1. science
2. medicine
3. surgery

I T ’ S I N THE
B AG
SINCE 1974
This Month’s meeting:
Location:
Tuesday, May 19th
Royal Canadian Legion
Branch 350
Join us for a presentation on our
fundraising activities and updates
about our chapter!
Bring your calendars, we are looking for volunteers!
NORDIXX POLE WALKING
BY Debb Wayland
For those who were at the presentation for Nordixx Pole Walking in the autumn
last year and who may be interested in participating, the City of St. Catharines
Older Adult Center is offering 3 free visits to a senior center activity. You can
sign out the poles and go for a walk independently, or go with a group as listed
below. The time for the coached walk and the cool down stretches is maximum
one hour.
Coached Nordic Pole Walking is still occurring at Port Dalhousie Older Adult
Center, Brock Street, on MONDAYS at 10:30am with a Level 1 instructor. The
usual walk is approximately 3km at your own pace on sidewalks or roadways (no
hills) with a beautiful view of the lake along the way!
Coached Nordic Pole Walking also occurs on Thursdays at the Dunlop Drive
Older Adult Center at 10:30am.
If you have the spring bug to get out and walk a little in the morning once or
twice a week, I will be found doing just that Mondays and Thursdays. Bring your
water for hydration and feel free to join in and try it out! Hope to see some familiar faces this spring and summer!
The following links may be helpful for more information:
www.stcatharines.ca/ePlay
www.ontarioseniorgames.ca
www.nordixx.com
May 2015
57 Lakeport Rd, St. Cath
(Port Dalhousie)
The Dalhousie Room
Doors open @ 7:00p.m.
Meeting starts @ 7:15p.m.
* Wheelchair
accessible from the
back entrance off the
parking lot
(Ridgeway/Pt. Colborne
meeting info on Page 4)
I NSIDE
THIS ISSUE :
P RESIDENT ’ S M ESSAGE
2
C DC ANTI SMOKING
4
CAMPAIGN
C ALENDAR OF
5
EVENTS
A PPLICATION FOR
5
MEMBERSHIP
R EASONS TO
8
VOLUNTEER
S UMMER LIVING WITH
9
AN OSTOMY
F LUSH STOMA
11
P AGE 2
Presidents Message
Summer seems to have hit the last
few days. Didn’t we just get over
winter?
I want to mention that Miriam
has been very ill but she is on the road to recovery. I
was speaking with her husband a few days ago and
she is coming along but has a long road ahead of
her. We sent her a flower arrangement while she
was in hospital wishing her speedy recovery from
all of the group! Thanks Debb for doing that, and
for visiting with her!
This year Roger & I presented Ostomy Education
Seminars to well over 100 Personal Support
Worker Students in the Niagara Region. The seminar educates the students about people with
Ostomies and helps them when they get into the
community if they have a client with an Ostomy.
Each Student that participates in the seminar is
given an information package similar to our Visiting
Packages, they are also given an Achievement
Award to hang on the wall or put in their portfolio.
We held a Visiting training seminar this
past Saturday and had about 12 people there including Roger & Ann Ivol and Maryann Enns. It was a
long day as always but there doesn’t seem to be a
way to shorten it. There’s a lot of information to discuss and we have to cover it all. The role playing
(pretend visits) is always a fun part of the day & we
had some really good scenarios.
Youth Camp is sneaking up on us and so far it
looks like we will again be sponsoring 2 children
from Niagara. Camp dates for 2015 are July 26th to
July 31st. Camp fees have risen again this year to
$620. The camp has some timing stipulations on
flight arrivals & departures, that has put a kink into
the flights, but it will be sorted out. I'm sure
Brian & Shannelle are eager to attend camp
again this year.
We have again this year been asked to do the
barbecues at Turkstra Lumber in Niagara Falls.
They are held on each Friday from 11am to
1pm from the long weekend in May till Labour
day weekend. WE NEED HELP WITH IT.
Please consider offering a bit your time to help
at these events. There will be a sign up sheet at
our May & June Meetings, or you can also
email or telephone us if you miss the meetings. The first ten people to sign up for the
bbq, providing you attend the date you sign up
for, you will receive a Tim Hortons gift card in
appreciation. Our way of saying Thanks for
your help. (These cards will come out of our
funds, it is not a Turkstra initiative.)
