The OZtomy Nurse Project

People can experience many different kinds of pain and discomfort throughout their stoma life. From post-surgical recovery pain, to intestinal blockages, to long term chronic conditions; Learning to understand the cause and establish relevant treatments for this pain can be somewhat troublesome, and is one of the most common reasons for contacting a medical professional or stoma nurse. This episode of TOZNP discusses different kinds of pain that an individual might experience if they have a stoma, describing the symptoms, the possible causes, and relevant treatment options for appropriate pain relief.

Welcome to 2020! The year of coronavirus. Living with a stoma is difficult enough. Learning to live with a stoma amidst a global pandemic presents its own set of challenges. This episode talks about the current covid situation and its impact on those who live with a stoma. It discusses the changes to stoma nursing services, patient education and the management of individuals who have either a new or existing stoma. We also discuss current concerns with obtaining ostomy supplies while in isolation, the availability of ostomy products globally and the availability of community assistance. Finally, we answer some common questions relating to coronavirus, the gastrointestinal impact of those who test positive, and how this virus will affect us all in the short and long term.

Living with a stoma at Christmas time can be slightly different than the typical person's experience. Diet concerns, travel arrangements and obtaining supplies can make the holiday season an anxious time for some of us. In this final TOZNP episode for the year we cover what to consider if travelling to see loved ones for christmas, what to eat, what to try and what to avoid, and even lists a couple of recipe ideas for cooking at christmas. Finally, a humble thank you goes out to all the listeners of 2019 who have helped make The OZtomy Nurse Project so successful.

Learning to live with a new stoma is overwhelming and scary. What's more, learning how to manage a new stoma as well as practicing self care can be a tricky path to tread. During the post-operative recovery however, your stoma nurse is not only educating you on the physical aspects of stoma care, but also gently guiding you through the minefield of thoughts and feelings related to these confronting new changes. This episode explains the concept of Psychological first aid, a technique designed to reduce the occurrence of abnormal emotional responses and symptoms of post traumatic stress disorder.

In the first of an upcoming series of ostomy product company interviews, I interview Jeremy Eakin and Mark Gilpin from Eakin Healthcare about the history of the Eakin brand, exploring how they came to be a thriving ostomy product supplier in today's market. For those who currently use Eakin products or for those curious few, this episode is a fun way to get to know the men behind the scenes of this highly successful company, which currently exports to over 30 countries through a network of 40 distributors plus its own offices in Japan and the Netherlands. 

Unsure what you can, can't and should, shouldn't eat with a stoma? Sometimes our appetite can take a while to return after surgery. Also, concerns around low fibre foods that still have high nutrition can leave a person overwhelmed when it comes to meal prep. This episode shares three of my personal favourite meals to cook, as they are quick to prepare, easy to digest and can feed not only the individual, but the entire family too, including the kids! 

Did you know that not all stomas require a pouching system? The term "continent" stoma is a type of bladder or bowel diversion that utilizes surgically created internal reservoirs that can be emptied several times a day. These stoma's still require proper ostomy nurse care and education, but are an innovative way for individuals to retain their independence, and continence, instead of having an incontinent stoma, like a colostomy, ileostomy, or urostomy. This episode highlights the main types of continent stomas- the ACE, MACE, K-pouch, Mitrofanoff, Monti, and Indiana pouch.

How we die is sometimes as important as how we have lived. It is a very personal journey that affects us all differently. But what should we be thinking about and what happens when we head towards the end of our life whilst living with a stoma? This episode aims to help you understand what may happen to a person with a stoma as death approaches, the practical things you may need to think about when caring for a person who is dying with a stoma, and what options are available for managing these changes, any unused stoma supplies, and what supports are available before and after death.

In reality, for most people, a stoma has little or no effect on the ability to enjoy sex, regardless of sexual preferences or lifestyle before surgery. Sex and intimacy when living with a stoma are complex subjects to talk about, and have many aspects to consider. This episode talks about the physical, emotional, and psychological pressures that influence ones’ life after stoma surgery. Also, we discuss the physical considerations like sexual function, sexual positions, timing, discretion, with tips and techniques, as well as where to find information about sex and how to live a happy and healthy intimate life with an alternate exit.

Stoma products: we certainly cant live without them, so how to we learn about them? This episode showcases the companies that supply products and accessories to Australians living in the stoma world. We feature each brand, the distributors that provide these products, and the highlights of each website that assist patients, families and nurses to learn everything they need to know about life with a stoma. From finding educational videos, to patient stories, to product sample requests, jump online today and get to know the home pages of each company, to find the info you need. 

