Blog posts of '2017' 'May'

When you have an ostomy, your ostomy is with you all of the time. It doesn't go away when you are shopping, working, or running. As an ostomate you will need to find ways to make your ostomy work in every situation. Not just when you are in the comfort of your own home. You will need to change or empty your ostomy system while you are away from home. In order to change your ostomy pouch in a public restroom you will need to plan ahead. This is an important achievement to unlock for anyone with an ostomy. Having an ostomy does not mean your life is reduced to your home, you will be able to do all the things you enjoyed before. Learning how to care for your ostomy takes time and patience but it is worth it.

What is a Urinary Leg Bag? A leg bag is a device used to collect and hold urine. It is worn on the leg and it can be worn above or below the knee. Leg bags can be attached directly to a Foley catheter or an external condom catheter. If you would rather wear your leg bag on your calf, the leg bag can be attached to extension tubing which would then connect to your catheter. Leg bags are versatile. They are available in many different styles and sizes. Even the straps come in many different styles. There are button closures, Velcro, and leg bag straps that close with Velcro but the bag itself attaches to the straps with buttons. Don't be afraid to try different styles until you find the leg bag set up that works best for you. If you don't like straps at all, consider a leg bag holder.

What is a Compression Bandage Self Adherent Wrap? A compression bandage wrap that is self adhering means the bandage sticks to itself. You will also see these types of compression wrap bandages called "cohesive bandages". So a cohesive bandage IS self adherent and when you wrap the bandage around, it will stick to itself without any fasteners or clips making Coban and CoFlex easy to use. 3M Coban and Andover CoFlex are both examples of brands of cohesive bandage wraps and they are available in different widths and colors. Another important quality to Coban and CoFlex is that the bandage wrap does not stick to other things, it won't leave any kind of adhesive behind so there is no sticky mess when you unwrap it. It is convenient to use a cohesive bandage because it is a sticky bandage that sticks to itself and nothing else.