Upcoming events to mark on your calendar:
Our Annual General Meeting on June 16th. An
important date to attend. Annual reports and
report from our treasurer. Remember, we need
(Continued on page 3)
P AGE 3
(Continued from page 2)
help at the board level too!
September Chapter Information
Session and National Council
Meeting will be held in Burlington, Ontario on September 19 and
20, 2015.
Information Session to learn some
important information about running a chapter. For more details
you can contact us or check the
Ostomy Canada Website.
October 3rd; 3rd annual Stoma
Stroll fundraising event for
Ostomy Canada and public
awareness for our chapter. More
details will follow as we get organized for the event
It’s hard to believe that I have
been president for 6 years, time
has flown by. I have learned a lot
in those years and have made a lot
of contacts, in many cases I could
call it friends. It was an honour &
great pleasure to serve as your
president and to work with your
Board of Directors; however, as I’ve said before, it
is time for me to step away from the position. It is
never good for any organization to become stale
with old ideas.
Best regards.
John Molnar
P AGE 4
NEW
SOUTHERN NIAGARA
MEETINGS
Boggio/Edwards Pharmacy,
307 Ridge Rd, Ridgeway,
(use rear parking lot & entrance)
Doors Open 7:00pm, meeting at 7:15pm
May 27, 2015—Convatec Representative
to be held at
**Boggio Pharmacy, 206 Catharine St,
Port Colborne**
CDC CHANGES ANTI-SMOKING ADS AFTER
COMPLAINTS FROM OSTOMATES
VIA: North Central Oklahoma, Ostomy Outlook May 2015
In late March 2015, the US Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention (CDC) began running a new series of
antismoking ads, some featuring smokers who developed
colorectal cancer that required a temporary ostomy.
While the goal of stopping smoking is laudable, many
ostomates were offended by the ads which, unfortunately, tended to reinforce popular misconceptions and
stigmas regarding ostomy surgery.
If you’d like to watch these ads, you can view some at:
Julia’s Ad:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TuRRbub-FJ4
Julia and Mark’s Ad:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V4VQlzi5iCs
and you can watch a longer version of Julia’s story
(edited
by the CDC to remove the most offensive parts) at:
https://www.youtube.com/
watch?v=Wc6RVlC0BQQ
On April 11, 2015, UOAA
posted a statement on its website, emphasizing the dangerous
nature of the CDC ads due to
their reinforcement of society’s
negative image of ostomies.
See UOAA’s web page at:
www.ostomy.org/
S
t
a
t
e
ment_on_CDC_antismoking_c
olostomy_ads.html which includes more links documenting
the ongoing events in this story.
Also see UOAA’s Facebook page
a t :
h t t p s : / /
www.facebook.com/UOAAinc
(Continued on page 6)
P AGE 5
CALENDAR OF EVENTS
Our Website: www.niagaraostomy.com
June 16: Annual General Meeting; reviewing
the year as a chapter; official elections; enjoying wonderful treats! Please join us!
July and August —no meeting
Notice to Readers:…
Products and methods mentioned in this
newsletter are not endorsed by the Niagara Ostomy Association and may not be
relevant to everyone. Consult your doctor or ET nurse before deciding to use
any of them.
Sept 15: TBA
Oct 20: TBA
Application for Membership
Nov 17: TBA
Name:_____________________________
Dec: No Meeting
Address:____________________________
__________________________________
Telephone Numbers:
Niagara Ostomy Association: 905-321-2799
Coloplast: (866) 293-6349
Email:_____________________________
Type of Ostomy(optional):_______________
ConvaTec (800) 465-6302
Hollister: (800) 263-3236
Car Pooling
If you need a ride or are
available to pick up someone
in your area for our meetings, please call us at
Postal Code:_______ Phone:____________
FIND US ON
FACEBOOK
UNDER:
905 321 2799
‘NIAGARA
Anyone that would like to
maintain a list of people offering/needing rides, please
call.
OSTOMY
ASSOCIATION’
Follow us on Twitter
@ NiagaraOstomy
Dues are $30.00 per year, renewable by
December 31 of each year. Membership is open
to all ostomates, family members, medical professionals, health professionals and other interested parties. Includes monthly newsletter. We
do not wish to exclude anyone because of inability to pay dues. If payment of dues is a hardship, please inform the treasurer or president.
