UOAA Discussion Board

Hello Gators!

I see many new names here and several from when I was more active on this forum. Just dropping in to say hello to the old gang and wish everyone well!

I've been just fine, no reason for the absence other than being retired now and doing more travelling, volunteering, playing video games (blush) and so on. Looking older but feeling good, cancer-free and still irrigating.

All the best,
Autodraw

Welcome back, and good to see your post. I am still here now and then, and want to thank you, and others, for the help when I first starting irrigating. I seemed to have been a slow learner as it took me some time to "get it down". However, works fine for me now. 30 minutes each day, put on home made patch, and off I go. About 10 years now, and I almost forget about having a stoma. Again, good to hear from you, and continue your happy lifetime.
Ed

Hello, Autodraw. Hello, Ed. I bet there'll be more "here now and then" posters as we each check-in for what just might end up being a reunion thread, of sorts! Always a plus and encouraging to hear/read a familiar name and learn that all is well as we carry on and continue to live our best lives -- bravo!
~Zenobia

I very new to all this, permanent colostomy, stage III rectal cancer, age 46, now 47. Was so depressed but doing a lot better. Irrigation seems like such a great option so much so I can't imagine most not wanting to try it if its an option. Nice to hear it is still working for many long term. I have more output every other day and am hoping that tends to some regulation once I can begin irrigation after chemo, hopefully June. THanks for being so positive. Have been on some other "support" group sites that aren't very supportive.
Sue

Hello Old-timers and welcome newcomers.

It is good to hear from the voice of experience and the success of gatorettes.

I miss the good old days of 48 hour clear times, v-parties and the gorgeous women of the irrigation forum photo contest. [Ha, find those in the archive, newbies]

Now if we could just get Jimbob to host another v-social we could get this forum rocking.

Especially nice to see Autodraw back here, I hope she will not be quite the stranger in the future. I feel so sheepish every year or so I have to i-stalk her to make sure she's still harassing the Vancouver BC medical community about ET/WOCN training.

So, is anyone else checking in?

Why MikeM, I had no idea I was being i-stalked. What an exciting life I lead! I continue to plug away with the ET nurse situation up here. The nurses themselves are wonderful, it's the stupid hospital administrations that are the problem. They have been systematically cutting back or eliminating ostomy out-patient clinics in most of our major hospitals. The suppliers have been filling the gap but unless one buys product from them ET consultations are not free. I carp and poke where I can and am generally ignored by the hospitals but hey, it keeps me out of the bars.

Now who else is still around from the old gang -- JimBob I recall but there were others. Would love to hear from them and I promise not to be such a stranger.

I'm always lurking, waiting for any questions from active duty folks or swimmers/surfers.

Good to hear everyone is well. If anyone will be in Hawaii this summer let me know as I'm planning a military retirement ceremony.

-RH

Hello Autodraw. The queen mother of all Gators. Also congrats Rotor on retiring. Those green checks re nice

I've been here since 09...does that make me an "old"timer? 6 years feels awfully young! Fortunately I have a schedule that allows me to check in here pretty frequently. I like to think that I am giving back to a group that gave me so much... It's good to see folks come back and check in, and find out that they are too busy with life to spend too much time in front of a computer. Glad to see you are doing well autodraw!

David

Been gatoring since 2011 and although that is not long in the spectrum of gatoring, I have been gatoring for the past two years while on chemo for a nasty recurrence. From that perspective I may an old timer. Have developed an understanding of the role of irrigation during chemo. While not nearly as effective as it is when one is not on chemo, it has side benefits such as hydration which are important during chemo.

Mark

Hi, 'gator people!

I haven't been on here much lately. Stuff at home and stuff at work keep me ridiculously busy and usually ridiculously tired after work. Sometimes, though, I also feel like I need after a weekend to go to work so I can rest up. Like this past weekend, I spent 11 hours replacing plumbing shut-off valves, braided water supply hoses, and transitioning from polybutylene piping to pex. Such fun. My back is killing me from being scrunched up under bathroom cabinets and behind toilets. Someday, probably soon, I'll need to get a plumbing company to replace all the poly pipe. But for right now, all leaks are stopped. Anyway, off to the point.

One of the things that irrigating has done for me is, for the most part, to solve every problem I had before irrigating. For example, no longer are there blow-outs (knock on wood). Output is -- except for every now and then, and fortunately very seldom -- once a day when I make my stoma have output. Some things are changing since I started doing this back in June (I think that's when it was). Infusion of water is about the same as before, but I wait a little longer for returns (maybe a few minutes instead of a few seconds). Little to no itching around the appliance. I have not become brave enough to use a bandaid or home-made kind of cover for Sputts. Probably never will get that brave. My supply costs have dwindled very, very considerably. I now use one (occasionally two) wafers a week instead of 3 or 4, usually only one bag a day (and that's just for insurance against a potential leak or output), and I no longer need a belt, adhesive remover, or lots of Eakin seals. An Eakin seal, which I cut into several small triangular pieces, lasts for 3 or 4 changes. My last bill for supplies was less than $80 for 3 months! It used to be from $500 or so to over $700. There's a BIG difference.

I still have massive gas most of the time (but that's my own fault for drinking soda most of the day and eating things that produce lots of gas), but continue to use my home-made muffler which has, since inventing that device, completely stopped all sound from being heard by anyone sitting even within inches of me. So if anybody wants to know about making the muffler again, I'll post how to do it. The price of the little rubber balls I use to make them went up to $2.99 from $1.99, but other than that, it's cheap, effective, and it makes social situations no problem, even with a "Sputt"ering stoma most of the time. Gas is my middle name.

It's nice to "see" everyone again. I hope to make a little more time for lurking around here again.

Regards to everybody!

Nancy

Nancy, I love your kitty avatar

Nancy,
My little guy loves to be heard, especially at quiet times at work. Would love to learn more about your muffler.

Thanks.
Bob