Thank you Jennifer Davia for speaking with us last month about core strength and preventing hernias in people with ostomies. Jenn and Charles previewed their presentations for the National Physical Therapy conference taking place in Denver. The exercise handouts that Jenn shared on her previous visit have been placed on our website. I’ve added a new tab “Resources” at the top of the page, with a pull-down for the exercises. Such good information for all of us to have.
At our February meeting there was discussion about the benefits of using a hernia belt. Two suppliers were mentioned:
Both look like good options. The Coloplast product is fairly new, but can be ordered directly from Coloplast. For the Nu-Hope belt, you must call them. Each belt is custom fitted.
Now that we’re well into 2020, it’s a good time to evaluate how we’re taking care of ourselves. Elaine O’Rourke is the creator of the online holistic program “Surviving To Thriving: Overcoming Ostomy Challenges So You Can Live a FulFilling Life”. Her strategy tips remind us to Move, Make it Fun, Schedule Time for Yourself, and Know That You Deserve It. With the advice we received from Jenn, it’s never too late to improve our sense of well-being.
UOAA Advocacy for 2020 is focusing on patient hospital care and followup healthcare. We’ve had these discussions in our group — how fewer and fewer patients don’t get seen by ostomy nurses while in the hospital, and caregivers in rehab facilities have no training at all. This article in the February Wound Management Prevention Journal, “Make Some Noise for Quality Ostomy Care in 2020”, highlights a patient care story that is unacceptable and unfortunately not an isolated issue. I’m pleased to see that the UOAA is using their platform to highlight this issue and can only hope their efforts will resonate in healthcare communities.
The Ostomy Association of Metro Denver is inviting all to attend a presentation by Dr Anthony Canfield about hernias and their repair. Dr Canfield is a general surgeon with experience in colon, abdominal and laparoscopic surgeries, and is considered a leader in general surgery robotic procedures. He conducts monthly training for visiting surgeons. This meeting takes place on February 25, 7-9 pm, at Porter Adventist Hospital, 2525 S Downing Ave in the Convention Center. If you plan on going, please RSVP to Eileen Goldberg, eigoldberg@comcast.net or call 303-489-0636
Leave a Reply