ileostomy injury

There are ostomy guards you can buy made of different types of material. some cheap some more expensive. The more expensive/ well made ones are used by mountain climbers, hikers, weight lifters, runners.

Anything can be injured so if you are really scared, get some sort of protection...I wear the belt that my surgeon made me buy for post op (looks like a huge back belt, about 2 foot wide, from pubis til under my breast, thick stretchy fabric, double, crossed velcro straps to hold in place)..anytime that I am doing work around the house or moving furniture, heavy cleaning etc I wear it...it protects my abdomen and my stoma...you may not need anything this excessive but a back belt worn backwards could do the trick if you are really concerned. It would give you a layer of protection from injury.
Sharon

I do wear a belt, a pheonix belt. I wear it everyday all day. I am worried because the way my desk is positioned by the wires, If I fall, it could easily be a direct hit to my stoma. What could happen if I take a fall, and the edge of my desk hits my stoma? I want them to understand the importance, but if I am overreacting, I want to know that too.

Do you have an occupational health department at work or can you go to someone higher up in charge of where you work? You are not over reacting and it is illegal for them to not listen to you/do nothing. It is a human right to feel safe in your workplace. I'm sure it is more than just you who feel this way about the wires.

I can go higher up, but would like to give them facts about what could happen. I tried googling stoma injuries, but there was nothing specific. I would like to be armed with ammunition. I just keep giving them the vague, "I could get hurt." Facts might help.

To me, it makes no difference that you have an ileostomy. There should not be trip hazards in the workplace. Even without an ileostomy, a fall can cause a bone fracture, sprains, strains, even brain trauma.

No need to go into the ileostomy issue, but you should report this to your HR department, since your superiors have blown you off.

Jan

Jan, you are absolutely right, but this has been an issue for more than a year. I have requested the issue be fixed for that long, but keep getting told there isn't any money to fix it. After my surgery, I went there, and brought up my stoma, thinking that would be a slam dunk. It wasn't. I already started the stoma conversation, so would like to have facts and specifics. Like I said, you are right, I shouldn't have to go there, but I did already. All of the injuries you mention plus the additional stoma injuries will hopefully get it accomplished. Do you know what could happen?

To be honest, I don't think your stoma is at any greater risk than any other part of your abdomen during a fall. It is all soft belly, and susceptible to blunt trauma. If your stoma actually made you more likely to fall, that might be a factor, but obviously, it is not.

If you go up the ladder in reporting and continue to be dismissed, you can file a complaint with your local OSHA office, or online. They will inspect for safety violations, and force correction if needed. Your employer cannot fire you or reprimand you for this "whistle blowing."

http://www.osha.gov/as/opa/worker/complain.html

Jan

My 3 year old son jumped square on my ileostomy when I had one before takedown. I was scared that I was injured, but nothing happened and I was fine. I imagine if you fall you're probably most likely to injure your wrists or arms so either way, your workplace shouldn't have wires at ankle level anyway. Fall over it and sue the crap out of them, haha!

itsnotsherry,
Just to reassure you, I have had 2 major abdominal traumas in the last 30yrs...first I was run over on a cross walk (yup, I have the darndest luck!)...the guy was going the wrong way on a one way street and hit my right hip( stoma side) and projected me into an oncoming car. My hips took it badly, my stoma did not react. Second time I was agressed in my own apt and they slammed the door numerous times on my abdomen (I was half in/half out the door) and then punched me in the stomach.
My suture line/hernia really didn't appreciate it but my stoma didn't blink.
They are so much more resistant than we think.
So, if it is the stoma that worries you, don't think too much about it...I like you, thought that they were fragile little beings but obviously, not.
Sharon