Contacts:
Ronald Perry President 774-4082
Beth Carnes Vice President 786-2359
Patti Langenbach Treasurer 386-5873
(800) 741-0110 (904) 396-7827 patti@ostomymcp.com

Inside this issue:

President's Report
Visitation Coordinator’s Column
Pelvic Muscle Exercises
UOA Launches E-mail Listserv for Ostomy Supply Distributors
Flu Season and You
Ostomy Chat Room Weekly Meetings
 

A Message From the President,

If you missed our September 15th 2002 meeting, you missed a great one. Everyone came  dressed in red, white and blue to show our patriotism in honor of Sept 11th.  A moment of silence was held in honor of all the victims, families and heroes of that tragic day.  Many thanks to all of you who attended the meeting.

Mark your calendars now, and make plans now to attend our October 20th, 2002 meeting.  Dr. Betchaka, a local eye doctor, will be our guest speaker and will be giving a slide presentation and discussion on the eyes and how to care for them.  Please come and make the doctor feel welcome!

Keep an eye out for updates on our expanding visitation program in this issue and future newsletters.  Please let us know if you wish to be a part of our visitation program.

 Don't forget elections for new officers will also be held at our October 20th meeting.  Due to my misinformation, the nominations made at our last meeting are invalid.  Our Bylaws state that no one can serve more than two consecutive years in any one office.

 As chairman of our nominating committee, Patti Langenbach will make the nominations for new officers and publish them in this newsletter.  We will take nominations from the floor and vote at the next meeting on October 20th.

 Home to see all of you at our next meeting.

Sincerely,
Ronald G Perry, President
Jax Chapter 211

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Nominations for the 2002-2003 Officers of the Jacksonville Chapter 211 are as follows:

President - Brenda Holloway
Vice President - Ronald G. Perry
Secretary - to be announced
Treasurer - to be announced

Please attend the October 20th meeting to support our officers.  We will be taking nominations from the floor and voting.

Patti Langenbach, Nominating Committee Chair

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Treasurer Report as of October 1, 2002:

    $781.70 in First Union Bank
        52.50 $$ in transit
        49.78 $$ in petty cash
   ________

     883.98 in the Treasurery

Patti Langenbach, Treas

VISITATION COORDINATOR’S COLUMN:

Last month we received one visitation from one man who had colon cancer and was prepared for the surgery because he know that it was His last option and that it would help him.  He was a very nice man and we (meaning Ron and I) gave him one of the information packets to take home with him and read.  Cindy Anderson also gave him some informative information to look at.   I called him at home the day I was calling to remained everyone of the September’s meeting and he said he was glad to be home so he could get some sleep which I agreed with him.  He said that he was handling his situation fine and I told him if he need to talk just give me a call and we’d talk.

 Late in the month of August on the 27th, Ron, Eugene Summerville and I got together at Patti’s office and put together the packets that we give to the patient  We used the material we had and used the entire stack of booklets that we had  These are the booklets that we must repurchase when we have the funds because they are the main part of the packet that is given to the patients. 

We then prepared a folder to handout to persons, business, companies, restaurants, etc who may wish to advertise in our newsletter to that we may make some income to purchase much needed supplies and booklets.  This took us about 4 hours to assemble because we assembled about 5 each of the different kinds of ostomy packets then about 55 folders for the advertising.  So this month we were unable to assemble the folders for the Doctors and the ET nurses.  

I am having surgery on October 7, 2002 and will be out of commission for about 2 to 3 weeks. (colon resection).  But I do intend on being at the October meeting.  One of my family members may have to bring me but I will be there.  During my time out of commission, Ron will handle whatever comes along on the visitation aspect of things with also a little help from some of our other people who can visit while I am out.  I hope that everyone gives Ron his or her full support during this time because you just do not know how much we (Ron & I) do behind the scene each month  

I look forward to seeing you on Sunday, October 20, 2002 at 3p and on Tuesday, October 22, 2002 at 7p at Baptist Medical Center.

Sincerely,

Brenda L. Holloway
Visitation Coordinator

Pelvic Muscle Exercises

by Claire Westendorp, RN,ET and Kina Pelletier-Carson, RN,ET, Kingston (ON); via Metro Halifax (NS) News

Q: A few weeks ago, I had surgery to create a pelvic pouch. I have been instructed to perform pelvic muscle exercises to prevent incontinence. Can you explain the best way to do this?

 A: The pelvic floor is made up of muscles called Kegel muscles. These muscles support the body's lower organs, including the bowel and bladder. There is often a lot of pressure on these organs as we walk, exercise, cough or bend over. These muscles may be weakened by the pelvic pouch surgery. Exercising the Kegel muscles is a good way to strengthen them. 

First, it is important to locate and identify the correct muscles to exercise. Tighten your anal muscles as if you are trying to refrain from having a bowel movement; release the anal muscles. You are sure that you are tightening the correct muscles if you can stop your urine in midstream. Avoid tightening your abdominal or thigh muscles as they do not strengthen the pelvic floor muscles.

