While I learned many of my life lessons through my NFL career, I realize that not everyone is a football fan. But since many of us were either involved in Little League when we were kids, or have had Little League experience as a parent, or just love to eat hot dogs at the ballpark, most of us are familiar with the game of baseball.
Today, I want to share a message I learned from attending one of my son’s little league games that I hope you will find encouraging. You probably know that every baseball game has nine innings with the first part of the inning referred to as the “top” and the second part of the inning referred to as the “bottom” of the inning. You may feel like you have “been on the field” for a very long time as you battled your illness or during the weeks you are recovering after your surgery. But, in reality, it’s only the “top of the first” and there is still a lot of game to play.
You WILL get better and go back to hitting home runs and doing the things you love to do — you just need to realize it is still early, you have a lot still to learn, a lot of healing to do, and that it is important to stay in the game.
When the game feels long, think of the Pawtucket Red Sox and the Rochester Red Wings who played the longest game in professional baseball history. It lasted 33 innings, with 8 hours and 25 minutes of playing time!
Former NFL Kicker
Former NFL Kicker, Walter Payton Man of the Year, Grateful Ostomy Patient
Top of the First
Your “recovery game” may feel like the Red Sox and the Red Wings but it’s only the top of the first!
Ostomy Life
Medications
You may take medications for medical reasons and/or to replace nutrients, vitamins, and minerals. If you have an ileostomy or colostomy notify your doctor if you notice any undissolved pills in your pouch. It’s important to make sure that your pills are getting completely absorbed. Learn more here.
• How your body now absorbs medications may be affected after ostomy surgery. Always consult your doctor before starting a new medication.
• Diuretics should be used with caution because they can lead to dehydration.
• Some medications may change the color and odor of your urine.
Embracing Ostomy Life Goals
Goals for Today
• Review your medications with your physicians and pharmacists if you have any concerns or questions about how well your body can absorb them and their possible side effects.
Story of the Day
Meet Magen Cherry, J pouch
Today I’d like to introduce you to my friend, Magen Cherry. As a former Miss Texas pageant winner, she knows a lot about looking beautiful on the outside. But it’s her inner beauty, her humility and desire to serve others, that makes her a very special woman.
May be preventable if you recognize the warning signs early and take the appropriate action
1. 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.
2. 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.
3. Urinary Tract Infection (UTI). About 25% of patients with a urostomy have a urinary tract infection (UTI) each year. The symptoms usually are fever, pain, and strong-selling urine. Diabetes increases the risk of a UTI.
• Drink at least 8 glasses of fluids each day.
• Eat food and drink fluids that inhibit the growth of bacteria. Examples include cranberry juice, blueberries, peppers, cherries, tomatoes, and sweet potatoes.
CALL YOUR HEALTH CARE PROVIDER IMMEDIATELY IF YOU THINK YOU HAVE A UTI
4. Dehydration. Dehydration is a common reason why patients with a urostomy return to the hospital. Dehydration occurs when your body loses more fluid than it takes in.
Signs of dehydration:
• Being thirsty
• A dry mouth
• Decreased urine output
• Dizziness when standing up
• Muscle or abdominal cramps
5. Diarrhea. is common because part of your intestine was removed and re-routed to make the urinary diversion. This can affect the absorption of fluids from your intestine, resulting in watery stools. Vomiting and nausea are also common in the first few weeks following a urostomy. Patients often report having a loss of appetite and experience weight loss.
6. Nausea/Vomiting . following a urostomy, patients sometimes report weight loss, tasting food differently and feeling nausea or full soon after eating. It is not unusual to lose 15-20 pounds after surgery.
Learn more about hydration from our dietitian, Danielle.
7. Problem Solving. You may encounter problems like skin irritation, leaks, no output and others. Click here for more details.
8. Medical Emergencies.Review this list so you will know when to call your surgeon/nurse or go to the nearest emergency room.
Getting to know your ostomy – What could go wrong?
Learn about possible complications of the stoma: Most of the complications can be handled with changes to the pouching system. If you are experiencing any changes to your stoma that concern you, contact your ostomy nurse or physician. Need help from a WOC nurse? Find one HERE or HERE
• Stoma Bleeding – you may see a spot of blood on your stoma, especially when cleaning or changing the pouch.
• Stomal Retraction: The stoma is no longer protruding above the surface of the skin and may
make applying your wafer faceplate difficult.
• Stomal Prolapse: The bowel protrudes (telescopes) out further and causes the stoma to be longer than it was originally.
• Mucocutaneous Separation: The skin around the stoma has pulled away from the edge of the stoma leaving a gap. Usually caused from poor healing.
• Stomal Stenosis also called a Stricture: Narrowing of the stoma at the level of the skin. This usually happens after stoma necrosis or stoma retraction.
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.
