscles in your body. The gentle exercise of swimming should get your body into good enough shape to start any other sport. I would suggest wearing waterproof tape around the appliance. I have worn a temporary appliance to the beach and found this satisfactory. I would also suggest wearing some sort of reinforcement such as a stretch panty, or a gentle support belt for men under your bathing suit. This will keep your appliance from moving around, loosening, or causing discomfort. This same kind of support is excellent for horseback riding. Comment from Northwind News: We have quite a few members involved in sports in Alaska. We have ostomates involved in running, basketball, tennis, skiing, hiking, skydiving, mountain climbing, swimming, hunting, fishing, baseball, 2 and 3 week backpacking trips over all sorts of terrain including glaciers, and all kinds of dancing and skating. Always check with your doctor before starting any strenuous physical activities. Ease into training for any kind of strenuous sport by working out an exercise and nutritional program with your doctor. A doctor monitored program should prevent electrolyte imbalance and possible hernias. 

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WHAT'S NORMAL FOR YOUR STOMA
Via: Coos Bay & Metro Maryland 
What is normal for my stoma? This is a frequently asked question. Here are some answers from your stoma to you. My color should be a healthy red I am the same color as the inside of your intestine. If my color darkens, the blood supply might be pinched off. First make sure your pouch is not too tight. It should fit 1/ 16 to 1/8 inch from the base of the stoma. If I should turn black (very unlikely - but it happens occasionally) seek treatment AT ONCE. Go to an Emergency Room if you cannot readily locate your doctor. Be sure YOU remove the pouch for them to examine the stoma. TAKE EXTRA POUCH ALONG. I might bleed a little when cleaned This is to be expected. Do not be alarmed. Just be gentle, please when you handle me. If I am an Ileostomy, I will run intermittently and stool will be semi-solid If you should notice that I am not functioning after several hours and if you develop pain, I might be clogged. Try sipping warm tea and try getting in a knee chest position on the floor. (Have your shoulders on the floor and your hips in the air. Rock back and forth in an attempt to dislodge any food that might be caught. If I do not begin to function after about an hour of this, call your physician). If you cannot locate him, go to an emergency room. In the meantime, I might have begun to swell. Remove tight pouch and replace it with a flexible one cut slightly larger. if I am a colostomy located in the descending or sigmoid colon, I should function according to what your bowel habits were before surgery. (Daily, twice daily, three times weekly, etc.) I can be controlled in most cases with diet and/or irrigation. This is a personal choice. There is no right or wrong to it, as long as I am working well, my stool will be fairly solid. If I am a urinary diversion, I should work almost constantly. My urine should be yellow, adequate in amount and will contain some mucous. If my mucous is very much more excessive than usual, I might have an infection. I will probably also have an odor and possibly a fever. Consult your physician if that is the case. If at any time, you doubt that your stoma is functioning normally, please seek help. The cause needs to be evaluated. If your problem is a serious one, it needs correction. If it is not, you will be relieved to know your stoma is alive and well. 

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BLADDER CANCER
Via: South Brevard FL Ostomy Newsletter 
Cancer appears in the bladder more often than in any other organ of the urinary system. It is one of the more common forms of cancer among men, in whom it occurs about twice as often as in women. In nine of ten cases, it occurs after age 50. Cancer of the bladder has one outstanding and readily detected sign-blood in the urine. Fortunately, this sign usually appears while the cancer is in its early stages when it can be treated most successfully. Not every person with blood in the urine has cancer, but it is an important warning that warrants investigation at the earliest possible moment. Blood in the urine is not always a bright red color. If it is present in small quantities, the urine may appear to be merely "smoky" or pink in color. But any change from the usual appearance of urine should be investigated promptly. Do not be misled if the bleeding occurs only once and then stops. It often appears intermittently, so a single appearance warrants a visit to your doctor. Cancer of the bladder usually is diagnosed by means of a cystoscope, an instrument with tiny lenses and lights , which enables a physician to examine the interior of the bladder. A small piece of tumor is taken and submitted to a pathologist for examination to confirm the diagnosis, as is microscopic examination of the urine. Sometimes the cancer can be controlled without surgery, by implanting radon - a cancer killing radioactive agent that has been extracted from radium and enclosed in a gold capsule. Regardless of the method, the earlier treatment is begun, the better are the chances of cure. 

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WATER: THE DRINK OF CHAMPIONS
By: Susie Harrison, RD.
Water is the most important nutrient, yet it is often the most neglected. Water is essential for every metabolic function in the human body, and lack of an adequate amount will result in less than-optimal performance, fatigue, and impaired metabolism. As little as a 2% water loss from the body causes a noticeable decline in strength/ power, precision, speed, endurance, aerobic capacity, and temperature regulation. How much water is enough? Eight cups a day, or 64 oz., plus additional amounts to compensate for losses through sweating during exercise. Although this may sound like a lot of water to someone not accustomed to drinking water, rest assured that once you start drinking plenty of water, your thirst mechanism becomes active, and you will crave water frequently. Remember though, that thirst is normally a very poor indicator of hydration. A person typically will consume only two-thirds of his or her water needs when drinking according to thirst. Also, our thirst regulating mechanism declines with age, which is why the elderly are at such high risk of dehydration. Therefore, it is a good idea to drink to satisfy thirst, and then drink a bit more! Drinking plenty of water will enable you to exercise at higher levels and for a longer period of time, therefore burning more calories! In order to assure an efficient workout, follow these guidelines for fluid consumption before, during, and after your workout: * Two hours before exercise 16 oz. water * Immediately before exercise - 8 oz. water * During exercise - 48 oz. water every 1520 minutes (for a maximum of 26 oz. per hour) Weigh before and after workout. Replace each pound of weight lost with 16 oz. water.

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FINDING A GREAT DOCTOR
Via: Snohomish WA Insights
Some doctors are masters of the technological side of healing while others have the compassion and bedside manners of a saint. Find one who possesses both traits and you've encountered a great doctor. The three C's that characterize an excellent physician are: competency, compassion, and communication skills. All doctors look good on paper, but it's performance that counts. Your search will take time and effort, so don't wait until you're sick. To locate the best possible doctor, include some of the following ideas in your quest. Ask friends or a nearby medical center, medical school, or hospital for names. ET's are also excellent sources. Your county Medical Society offers names of new doctors. (Younger doctors are often eager to please and are up on the latest technology.) If you're looking for a female physician, check with the local branch of the American Medical Women's Association. When phoning organizations, ask for the names of several doctors and specify whether you want a general practitioner or a specialist. Then reduce your collection of names by considering office locations and traffic conditions, parking availability, and whether the doctor offers evening appointments. Having narrowed the field, call the doctor's office and find out with which hospitals he or she is affiliated. The initial discussion can reveal the mood of the front office. Are the personnel pleasant, caring, and willing to go, out of their way to help you? Do they make you feel important? No doctor will pass unscathed. You, the patient, must decide what to overlook. Doctors are not competing for patients. When a doctor lacks desirable qualities, you should take your business elsewhere. You, the consumer, have freedom of choice and should use it, because your life may depend upon it. Note. In these days of HMOs, you may not have the wide latitude of choice implied in this article. And don't forget, one of the best ways of determining whether a particular physician is the one you want is to invite him to speak at a chapter meeting.

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