They have the authority to waive individual
dues. This information is kept in the strictest
confidence. We will never share your email address. It will be kept strictly confidential. Completed application along with your cheque or
money order (payable to Niagara Ostomy
Association) should be mailed to:
Laura Gazley, Treasurer
82 St. Augustine Drive
St. Catharines ON L2P 3T8
P AGE 6
(Continued from page 5—CDC ads)
Among major additional events:
On April 13th, UOAA, jointly with the
Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation of America
(CCFA) and the Youth Rally, sent a formal
letter to the CDC (Read it on UOAA’s website).
On April 17th, The Washington Post published
an article about the CDC ads and UOAA’s
attempts to get them removed.
On April 21st, UOAA officials had a very
productive phone call with senior representatives of the CDC.
Also on April 21st, The Washington Post published a follow-up article explaining that the
CDC had modified
the online versions of some of the ads. For
(Continued on page 8)
P AGE 7
ACROSS
1. Northern diving birds
5. Sad song
10. Vipers
14. Make a sweater
15. African virus
16. Urgent request
17. Doing nothing
18. Officer
20. Baffle
22. Gist
23. A single-reed woodwind
24. Purposes
25. Having low blood pressure
32. Without company
33. Cars
34. Uncooked
37. Not more
38. Tendon
DOWN
1. Analogous
2. Annul
3. Pottery oven
4. Sons of a new spouse
5. Luxurious
6. Nile bird
7. Caviar
8. Adhesive
9. Dines
10. Breathing problem
39. An exchange involving
money
40. An uncle
41. Meeting place
42. European blackbird
43. Enthused
45. Spanish for "Friend"
49. Small portable bed
50. Windfall
53. Long-lasting
57. Inadvertent
59. Meat from cows
60. Cold-shoulder
61. Heart artery
62. Foliage
63. Hearing organs
64. Stratum
65. Terminates
11. Sneaked
12. British penny
13. Satisfies
19. S S S S 21. Tardy
25. Fit
26. The original matter
(cosmology)
27. Sit for a photo
28. Nigerian monetary
unit
29. Dawn
CROSSWORD — mirroreyes.com
30. List components
31. Solemn promise
34. Tease
35. Away from the
wind
36. Join
38. Comes after Mi and
Fah
39. Desirable 41. Leaf
42. Smell
44. Relating to the eye
45. Lower
46. Chocolate-flavored
coffee
47. Bring upon oneself
48. Advances
51. Ardor
52. Dwarf buffalo
53. A romantic meeting
54. Existed
55. Its symbol is Pb
56. F F F F
58. Attempt
Answers on
Page 10
P AGE 8
(including ileostomies). And the CDC was apparently no
better informed on this matter than the general public
when they prepared these ads.
REASONS TO VOLUNTEER
Article from the May 2013
UOAConnection,
(Continued from page 6-CDC ads)
example, in the long version of Julia’s story, they removed the part where Julia said that, for the year while
she had her ostomy, she hardly ever left home for fear it
would leak and smell.
The CDC has admitted they made a mistake by failing to
reach out to UOAA and other ostomates while they
were developing these ads. And they’ve added links to
UOAA on the CDC web page at:
www.cdc.gov/tobacco/campaign/tips/diseases/
cancer.html
In another interesting way, this incident highlights general ignorance about ostomies. Julia said in her ad that
she had a “colostomy.” But her temporary ostomy was
almost certainly an ileostomy — probably a “loop” ileostomy.
Most Americans, including many healthcare workers,
use the name “colostomy” for all fecal ostomies
The most recent Ottawa
chapter newsletter
printed a list of the top
10 reasons to volunteer.
This should be distributed to each and every
chapter member, some of whom are eager participants
in helping the chapters thrive, and others who attend
meetings but rarely ask to (or are asked to) volunteer.
1. It’s good for you! Research shows that those who volunteer have lower mortality rates, greater functional
ability as they get older and report good health more
often.
2. Those who volunteer are less likely to be depressed.
So, go for it—put on a happy face.
3. Volunteering is a great way learn a new skill.
4. Belong. There is no better way to meet good people
and connect with your community.
5. It just plain feels good to give back to your community.
6. Volunteers consistently report a high feeling of selfworth, achievement and higher motivation.
7. In a recent study, more than 90% of employers feel
that volunteering enhances job skills, and over 70% said
they would hire someone with volunteer experience
over someone without.
