Summer Break

Hi Everyone,

Gosh, it's hard to imagine another ostomy season has come and gone. It was

another great year for us and I hope you were able to come away with a bet-

ter understanding of the great life we have. Please try and use some of your

spare time this summer to do some healthy things and take care of your-

selves. You are very valuable member of our group.

The June meeting will be a pizza party. There will be door prizes along

with a dose of human interest thrown in. Plus I'd like for you to share some

experiences with us about your life as an ostomate. I hope we can close the

season with some good thoughts of this past year and share some ideas

about the upcoming season.

Please bring friends and family to this very special meeting.

I look forward to seeing you on Tuesday, June 3rd, at 7:30.

Yours in service..........................................Dan

President’s Message:

Triangle Ostomy Association Membership Application

Name __________________________________ Today’s Date: ___________

Spouse’s Name ______________________________________________________

Mailing Address _____________________________________________________

Phone Number: ______________________________________________________

Email: _____________________________________________________________

[ ] I would like to receive the newsletter by email

I have a Colostomy _____ Ileostomy _____ Urostomy (Ileal conduit) _____

Other _____ Year of Surgery __________

I am not an Ostomate, but would like to be a member and support the organization ____

I cannot afford the dues but would like to be a member ____ (Confidential)

We welcome for membership ostomates and other persons interested in the in this group

and its activities and appreciate the help they can provide as members. To join, complete

the above form and send it with a check or money order for $20.00 made out to Raleigh

Chapter of UOA Mrs. Ruth Rhodes, 6616 Rest Haven Drive, Raleigh, NC 27612-2167.

Dues cover membership in the local chapter, including a subscription to the local By-Pass

publication.

Triangle Area

Ostomy

Association

June 2008

6616 Rest Haven Drive

Raleigh, NC 27612-2167

NEXT MEETING: Tuesday, June 3, Rex 7:30 pm

SPEAKER: Pizza Party and Surprise Display, Don’t miss it!!!!

MEETING INFO:

Meetings are held the first Tuesday of each

month (except July and August) at 7:30 PM in

the Rex Surgical Center Waiting Room, 4420

Lake Boone Trail, Raleigh, NC. Enter through

the Rex Hospital Main Entrance, which is near

the Parking Garage.

REMINDER:

In the event of inclement weather on the day

of a scheduled meeting, please contact

Rex Healthcare at 919-784-3100

RALEIGH AREA OFFICERS AND CONTACT INFO:

President: Dan Wiley 919-477-8363

VP / Editor: Jennifer Higdon 919-553-4770

Secretary: Bonnie Sessums 919-403-7804

Treasurer Ruth Rhodes 919-782-3460

Past President: Kathy Bong 919-303-6475

Webmaster: Ed Withers 919-553-9083

Member Support: Susie Peterson 919-851-8957

Alison Cleary 919-387-3367

BOD/Member Support: Shirley Peeler 919-787-6036

Donald Meyers 919-781-0221

Website: www.RaleighUOA.org

New Email: TriangleUOAA@EmbarqMail.com

IN THIS ISSUE:

Minutes page 3

Urostomy page 4

Keeping Fit page 6,7

Cholesterol page 8

SURPRISE page 10

DISCLAIMER

Articles and information printed in this

newsletter are not necessarily endorsed by the

Triangle Ostomy Association and may not be

applicable to everybody. Please consult your

physician or WOC Nurse for medical advice

that is best for you.

MISSION of the Triangle Area Ostomy Association:

The mission of our organization is to assist people who have or will have intestinal or urinary diversions:

including a colostomy, ileostomy, urostomy, and continent diversions including j-pouches. We provide

psychological support, educational services, family support, advocacy and promote our services to the

public and professional communities.

2

CALENDAR OF EVENTS:

June 3 UOAA meeting, Rex

June 15 Father’s Day!