As soon as you have identified the correct muscles, you are ready to start your exercise program. You may sit, stand or lie on your back with your head elevated on a pillow. With practice, you will find the best position for you. Here's how to proceed: 

1.        Tighten the anal muscles as hard as you can. There may be tenderness at first.

2.        Hold the muscles tight for 10 seconds.

3.        Relax the muscles for 10 seconds.

4.        Repeat as instructed by your doctor or ET nurse. 

Generally, it is best to begin with 5 to 6 repetitions. Remember that one repetition consists of 10 seconds of tightening and 10 seconds of relaxation. 

You may wish to try a variation of this exercise. While sitting, standing or lying with your head elevated, tighten and release the anal muscles in rapid succession. Repeat 10 to 15 times. Another variation is to tighten the anal muscles while you exhale. Hold the muscles for a count of 30 seconds. Repeat 5 to 10 times. 

For additional help with your Kegel exercises, consult your ET.

UOA Launches E-mail Listserv for Ostomy Supply Distributors.

http://www.subscribed.co.uk/cgi-bin/t.cgi?k=stuartonline:18  UOA Email List-Serv for Medical Supply Community
After visiting the above site and you have any questions you should contact:

Linda Aukett  advocacy@uoa.org  - Chair, UOA Government Affairs Committee

______________________________________________________________________________________________________

Ostomy Discussion Forums 

Ostomy Related Discussion Forums where one may post and or find answers to 

questions about living with an Ostomy:

International Ostomy Association: http://www.ostomyinternational.org/cgi-bin/dcforum/dcboard.cgi
United Ostomy Association: http://www.uoa.org/discussion/

___________________________________________________________________________________________

Flu Season and You

Tips From Here and There

By::  The New Outlook, Chicago's North Suburban Chapter UOA

 Once again winter is upon us, and you know that means a risk of the Flu.   It's best to be prepared and know what to do.

 For new ostomates, this could be a time of real concern and a new experience in coping, for flu not only brings on headaches, muscle aches and pains, and upset stomach.  That "bogeyman" for the ostomate, diarrhea, often occurs.   Whether induced by flu or other causes, diarrhea can present a serious challenge to ostomates.  Vomiting must also be taken seriously because of the risk of dehydration.  

The first advice for any person--ostomate or not--suffering flu is: always drink plenty of liquids and get proper rest!  By all means, call your doctor if either vomiting or diarrhea symptoms are severe and continuing.  

Ostomates must take special care not to take medicine for pain or a laxative without a doctor's order.  That goes for antibiotics, too!  Antibiotics have no effect on a virus but do kill bacteria, both friendly and unfriendly, and can change the proper balance of normal bacteria in the colon, if you still have one.  Disturbing this balance can actually bring on or exacerbate diarrhea. 

Your diet will change during flu, but during recovery, adopt a fiber- free diet at first, gradually moving to a regular, normal diet.  Prompt attention to symptoms of colds and flu should bring to each of us a happy and hopefully healthy winter season.   Now to the specific tips for each category of ostomate:  

The colostomate with diarrhea would be wise not to irrigate, for nature is actually doing the job.  After the diarrhea stops, the colon will be sluggish for a few days, so leave it alone a little longer.  Give the colon a chance to return to normal before resuming irrigation.  

Carry an extra supply of "security" pouches.   Editors note: I customarily wear a closed appliance, but when diarrhea strikes, I wear a drainable bag until the siege is over.   My diet during stomach flu is hot tea, ginger ale and pretzels. 

Drugs or certain foods can cause constipation in colostomates recovering from flu, or at any other time, but this can be prevented by drinking plenty of fluids. 

 Diarrhea can present an even greater problem to the ileostomate.  Besides an excess of discharge, the ileostomate will suffer loss of electrolytes and vitamins necessary to maintaining good health.  You may experience thirst, slowly rising fever, weakness, mental fuzziness, and reduced urine output.    

Drinking plenty of fluids will increase urine output and will not cause increased water discharge through the appliance during colds or flu.   More serious results could be muscle contractions, abdominal distention, lack of alertness, and, in extreme cases, convulsions.  

The ileostomate must restore electrolyte balance as soon as possible.   Eliminate solid foods.  Regain lost potassium by drinking tea, Gatorade, bouillon, ginger ale, and plenty of water.  Regain lost sodium by eating saltine crackers or salted pretzels.  

·The urostomate should take special care to keep electrolytes in balance and follow the same general instructions as for persons without ostomies.

Ostomy Chat Room Weekly Meetings

 Yahoo Peoples with Ostomy2* - Mondays, 8:00 pm US Central time
http://clubs.yahoo.com/clubs/peopleswithostomy2

 StuartOnline Ostomy Chat* - Tuesdays, 8:00 pm US Central time
http://www.stuartonline.com/chatroom.htm

 Community Zero (Ostomy) Support* - Wednesdays, 9:00 pm US Eastern time
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ostomatessupport/

Shaz & Jason's Chat* - Saturdays, 8:00 pm UK time / 3:00pm US Eastern Time
http://www.ostomy.fsnet.co.uk/chat.html

 Yahoo UK Ostomy Support* - 1st & 3rd Sundays, 8:00 pm UK time / 3:00 pm US Eastern Time
http://clubs.yahoo.com/clubs/ukostomysupport

Provided as a courtesy by Jacksonville UOA Chapter.
These Chat Rooms are the work of individuals and do not represent any organization.