How Much Ostomy Gear Do You Need?

I should stay off this discussion on quantities of ostomy supplies by stating the fact that I am a gear junky.  I love gear and collecting things.  This means I am the type of guy who actually thinks about his EDC and rotation of items that I carry day to day basis.  I am not OCD but I do like to go overboard sometimes and you may call it to style or simply being overprepared.  I never really considered myself a prepper at all.  Those individuals are usually on crazy youtube channels or wild tv shows. But this year has made me think a whole lot about my needs as a person who has a stoma.  This is because for the first time in my lifetime our country has been hit with a supply chain and delivery problem.

 

It is indeed 2020 and the COVID-19 Pandemic is still going on.  I am not sure how others are seeing this but I saw many things occur.  The first thing I really discovered was that the vast majority of medical supplies come from China or overseas.  I have read stats that 95% of our medical products and medicine are imported.  Now as a person who has studied economics I am all for countries producing what they do best and trading with others for what they do best.  This keeps costs low and everyone happy, but this year we saw that imports stopped due to teh virus.  Shipping lines were cut due to the virus, regulations, and riots. Many people order their products online and when you ostomy gear is out of stock many people go to their local pharmacy to pick up spares. 

 

This year both of those options were unavailable to many people in this country due to the issues stated above.  It was really a big shock to myself because my health and my stoma have really never been impacted by supply chain issues before.  Seeing people unable to get supplies in the great nation of the United States was astonishing.  I could not believe it. The fact that availability became an issue made me think about what could happen in my neck of the woods.  It also made me think about being prepared not just in my EDC but on my supply of medical products I need to live a happy and safe life. 

 

So at any given time i usually have from 1 month to 1 week of ostomy supplies on hand.  I have them delivered by the mail and just like most people I visit my local pharmacy for extra items if I need it.  I love buying local and sometimes I do it when I can, just because I can.  Not everyone is that fortunate.  But what I saw this year was that some people were forced to go up to two months without supplies. Luckily, they were taken care of by the great people of this country, but what if part two of the Pandemic happens and it gets worse.  This made me think about my safety and the safety of others.

 

I have decided to start working up my supplies to be able to last 2 to three months without needing a restock from a company. I wish it did not cost what it does, but this is something that my life actually depends on.  I need working gear and enough bags and sanitary supplies to get me through.  So that is my plan and I am sticking to it.

Colostomy: A Brief Overview

The surgical procedure to bring one end of the large intestine out through an incision in the belly is known as colostomy surgery. The end of the colon sticks out on the abdominal wall, forming a stoma. This bowel diversion necessitates you to use an ostomy bag, as a stoma doesn’t have any sphincters to allow you to control when to evacuate bodily wastes.

Depending on the underlying reason, a colostomy can be permanent or temporary.

Why may you need a colostomy?

Your surgeon may want to give you a colostomy if your colon doesn’t function well or is too diseased. The colostomy aims at diverting digestive wastes away from the diseased section and rerouting those to an opening in the belly to allow the diseased part of the bowel to heal.

In some cases, the surgeon may opt to remove the diseased part once and for all, because there was no chance for that part to heal in the future. The colostomy created as a result is the permanent one.

You may need a colostomy for any of the following reasons.

• Crohn’s disease
• Bowel cancer
• Diverticulitis
• Anal cancer – It is most likely the permanent colostomy because the surgeon may have to remove the anal tissues.
• Bowel incontinence – A colostomy may become crucial if all other treatments fail.
• Injury – An injury to the bowel may also necessitate you to undergo colostomy surgery. The colostomy, in this case, is typically temporary.

Types of colostomy

Mainly, there are two types of colostomy.

• The colostomy procedure that involves pulling out of a loop of the colon through an incision in the belly and opening the top of the loop is known as a loop colostomy. This colostomy is most commonly temporary.
• The colostomy procedure that involves diverting an end of the colon from the removed or rested part of the bowel is known as the end colostomy. This colostomy can be permanent or temporary, depending on the underlying reason.

After the operation, you may need to stay in the hospital for 3-10 days. During this time, the surgical staff and your doctor will examine how well your body copes with the postoperative alterations.

An alternative to a colostomy is an ileostomy, which involves the removal or bypassing of the entire colon. The surgeon diverts the end of the small intestine to create an ileostomy.

Living with a colostomy

A colostomy results in a major body function change, so it is natural to be concerned about living with a colostomy. One of the most significant worries for a patient with a colostomy is the chance of other people noticing that he or she is wearing a colostomy bag.

Nevertheless, ostomy supplies manufacturers have been doing well by developing more discreet supplies that remain hidden under the clothes. Unless you want to tell someone yourself, nobody will know that you are wearing a colostomy bag.

Your body’s vulnerability after surgery will last only until your bowel recovers. During this recovery phase, you may have to pay attention to your diet and avoid engaging in any intense physical activity. When the recovery completes, you may eat what you like and engage in physical workouts. You may have to avoid lifting too heavy objects, though.

The best approach is to remain in contact with your doctor and ostomy care nurse. Discuss with them any lifestyle change that you are considering.