June 16 CCFA meeting, Rex

July 4 Independence Day

September 1 Labor Day

11

Wake Medical

Leigh Ammons 919-350-5171

Melanie Johnson 919-350-5171

Leanne Richbourg 919-350-6462

UNC Hospital

Jane Malland 919-843-9234

Barbara Koruda 919-843-9234

Durham Regional

Tom Hobbs 919-470-4000

Duke

Jane Fellows 919-681-7743

Michelle Rice 919-681-2436

Duke Health Raleigh Hospital

Krys Dixon 919-954-3446

Maria Parham Hosp.

Kathy Thomas 919-431-3700

Durham VA Center

Mary K. Wooten 919-286-0411

Rex Hospital

Ann Woodruff 919-784-2048

WOC Nurses

SUPPORT GROUP

Date: Third Monday of every month

Time: 7:30 pm – 9:00 pm

Place: Rex Healthcare, surgical waiting room

Contact: Reuben Gradsky

reuben513@yahoo.com

10 3

MINUTES OF THE May 6, 2008 MEETING OF THE TRIANGLE OSTOMY ASSOCIATION

Dan Wiley, President, opened the Triangle Ostomy Association May meeting at

7:45 PM in the Rex Surgical Center waiting room. 22+ members and guests en-

joyed delicious refreshments provided by Dot Hoover and beverages provided by

Ruth Rhodes.

In honor of Nurses Day, lavender roses and gift cards to Outback Steakhouse will

be presented to our WOC nurses: Stephanie Yates at Duke Medical Center, Jane

Fellows at Duke Medical Center, Ann Woodruff at Rex Hospital, and Leanne

Richbourg of Wake Medical Center.

Dan asked that members Carolyn King, Flo Shaffer, and Sonya Withers be added

to prayer lists as they are having some medical issues.

Dan introduced Antoinette Delio Vecellio, the Hollister representative, as our

guest speaker. Antoinette showed us new Hollister products and answered ques-

tions. She also passed out business cards with a new web site, C3Life.com, which

is now available for ostomates to find answers to some of their questions.

Bob Phillips, the ConvaTec representative, had car trouble and was unable to at-

tend.

After thanking Dot and Ruth for providing refreshments, the meeting was ad-

journed at 8:30 PM. The June meeting will be held June 3, 2008 at 7:30 PM and

we will have a pizza party.

Respectfully submitted,

Bonnie Sessums

SURPRISE!!!!!! We will have something very special to display at our June meeting. You

will not have an opportunity to see this again and you don’t want to miss

out. I hope your mind is racing trying to figure this out as I did put a clue in

this newsletter. Happy hunting!

In addition to the special display, we will also have some great door prizes

that you won’t want to miss!

See you all then! Jennifer Higdon

Individuals with Urostomies: Fluid Management and Infection by Juliana Eldridge, ET/WOC Nurse

UOAA UPDATE 5/18

People with urinary diversions no longer have a storage area, a bladder, for urine.

Therefore, urine should flow from the stoma as fast as the kidneys can make it. In fact, if your uri-

nary stoma has no drainage after even an hour, it is of serious concern. The distance from the stoma

to the kidney is markedly reduced after urinary diversion surgery. Any external bacteria have a short

route to the kidney. Since kidney infection can occur rapidly and be devastating, prevention is

essential.

Wearing clean pouches and frequent emptying are vital. Equally important is adequate fluid intake,

particularly fluids that acidify the urine and decrease problems of odor. In warm weather, with in-

creased activity, or with a fever, fluids should be increased to make up for body losses due to perspi-

ration and increased metabolism.

It is important that you be aware of the symptoms of a kidney infection:

Elevated temperature

Chills

Low back pain

Cloudy, bloody urine

Decreased urine output.

All ileal conduits normally produce mucus in

the urine, which give it a cloudy appearance.

Blood in the urine is a danger signal. Thirst

is a good index of fluid needs.

