It is a worrying time when you learn that you need to undergo major surgery. It can be particularly traumatic when you learn that as a result of that surgery your bodily functions will not be the same - that you will have an ‘ileostomy’ and will not be able to pass motions in the normal way but will wear a ‘pouch’ on your abdomen.
You may not have heard of an ileostomy or a stoma before or have only a vague idea what one is. You may feel horrified and upset, or temporarily numb at the news. You may, on the other hand, feel relief that something is being done to relieve what may have been years of
debilitating symptoms. Whatever your reactions and feelings, you will find hospital staff very understanding and supportive. They have helped a great many people through the same experience.
Very experienced nurses who specialise in stoma care will be there to care for you and help you with information, practical assistance, advice and reassurance about what having a stoma involves. A support organisation like the Ileostomy and Internal Pouch Support Group (ia) can help with
advice and visits from other (happy, healthy) ileostomists. The creation of a stoma can not only be a life saving operation, but for many people (and there are thousands and thousands of people with ileostomies) it actually greatly improves the quality of their lives.
By the time you leave hospital you will be able to manage the pouches for your ileostomy. You will in your own way learn to cope and to come to terms with the change in your body and with your stoma. Caring support is also readily available within the community, so you won’t feel alone. Soon, your stoma seems less important, and you will get back to normal life.
This booklet is intended to ‘fill in’ on some of the information you may have been unable to take in at the time of your surgery, to give you background information and practical advice about the day-today care of a stoma and to answer some of the queries that are bound to arise. It will also act as a reference source of other relevant organisations and of advice available.
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