Crohn’s disease is a type of chronic inflammatory bowel disease that causes areas of the digestive tract to become inflamed, causing pain, swelling, ulceration and bleeding. The inflammation most commonly affects the end of the small bowel (the terminal ileum), the large bowel and the area around the anus, but it can happen anywhere along the digestive tract. For people who suffer from Crohn's, surgery sometimes results in the formation of a stoma. This episode explains how Crohn's was distinguished as an autoimmune disease and how exactly it affect's those diagnosed. Additionally, when a stoma has been formed, there may be additional peristomal skin care requirements, to manage this debilitating disease.

Ulcerative Colitis is one of 2 major types of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) — a chronic and debilitating condition which causes the large intestine become inflamed, with ulcerated sores within the lining of the bowel. Although medical and surgical advances have improved treatments for UC, the ultimate cause and cure remains unknown. This episode explores the history of IBD, the symptoms of ulcerative colitis, and the treatment options available, including temporary and permanent stoma formation options for people living with inflammatory bowel disease.

"Focusing on Fistula's". A fistula is an abnormal connection between two organs. Abdominal fistulas, which are treated much the same way as a stoma may result from a wide variety of conditions and circumstances. Stomal therapy management of fistula's can be quite challenging and frustrating, but also, ultimately, rewarding. A solid understanding of related anatomy, physiology, and metabolism is required by specialist caregivers, in order to successfully meet these challenges.

Radiation therapy uses a form of X-rays to destroy or injure cancer cells so they cannot multiply. Commonly, a course of radiation therapy is used to shrink a tumour before surgery for locally advanced cancers. Occasionally, if the cancer is found to be more advanced than originally thought, radiation therapy may be used after surgery to destroy any remaining cancer cells. This episode examines the history of radiation therapy, how it is used today, and the side effects that may occur following treatment, if you live with a stoma. As an added extra, i interview a radiation therapist to understand how radiation treatment works in todays modern cancer treatment world.

Chemotherapy may be used before and after stoma surgery to get rid of cancer cells and reduce the chance of the cancer coming back. If your doctor recommends chemotherapy, you will probably start as soon as your stoma has healed and you've recovered your strength. But living with a stoma and undergoing chemotherapy can often be problematic, with skin, nerve and bowel changes sometimes causing problems with your normal routine. This episode explains how chemo works, what parts of the body can be affected, and  how these important drugs can affect daily life with a stoma.

In this episode i interview a work colleague who had his first nursing experience with managing people with stoma's back in his home country, the Philippines. John's perspective on how our countries differ is an excellent reminder that we in Australia are so very fortunate to have a healthcare system that supports and funds the supplies for people living with a stoma.

A prolapse is a stoma that turns outwards through itself, causing abnormal lengthening.  Although rarely life threatening, the appearance of a prolapsed stoma can be distressing for people, and sometimes requires some changes to your stoma care routine. This episode explains why prolapses occur, who is at risk, and the conservative and surgical options to treat this difficult complication of stoma formation.

A high output stoma refers to an excessive volume of faecal output from either a newly formed stoma, or one that has been established for a long time. It is more common in those who live with an ileostomy and is a precurser to dehydration, renal failure and malnutrition. In severe cases, hospitalisation may be required to correct fluid and electrolyte losses. This episode explains what is high output, the causes, prevention and treatment for this condition, and how to manage high output through nutritional, medical and practical pouching strategies. 

National Stomal Therapy Awareness Week runs from June 10-16, to acknowledge and support people living with stomas as well as their specialist medical professionals. Evidently, Bowel Cancer awareness months falls in June also! This quick change episode pays tribute to those with a stoma, stomal therapy nurses and our ostomy product partners. We also highlight the statistics of bowel cancer, to raise awareness of the prevalence of this disease. Finally, a heartfelt shout out to all who are affected by bowel cancer, including those who have lived or live with a stoma, and are alive today thanks to effective screening and life-saving surgery.

"Beating the Bulge". Parastomal hernias are an unfortunately common complication in those with a stoma. They occur as a result of weakness in the abdominal wall when the stoma is formed, which is associated with multiple patient and surgical factors. This episode today talks about the reasons for hernia's evolving, what we do about them (if at all) and how to try and put preventative measures in place so that hernias can be avoided during your stoma life.