Important: If urine is collected for urinaly-

sis, either routine, microscopic (R&M) or for

culture and sensitivity (C&S), or if you are

asked to give a sterile urine specimen, be

sure your doctor and nurse know a sterile

specimen must be taken directly from your

stoma and not from the pouch. Bacteria build

up in the pouch constantly. You will always

get a false positive test result.

If they are not sure how to do this, do

the following:

Remove your pouch

Clean your stoma

Bend over

Catch the urine in a sterile cup

4

CONVATEC SOLD From UOAA Update

NEW YORK - (Business Wire) Bristol-Myers Squibb Company

(NYSE:BMY) announced that it has signed a definitive agreement to

sell its ConvaTec business unit to Nordic Capital Fund VII (―Nordic

Capital‖) and Avista Capital Partners (―Avista‖) for $4.1 billion. Con-

vaTec is a world leader in the development and marketing of innova-

tive wound therapeutics and ostomy care products.

Dave Johnson, who will remain the CEO of ConvaTec, said, ―I am excited to part-

ner with Nordic Capital and Avista Capital Partners as we transition ConvaTec to

9

a stand-alone company. Both firms

have a proven track record of suc-

cess in the healthcare industry.

They are passionate believers in

ConvaTec's future growth and will

be strong supporters of the Con-

vaTec business. Their deep experi-

ence in guiding strategy and back-

ing companies will help take Con-

vaTec to the next level of success

as an independent company‖. The

transaction is subject to customary

regulatory approvals and delivery

of ConvaTec’s audited 2007 finan-

cial statements. The closing is an-

ticipated in the third quarter of

2008. CEO Johnson assures that

―you have our commitment to re-

main as focused as ever on serving

your needs now and in the future.

5

For more information contact our Customer Interaction Center at

1-800-422-8811 Monday – Thursday, 8:30 a.m. – 8:00 p.m., ET

Friday, 8:30 a.m. – 6:00 p.m., ET www.ConvaTec.com

How to Give Your HDL a Boost

UOAA UPDATE 5/08

More than ever, the most recent government guidelines emphasize the

health benefits of having a good HDL level. It’s harder to raise levels of this

―good‖ cholesterol than it is to lower the ―bad‖ kind, but there are some

things you can do. You can:

Get aerobic exercise. The longer and harder you exercise, the greater the

effects will be.

Watch your weight. Lose excess weight through daily exercise and sensible

eating.

Stop smoking. Smoking lowers HDL by an average of five points and in-

creases your total cholesterol level.

Talk to your doctor about medication. Your doctor can prescribe choles-

terol-lowering drugs that can help to improve your cholesterol reading.

Replace saturated fats with polyunsaturated or monounsaturated fats. For

example, use olive oil for cooking.

8

Factors that Affect Ostomy Function

UOAA UPDATE 5/08

Ostomy function may be changed by a variety of medications and medical

treatments. This is common. The following are examples:

Antibiotics—These often cause diarrhea, even in patients without an ostomy. Make sure your

doctor knows about your ostomy, and inform him/her of problems as they occur. Drink plenty

of liquids that will help maintain your electrolyte balance if diarrhea strikes.

Pain Medications—These are often constipating. Extra irrigations or laxatives or stool sof-

teners might be required for colostomates to combat the side effects of pain medications. Per-

haps the dosage of pain reliever may be reduced to eliminate the situation. Again, be sure to

drink plenty of liquids.

Chemotherapy—Many cancer patients have follow-up chemotherapy after surgery or as an

alternative to surgery. That often produces nausea and/or vomiting. You need to drink fluids

that help you maintain your body chemistry balance.

Radiation Therapy—This often produces the same effects as chemotherapy.

Travel—Travel may cause constipation in some people and diarrhea in others. Be aware that

these are possibilities. Altered diet when traveling accounts for some of this, plus the excite-

ment of new surroundings. Allow sufficient time for irrigations and take along an antidiarrhea

medication.

Antacids—Some types of antacids may cause diarrhea—usually those with magnesium.

There are many fine new products on the market. Find out which is best for you.

