Hello Everyone!

SHELL! I've been away for the last several weeks with the plague-flu-from Hell. What's this about eye surgery for you?

Today has been a day from hell. Squirt and I are just not getting along well at all. After setting that has been without a doubt a personal best of more than three months of leak-free days, today was a disaster.

I started a new job about two months ago, and moved from a job where I had a private office to one where I work in a cubicle. Great for the work I'm doing. Not so great for trying to change a leaking appliance. I went and changed in a stall in the women's restroom and I thought I was going to die before I managed to finish! Squirt spewed an alarming amount of outbput an alarming distance, sending poo all over the toilet, the wall behind it, the floor, and my underwear. There was nowhere to put my ostomy supplies, so I was juggling wet paper towels to clean myself up, dry towels to try to get my stoma dry enough to change, powder, barrier wipes, paste, a wafer and pouch... and yet more spewage of goo.

I have no idea how ANY of my clothes managed to even sorta survive, aside from the fact that I had at least enough sense to take my pants off and hang them up out of the way. I ended up throwing away my very soiled uderwear (running around work without any underwear on is NOT my idea ofa good time). By the time I got my appliance changed, the floor/wall/toilet cleaned up, my clothes back on and my hands washed, it was all I could do to not just go home. Had I not car pooled with a friend today, I may very well would have. I have not been this humiliated since... well... the last time I was this humiliated. I was just getting to the point where I thought my pattern of leaks-for-no-apparent-reason days were over.

I kept telling myself that being able to deal with an amazingly frustrating and embarrassing situation like this is part of life for an ostomate, and I need to cope with it rather than running off home for no reason other than being embarrassed (well, and short of my undies). So, I stuck it out and reminded myself to keep a change of clothes at work in case this happens again, along with some wash cloths, a small wash basin, a little plastic step stool and a box of marshmallow treats in addition to my regular change kit. At least if I have to change my appliance at work again, I won't have to balance my stomahesive powder on my nose while I try to
dab a barrier wipe and slap an Eakin seal on. Geez!

Oh- and I guess I should add a MOP to my little list of supplies. LORD, how can one little stoma spew out so much CRAP in a few minutes time? And all over EVERYTHING?

To make matters worse, my appliance leaked again after about two hours- not surprising after such an awful change. I caught it early and the second change wasn't as bad. However, THAT leaked again on the way home. So, I ate marshmallows, got my #@$! appliance off, took a long shower, and slapped a new one on. I'm hoping THIS one will last it's usual three and a half days. As it is, my skin is a mess and I'm emotionally drained.

I could go for decades without anything like this happening again and die a very happy old woman.


-Rae

Oh Rae!

And just when I thought we hadn't heard from you because you were doing soooooo well! I am reading this while eating my bowl of breakfast cereal and then need to get ready for work, so I can't reply fully at the moment. I just want you to know that I feel really bad for you and hope that this is the very last bad day you and Squirt have EVER!

Look on the bright side, we could write a VERY funny book about all our "embarrassing" moments so maybe we could pool our experiences and donate the proceeds to this site? Your stories alone would certainly make the most graphic reading!

Yeah, I am having a "sight saving" operation on my eye on Thursday. I'll keep you posted.

Anyway, chin up and don't let the little bugger beat you!

Luv & Hugs

Shell

Oh Rae - you poor dear. I can't express the pure hatred I have towards my Mr. Stoma at times so I really appreciate your post. I've had mine spew across the stall in public restrooms and also at home. At least the public restrooms don't have pretty little bath mats that have to get WASHED every time the little monster spews. I agreed that its a miracle that our clothes don't get completely mangled at those times. All I can say is THANK GOD for bleach!

Do you take immodium? That stuff is the greatest. It keeps the output from being pure liquid and makes changes lots smoother . . . no pun intended.

I'll have a good fit with my appliance and then BLAM . . . it starts to leak and it is a disaster. When that happens I change my Convatec two-piece appliance and put some eakin seal around Mr. Stoma. Crazy how the thing changes, I'm sure it will constantly be a learning curve with Mr. Stoma.

Good luck with the new job. I have had pretty good luck with my appliance and work thus far. I run my own law practice, so I have my own office and bathroom I don't have to share. The only worrisome times are when I'm at the Courthouse. I worry I'll be standing up there presenting my case to the Judge and oh-oh, something feels wet. As long as it didn't run down my leg I think I'd be okay. Ohhhh - grossssss.

Have a better day tomorrow.

cmkbirdlady
aka Catherine

Have you been backpacking lately? Because I'm thinking you'll have a HUGE backpack strapped on each time you use the bathroom while using the mop as a walking stick. Maybe you can develop something like that front-facing baby carrier that has shelves, cubby-holes, hot and cold cubicles, steam cleaning equipment and everything else we can think of.

You poor babe - what a freakin' mess - literally. And you no cry? I'd have been bawling and kicking the walls and toilet. I'm absolutely positively sure this was just a fluke. As my friend says "you puked in your pants."

Sending vibes for the 3-day return.

kathy

Well darn it Rae! I think that Squirt and AJ must have communicated this morning because about 2:45 this afternoon I went to the bathroom only to find that AJ pooped himself! Darn it I said to myself now what? I can change at work as I have done it in the past, but I hate doing it. I had eaten Chipotle just an hour before and knew that copius amounts of output were on the way and as I had no desire to let AJ have target practice at the wall tiles I opted to run home. I gave my boss the excuse "I have to go home to take care of something, but I will be back. No no everything is ok. I just need to do something." Two hours later I have returned to the office where I am now preparing to make up the time and work late. Some days I am perfectly happy to co-exist with AJ for years and years to come and others I curse him and dream of a K-pouch.

Today must have been "stomas of the world unite day"!