8. Get out of a rut. Volunteering is a great way to explore and get experience in a new field.
9. Spend time with your family. Volunteering as a family
is a great way to spend time together.
10. Enrich your life. Volunteering adds meaning in many
ways, through learning new skills, making new friendships, and by making our community a better place to
live.
P AGE 9
SUMMER LIVING WITH AN OSTOMY
by Gwen B. Turnbull, RN,BS,ET, 5/31/2006;
via Las Vegas (NV) Town Karaya, Via: North Central OK
Ostomy Outlook Newsletter
Summer is here. People flock to the beach, languish by
the pool, or head out for vacation. However, summer
with all its related activities, can produce a great deal of
anxiety for someone living with an ostomy. One of the
major concerns for a person with a stoma is body image
and fear of public embarrassment (e.g., noise from flatus,
leakage, odor, or possible appearance of the pouch under
clothing). Summer means wearing thinner clothing, bathing suits, and shorts, which can increase the level of unease surrounding these already angst-ridden circumstances.
Selecting a bathing suit for a woman or man with an
ostomy is somewhat easier than it was several years ago.
Men’s swimming trunks tend to be patterned and knee-
length. Flowered, patterned, or textured materials often
serve as “camouflage” for a pouching system. Today,
women have a variety of bathing suit styles from which to
choose—many find a one-piece patterned suit appealing
while others choose “boy short” bottom “tankinis” or twopiece suits with a chemise-type top and/or a skirted bottom. As temperatures rise and exercise increases, so does
perspiration.
Individuals with an ileostomy must be instructed to carefully monitor fluid intake and stomal output, especially
during periods of exercise or extreme heat. Many senior
citizens live in homes without airconditioning. Water
alone is not sufficient—it does not replace the extra sodium and potassium lost in sweat as well as what is normally lost in ileostomy or high-output effluent. Sports
drinks, tea, or colas should replace plain water because
they contain valuable electrolytes. Patients should be
taught the signs and symptoms of dehydration as well as
preventive measures. Should dehydration develop, patients need to contact their physician or report to an
emergency room for re-hydration with IV fluids.
Higher environmental temperatures and increased perspiration also may decrease the wear
time of solid skin barriers or skin barriers with a
flange. Patients should anticipate this phenomenon, perhaps reducing wear time during the
summer or switching to extended-wear skin
barriers that are more resistant to meltdown
(i.e., erosion) from increased body temperature, high-volume liquid output, and increased
perspiration. The need to change pouching systems before entering into physical activities
should also be stressed, particularly if the individual is near the end of the usual wear-time.
Summer also produces a bounty of fresh fruits
and vegetables, such as corn on the cob, watermelon, peaches, green beans, cherries, okra,
plums, tomatoes, strawberries, blueberries,
raspberries, and peppers—foods that potentially
create more gas and/or difficulty with digestion, especially those foods with an abundance
of seeds and skins. This is usually more of a
(Continued on page 10)
P AGE 10
(Continued
from page 9- Summer Living)
problem for people with an ileostomy but an increased
amount of fresh fruits and vegetables also can cause problems (e.g., diarrhea, excess gas) for people with a colostomy. If gas and odor become a problem, patients should
be familiarized regarding
closed-end and drainable pouching systems with effective
gas relief and odor-reducing filter systems.
Activities in the summer (or any other season, for that
matter) may drive the individual’s pouching system
choice. Some people with an ileostomy may chose to use
a closed-end pouch under a bathing suit or switch from a
drainable pouch to a closed-end pouch while on vacation
(for convenient disposal “on the road”). One-piece
pouching systems also may be appropriate during these
times. Visiting friends and family can become problematic for people with an ostomy, especially with regards to
emptying and/or disposing of soiled pouches. Sadly,
many people choose to avoid situations (e.g., visiting,
sharing bathrooms and the like) because of these issues.
Clinicians should teach their clients to put the soiled
pouch in a ziplock
bag for sanitary and odor-proof disposal to avoid embarrassment. A sense of freedom can easily be restored
if people with an ostomy are educated about various
pouching options. Some individuals choose to alternate
pouch types depending on their activity, output, and the
setting in which they find themselves.
These are personal lifestyle decisions that can only be
made if people with a stoma are shown a variety of
pouching options. Something as simple as a different type
of pouch can make a huge difference in someone’s life—
and what better time to feel better about oneself than
during the summer.