Drink plenty of liquids. You need to maintain your electrolyte balance in case of diarrhea.

Tea, orange juice and even Coca Cola are sources of potassium. Bouillon cubes mixed in hot

water are a source of sodium. Remember that some of the signs of electrolyte imbalance are

irritability, nausea and drowsiness.

6 7

Keeping Fit: Swimming with a Colostomy

by Richard L. Towers, PhD

UOAA UPDATE 5/08

About twenty years ago, after a fitness screening pronounced me

weak, overweight and a good candidate for a heart attack, I joined

the fitness bandwagon. I bought some good running shoes, a sweat suit, gym shorts

and joined a health spa. For two years I experimented with jogging, lifting weights,

swimming and jumping on a spring board. By the time I was diagnosed as having co-

lorectal cancer, I had trimmed down, toned up and was feeling great, notwithstanding

my sciatica and hypertension.

Lest you assume this is another one of those inspirational stories of how one man

overcame cancer, arthritis and heart disease through regular exercise, be assured it is

not. For almost a year after my surgery, I did not go near a gym. When finally I

worked up the determination to begin exercising again, I wore bulky sweat suits to

and from the spa and stayed out of the pool, sauna and shower. Physically, my doctor

advised, I could have resumed regular exercise 6 to 8 weeks after surgery. Psycho-

logically, I needed much longer. I had to overcome my embarrassment at having a

colostomy. I had to convince myself that the sight of my prosthesis was something

others would just have to get used to; if anyone didn’t like it, that was their problem,

not mine.

Tough talk? Well, even though I early on accepted the concept intellectually, it took a

long time to overcome my self-consciousness in the locker room. But once I did be-

gin to exercise regularly, swimming, showering and changing in the locker room soon

followed. My regular swimming regimen began twenty years ago with plenty of rest

between each lap. After about a year I could swim 20 laps without resting. Today, for

the sake of time I limit my workouts to as many laps as I can swim in a 25 or 30 min-

ute time period.

I still have arthritis and my hypertension has not disappeared. But I have a sense of

well-being and invigoration that just is not there if I skip a day of swimming.

Why swimming? It is great exercise for the heart and lungs and it’s easy on my ar-

thritic joints. The most important benefit for me, however, is psychological. I now

feel comfortable with my body; swimming has given me a sense of accomplishment.

Keeping fit continued from page 6

As for the mechanics of swimming with a colostomy, I have never experienced a problem.

The two piece flange and pouch that I wear lasts me 5 to 6 days without a change. Water

does not seep in and since I irrigate daily there usually is nothing present in the pouch. But

if there were, that would not interfere with the act of swimming. Although I no longer use

water-proof or paper tape around the edges of the flange, this does not seem to affect the

condition of the new flexible flange.

Most pools have fast, medium and slow lanes and almost any style or stroke can be benefi-

cial. I use a sidestroke because of a chronically dislocated shoulder. Many people prefer a

crawl or back stroke for maximum physical benefit. But also, I see a lot of people doing

the dog paddle. If you want them, many public pools offer swimming lessons and some

now offer aerobic exercise classes right in the water.

If you do take up swimming, you should invest in a good pair of goggles to keep the chlo-

rine in the pool from irritating your eyes. Other than that, all you need is a bathing suit.

Tight briefs suits will help you swim faster; but loose, blousy ones will hide your bulges.

As with any exercise program, consult your doctor first, start off slowly, and be sure to do

it regularly. Aim ultimately at working up to 15 to 20 minutes of continuous exercise three

times each week. Good luck and maybe someday, I will see another prosthesis in the

locker room.

Tips For Traveling with Medications

UOAA UPDATE 5/08

KEEP your medicine with you—not in checked luggage.

BRING more than enough medicine for your trip.

REVIEW your dosage schedule with your doctor or pharmacist before you leave and discuss

whether you should make allowances for changes in time zones.

KEEP a list of all your medicines and dietary supplements.