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Have you registered for the UOAA National Conference? This year’s conference looks interesting, with additional tracks for Pediatric, Young Adults and Caregivers. The full schedule is now posted online. I’ve always enjoyed sessions with WOCNs and the Barrier Cooking Show, where you actually get to make a barrier! This year it’s in Philadelphia, August 6-10. Registration is at the UOAA website. For discounts at the Philadelphia 201 Hotel, use discount code UO1369.

Enteritis and the Ileostomate
Our Phoenix Magazine article has been published! The Phoenix does not publish online, so I’ve posted the article on our website. You can now see the article on the title bar at the top of our website. Charles and I are happy it turned out so well and we’re already talking about future articles we can submit. Thanks for all the support and feedback! I’ve requested extra copies of this Phoenix to have available at our next meeting.

Back to Work
Have you wondered how difficult it might be to return to work after ostomy surgery? New ostomates find this thought scary, but those that have had their ostomies for awhile know that with a little preparation, there’s nothing to worry about:
–Be Prepared
–Know Your Rights
–Don’t Stress Out
–Hydrate!
Find these and other tips at Back to Work with an Ostomy on the UOAA website.

…And What About Swimming?
Yep, it’s summer. Don’t let the water scare you! Barriers are designed to get wet and there is a lot of cute swimwear now to help disguise your pouch. Lots of ostomates join water aerobic classes, swim competitively and even scuba dive. Did you know that The Americans with Disabilities Act ensures your right to pool access? I found an Advocacy article that addresses your rights and advice on swimming confidently. So jump in the water this summer!

Do you, or someone you know, have a parastomal hernia? Coloplast has a new product, the SenSura Mio Convex Flip. This barrier has a unique design specially made to fit bulges, curves and hernias. Support groups have received a box of samples of the new Flip and I’ll be bringing them to show at our next meeting.

Speaking of new products….have you been afraid to try new products? I usually use Hollister, but have found over the years that with summer heat the adhesive tape causes irritation. So I switch to a Colopast barrier about 50% of the time, using Hibiclens, powder and a barrier wipe on the irritation. Keeps the itching at bay. I recently ordered a box of Marlen supplies. I’ve used them in the past as samples, but thought I’d give them another go. I’ll let you know what I think!

Our July meeting will be our summer annual lunch at Pinocchios, 1751 N Hover, Longmont, July 11 at 12:00 noon. Because our normal meeting would be on July 4, we’ve moved it one week later. I’ll send reminders, but please RSVP so we’ll know how many to expect.

Our meeting in March will be a presentation about the Aspen Club by Julie Adams, Manager of Volunteer Services at Longs Peak Hospital. The Aspen Club, through UCHealth, is a community resource for those over 50 with over 12,000 members. It was established in 1989 to provide a wide range of program benefits including health education, screenings, hospital discounts and social opportunities throughout northern Colorado. To learn more about what Aspen Club has to offer and to fill out an application please visit: https://www.uchealth.org/services/community-health/aspen-club//

Have you had any problems with the quality of your supplies? I recently received a box of Hollister pouches that was defective. They had some very small slits in the front covers that weren’t really noticeable…well, until they were! I called Hollister and they were great about replacing the box. They simply asked for the Lot number so they could keep track of any other complaints. Turns out I read about this problem during the same time frame from an online group I follow. If you notice any defects, the suppliers want to know and will replace any necessary supplies.

Do you know where to donate supplies? Or where to get supplies if your insurance doesn’t cover all your costs? Locally, GoodHealthWill… has two facilities in Loveland and Greeley. Many people donate supplies there but they may not always have specifically what you’re looking for. Supplies are available at great discounts. There are two other resources that I use for donations: Friends of Ostomates Worldwide and OstoGroup. Friends of Ostomates Worldwide (FOW) have donated supplies to over 95 countries around the world. All of their supplies are donated without cost to recipients and make a huge difference to those in developing countries where supplies are unavailable. OstoGroup, located in Florida, has no-cost supplies for those without insurance (just shipping and handling) and low-cost supplies if you’re needing extra. You can even see their inventory and order from their website. These groups will welcome extra supplies that you’re no longer using or needing, and you can take the deduction off your taxes.

There is a new resource available for ostomates, the National Ostomy Foundation. Located in California, their mission is focused on ostomy research both before and after surgery. They are in the process of building their community resources and hope to host a variety of events across the nation. They also plan to have a national conference on the alternate years from the UOAA so ostomates have an increased opportunity for connection.

Speaking of conferences, the UOAA National Conference is August 6-10 in Philadelphia. The conference schedule is now available and hotel room discounts are good until July 5 (assuming rooms still available). These conferences are a great way to connect with other ostomates and learn a lot.

Our guest for February will be Diana Leutenegger of ConvaTec. ConvaTec has recently expanded their me+ program to include “Your Guide to Recovery”, a detailed program for regaining activity after surgery. Our next meeting takes place at Longmont United Hospital, February 7, 1:00 pm. I will be out of town, but Debra Noel, sarafinanana7@gmail.com, will happily attend and facilitate. And don’t forget to check out her blog, Drop In With Debbie!

Our March meeting at Long Peak Hospital will have a presentation on the Aspen Club of UCHealth. Established in 1989, and now with more than 12,000 members, the Aspen Club is a community resource for those over 50. It provides a wide range of program benefits including health education, screenings, discounts and social activities. They serve all of Northern Colorado, and will be expanding to Longmont in the next couple of months. Check out the many activities for January/February here.

I wanted to share this graphic I found on the OstomyConnection Facebook page. I was unable to find credit for it, but I thought it interesting that fully 50% of all ostomy surgeries are due to cancer and diverticulitis.

Registration is now open for the UOAA National Conference 2019 in Philadelphia, PA, August 6-10. There are three additional tracks this year for Pediatrics, Young Adults and Caregivers. There are four full days of Conference Sessions covering a wide variety of topics, including panel discussions, medical marijuana, ostomy-specific breakout sessions (ie ileostomy, colostomy, etc) and social events. Hotel discounts are available until May 31.

A couple of weeks ago I found myself in the hospital for a total of three days. I contracted a very common stomach-bug virus for children, but it’s very rare for adults. I was severely dehydrated and, Thanks to Charles! he knew of a protocol for how to slow and thicken my output that slowly allowed me to rehydrate and return my output to normal. This was a relatively small event, but felt very large to me, and was made more urgent after I realized that the doctors treating me had no idea what to do. They were still treating me as if I had a colon, and were actually making things worse (as far as I was concerned). Charles and I are corroborating on a paper for the Phoenix Magazine to talk about this type of incident and how to prepare for it, should it happen to you. Our meeting at LUH in April will be to discuss what happened to me and share what we’ve learned. Let’s just say, I’m so glad Charles is on our team!