One of the greatest fears of everyone who has undergone ostomy surgery, including me, was the fear of a leaking pouch or a noisy stoma due to gas at the wrong time. Our hope is that no one can tell we have an ostomy and most of the time that’s completely true. There will be times, however, when we may find ourselves in embarrassing situations. I remember about four months after my surgery, I was back rehabbing with the Chargers and starting to feel like I was really getting my life back, when I decided to go out with a couple of my buddies one night. We all had a couple of beers and I returned home and went to bed feeling good about how well I was recovering. A few hours later, however, in the middle of the night, I was awakened by that uncomfortable feeling of warm liquid spreading over my abdomen and legs and onto my sheets. It turns out that my pouch had filled with gas from the beer, and when I rolled over, it had popped the bag off my faceplate. I couldn’t believe what had happened and quickly became angry and frustrated at the inconvenience of having to get up, take a shower, and change the sheets. I can laugh about it now, but I learned a valuable lesson that night and made sure it never happened again.
I was lucky that my accident happened in the privacy of my own home, but I can assure you that everyone who has an ostomy has an embarrassing story of their own, many in a public situation. And I can also assure you that we all survive and get over it and most of us will be able to smile and laugh about it one day when we look back.
I’ve learned that we are often all too concerned about what other people will think about us when something like this happens. In reality, most people have great empathy and even admiration for us when they find out what we all have gone through. Even my teammates, who I thought might make fun of me, became very protective of me and developed a measure of respect I could never have imagined.
Former NFL Kicker
Former NFL Kicker, Walter Payton Man of the Year, Grateful Ostomy Patient
Story of the Day
Collin Jarvis
Meet my friend Collin Jarvis who shares his fears before his ostomy surgery and how they played out after his surgery.
Potential Complications
Be vigilant so you can stay out of the hospital
These potential complications may be preventable if you recognize the warning signs early and take the appropriate action.
1. Dehydration. One out of three ileostomy patients will be readmitted to the hospital for dehydration within 30 days of their operation. Learn how to stay hydrated here.
Learn more about hydration from our dietitian, Danielle.
2. Skin problems. Peristomal skin is the skin surrounding your stoma and should look and feel just like the skin on the rest of your abdomen (not irritated or red). Learn more about how to care for your peristomal skin and catch any problems early so they can be addressed.
3. Hernia. This happens when an organ or other tissue pushes through your abdominal muscles and creates a bulge. Since having ostomy surgery increases your risk of developing a hernia, you will want to follow these guidelines:
• Limit your lifting to 5-10 lbs. for the first 4-6 weeks post-surgery (or as directed by your surgeon) and always use proper lifting technique.
• Support the area around your stoma if you sneeze, cough, or laugh by squeezing a folded blanket or pillow.
Learn more about hernias and how to protect yourself here.
Hear Nurse Melody talk about hernias and how to prevent them here.
4. Problem Solving. You may encounter problems like skin irritation, leaks, no output and others. Click here for more details.
5. Medical Emergencies.Review this list so you will know when to call your surgeon/nurse or go to the nearest emergency room.
Ostomy Life
Handling embarrassing situations
We ALL have stories about embarrassing moments with our ostomy. Heck, people that don’t have ostomies have plenty of embarrassing stories too! Bringing back our sweet Maggie to share one of our favorites.
Have you been in an embarrassing situation yet? If not, picture it in your mind because you know it will happen sooner or later. Envision yourself handling the situation with humor and grace. Role play with a friend about what you will do or say so you are prepared.
We offer our sincerest thanks to Joan Scott — a kind ostomate and brilliant writer — for allowing us to include excerpts of, her book, “The Ostomy Raft”, in Alive & Kicking. To purchase a copy filled with tons of practical tips for living with an ileostomy or colostomy, click the button below.
Rolf Benirschke is a former NFL Man of the Year and All-Pro placekicker who played 10 seasons in the NFL for the San Diego Chargers. His career was briefly interrupted when he was diagnosed with Crohn’s Disease that required ileostomy surgery in his third season. Remarkably, Rolf returned to play seven more years with the Chargers, becoming the first ever professional athlete to play with an ostomy appliance. He has been an outspoken champion of the ostomy community for the past 40 years and created Embracing Ostomy Life™ to provide the hope, education and encouragement to ensure that no one goes through ostomy surgery alone.
Join Team HOPE
Do you wish you could connect with someone like you who has an ostomy and similar life goals? You can! Our Team HOPE (Helping Ostomates through Peer Encouragement) program can pair you with a volunteer who has an ostomy that will listen, empathize and suggest resources to help you along your journey.