P AGE 11
FOUR STEPS FOR DEALING WITH A FLUSH
STOMA
by Wendy Lueder, Broward County (FL) Broward Beacon;
via North Central OK Ostomy Outlook
One of the more difficult challenges an ostomate may
face is dealing with a stoma that either protrudes just a
little bit or not at all. Some are even what I like to call
“below the water line” or lie below skin level. After
some unsuccessful surgery I have been dealing with this
condition for a few years. When your stoma is flush, the
output has difficulty being directed into your pouch;
thus, leaks occur and pouch changes are more frequent
and annoying.
For ileostomates or colostomates with a liquid output,
changing your skin barrier wafer immediately when
experiencing leakage is not an option to be delayed, as
the output contains digestive enzymes and bile salts
which damage and irritate your skin. If you do have a
flush stoma, here are four suggestions that might help
make your life easier.
First try using a skin barrier wafer that has built-in convexity. This means that the wafer doesn’t lay flat on
your skin but has a gentle curve toward your body that
pushes the skin around your stoma down and away. But
for some, this solution is insufficient to take care of the
problem, and greater convexity is needed.
Secondly you might try the ostomy products on the market that are in the shape of flexible washers called Barrier
Rings. You may know of them as Eakin Cohesive Seals
(distributed in North America by ConvaTec), or Adapt
Barrier Rings by Hollister. There are also other generics
on the market. Be careful. Quality does differ among
these rings. If placed around the skin of your stoma underneath the skin barrier wafer, the rings add an extra
depth of convexity thus helping to push the skin down
around your stoma even farther. Remember, no other
skin creams, preparations of any kind or stoma pastes
should be used along with the barrier rings, as this will
adversely affect the adhesion of the seal. Also make sure
your skin is clean
and dry before applying and use a soap with no oils or
creams. I use a hair dryer set on very low to make sure
my skin is dry in humid South Florida.
Third hint is that you actually might need to use an
ostomy appliance belt (not a hernia belt). ConvaTec
makes a white one and Hollister a fleshtone one. Both
can be used interchangeably and snap onto the sides of
your pouch. I put very little pressure on with the belt,
forcing my skin barrier closer to my body and thus pushing my stoma up. DO NOT use a belt without first consulting your ostomy nurse or doctor as some conditions
such as having a hernia make wearing one a prohibited
option.
(Continued on page 13)
P AGE 12
P AGE 13
(Continued
from page 11- Flush Stoma)
As all three of these options used together still don’t
completely solve my problem I’ve had to go to DEFCON level 4: I have to lose weight. Some extra pounds I
really don’t need have given my tummy a little pooch
which makes my convexity options less effective. As I’ve
been losing weight my tummy’s gotten flatter and the
convexity options one through three are more effective.
When out to dinner with my husband honey, I hate this
option as desserts are always calling to me off the menu.
But a functional ostomy pouching system just happens to
be more important.
"I was just wondering if it would be all right if she carries a golf bag while we walk?"
Brings a tear to your eye, doesn't it?
This kind of sensitivity just can't be taught.
FREE HAIRCUT
A man and a little boy entered a barbershop together.
WALKING ON
THE GRASS
The room was full of pregnant women with their husbands.
After the man received the full treatment – a shave,
shampoo, manicure, haircut, the works – he placed the
boy in the chair and said, "I’m gonna buy a green tie to
wear for the parade and I’ll be back in a few minutes."
When the boy’s haircut was completed and the man still
hadn’t returned, the barber said, "Looks like your
daddy’s forgotten all about you."
"That wasn’t my daddy," said the little boy,
"that man just walked up, took me by the hand and said,
The instructor said, "Ladies, remember that exercise is
good for you. Walking is especially beneficial. It
strengthens the pelvic muscles and will make delivery
that much easier.
Just pace yourself, make plenty of stops and try to stay
on a soft surface like grass or a path."
"Gentlemen, remember -- you're in this together. It
wouldn't hurt you to go walking with her. In fact, that
shared experience would be good for you both."
The room suddenly became very quiet as the men absorbed this information.
After a few moments a man, name unknown, at the back
of the room, slowly raised his hand.
"Yes?" said the Instructor.
‘Come on, son, we’re gonna get a free haircut!’"
P AGE 14