Stoma Patient

the stoma, I suppose I had a lot of urinary infections and then I ended up going to the Marston. I had chemotherapy there at the Marston and then I had the surgery. Now you're going to ask me the surgeon's name and it's gone. Don't worry about the surgeon's name, it's just your story how you remember. They were very good to me in the most and surgically you know everything went well and I was quite happy there. Recovering from the anesthetic and the surgery that's what it because but a stoma I just left it to them and the nurse you know tended to that and the drainage and so forth and I was more interested in I left that to them I didn't do anything and I was more interested in walking with the physiotherapist girl and walking stairs and that sort of thing and then And then eventually after, I don't know, it gave me a couple of weeks or so, I can't remember, and I went to, because I live in St. John's Wood, I went to the hospice there. I've kind of forgotten the name. It doesn't matter. And it was in there that I had the care that got me really going. And the stoma therapist came to see me there. I know she was called, I forget names, but then Gail Carr, who looked after me then, was also Scottish, which was nice. And not only did she teach me there, she taught the staff as well. We used to have this teaching session going on which I remember and she taught me and she came to me at home and then obviously from then on I came here and So Gail and then me taken over So well, what were your biggest problem with stomach because at the beginning it doesn't look like but you accepted the stomach You just left the caring Nurses, isn't it? I think it was just getting used to the bag and you know that sort of thing but you know I've forgotten that I just sort of automatically doing that and I often think when friends tell me they're happy having to get up at night time to spend a penny five or six times I said oh I've got no problem with that, just put on the night drainage bag and I sleep okay. how long it took you to accept that there is a stoma because you had the surgery you mentioned that you are more focused on you know walking stairs and walking you know getting better yeah and then the real teaching took place in hospice isn't it? Yeah it started off in hospice and then seeing Gail and I came here to see her as well and I think it was just you could just gradually you know this is this is it and you have to get on with it. Does it affect your like the clothes you choose to wear having back? No no no I wouldn't go out in a bikini if that's what you mean but yeah. but otherwise it doesn't affect whether you wear a dress for example does it does it affect the the the that you can't wear dress because you don't feel comfortable no that's the only problem is if then if you wear a dress it's tight i well you're not gonna i'm not gonna wear stockings you know i remember having to go to a wedding and I thought, what am I going to do? I can't, you know, the tights, wearing stockings, trying stockings, silly things like that. And now I live mostly in trousers. Did the fact that you have to have the stoma affect your quality of life? no I just be very careful obviously in the beginning about lifting and doing things but I've just carried on and I go to a small exercise class it's really you know balance and so forth you know I've carried on that sort of thing. What advice would you give other patients awaiting for similar surgery yes to have this I think when you talk to the staff and so forth you just have to accept it and the consultants and the nursing staff that I've met have all been very helpful and And, I don't know, I'm sorry you just have to learn to live with it and deal with it and, you know, make sure you've got, you know, enough bags and resins and so forth. The only problems I've had, luckily I haven't had it for a while, was urine infection. So therefore, on antibiotics, I'm on one antibiotic every night, and they've kept me on that and the urine has been clear and satisfactory of late.