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If you have a serious medical condition that affects your gastrointestinal (GI) tract, you may need an ostomy. An ostomy can be life-changing, and in some cases, lifesaving. It's estimated that up to one million Americans currently live with one.
What is an ostomy?
Ostomy is a medical term for a surgery that changes the way urine or stool leaves the body. This article will focus on ostomy procedures related to stool.
Briefly, during an ostomy procedure, the surgeon connects the small or large intestine to a stoma, or opening, in the abdominal wall. This allows waste to exit the body while bypassing part of the digestive tract. Instead of leaving the body through the anus, stool collects in a special pouch placed inside or right outside the abdomen. An ostomy may be temporary or permanent.
Who might need an ostomy?
An ostomy may be needed if an injury or illness prevents waste from exiting the body. For example:
In some cases, ostomy may be reversed once treatment for the underlying condition is complete or an injury has healed.
Types of ostomies
There are two main types of ostomies: a colostomy and an ileostomy. Your surgeon will recommend one or the other depending on which part of your intestine is affected.
Colostomy
During this surgery, diseased or damaged portions of the colon, or large intestine, are removed, and the remaining portion is diverted through an opening in the abdominal wall.
Ileostomy
With this surgery, diseased or damaged portions of the ileum, or small intestine, are removed and the remaining part is redirected to an opening in the abdominal wall.
What to expect after surgery
A nurse will go over everything you need to know about post-surgical care — including how your ostomy bag works — before you leave the hospital. You will be in the hospital for anywhere from three to 10 days after the procedure. You'll usually be sent home once stool begins to exit your body through your stoma.
You'll experience many changes after surgery, including the following:
Changes in bowel movements. You may find that your bowel movements are looser and less formed. This should improve with time, as your digestive tract heals.
Excess gas. It's normal to be gassier after ostomy surgery. Avoiding the following can help:
You may also need to temporarily limit high-fiber foods like raw fruits and vegetables, nuts, and seeds. You'll be able to gradually reintroduce these foods after a few weeks.
Dehydration. Up to 30% of patients become dehydrated after ostomy surgery. It's the most common cause of hospital readmission. In general, it's recommended that adult men drink 13 cups of fluid a day, and adult women 9 cups. You'll need to increase that by about 2 to 3 cups per day after surgery. The best fluid choices are water, broth, and Pedialyte.
Managing your ostomy bag and caring for your skin
A common problem with ostomy bags is leakage of body waste. A study published in the journal Nursing Open found that about 14% of ostomy patients report leakage at least once a week. You can help reduce the chance of this happening by carefully following the care instructions provided by your nurse.
For example, you'll need to empty your ostomy bag when it's one-third full (usually five to eight times a day). In addition to reducing the risk of leakage, this will help to prevent unpleasant odors. You'll go to the bathroom and empty the pouch's contents into the toilet, then clean the bottom of the pouch with toilet paper. You will also need to change your pouch every three days or so. You can shower or bathe either with or without your ostomy bag.
The skin around your stoma can become irritated from the ostomy bag. To help prevent this, your ostomy pouch comes with a skin barrier. Also called a wafer, this barrier sticks to the skin and helps keep the ostomy bag in place. It's very important that the skin barrier is the right size. If it's too small, or too large, it can injure the stoma, cause skin irritation, or cause an unpleasant odor. Your nurse can help you determine if your skin barrier fits properly.
You should replace the skin barrier whenever you change your ostomy bag. Clean around your stoma with warm water and a washcloth, dry the skin, then apply the new skin barrier. Pastes and powders are also available over the counter to make the skin barrier easier to apply and to help prevent irritation.
Common challenges and solutions
Here are some common challenges you may encounter after your ostomy — along with solutions to make them more manageable.
Odor. Ostomy pouches are designed to contain odors. But odors are normal when the pouch is being emptied. Ostomy pouch deoderants and room sprays can help neutralize unpleasant odors during emptying.
Travel. You can still hit the road (or a train, or a plane) with an ostomy bag. Bring twice the number of supplies that you normally need. Pack some with you, and some in another place like your suitcase in case one gets lost. You can also download a TSA Travel Communication Card, and a Restroom Access Communication Card, to discreetly let airport and airplane staff know you have an ostomy.
Trouble absorbing medications. Because an ostomy shortens the duration of the digestive process, it may be harder to absorb medications after ostomy surgery, especially if you take enteric-coated pills or time-release capsules. Tell all your doctors and your pharmacist if you have had ostomy surgery. They can make sure you get medications in the form you need, whether they are prescription or over the counter. Let them know immediately if you see any full or partially digested pills in your ostomy bag.
Anemia. It may be harder to absorb nutrients such as vitamin B12 from food after ostomy surgery. As a result, you can develop anemia, a condition where your body can't produce enough red blood cells and that can make you feel very tired. Ask your doctor whether you should take a vitamin B12 supplement.
Sex. You may feel self-conscious about having sex after your ostomy. Open communication with your partner is key. You may want to simply start with kissing and cuddling. Intercourse won't injure your stoma, but a side lying position may be most comfortable. Sometimes, men experience temporary problems with erection. Women may notice vaginal dryness. There are medication options to help with both.
Exercise and other physical activies. People who have an ostomy can do all the activities they did before surgery, from biking and skiing to jogging or gardening. If you play contact sports, you may want to purchase a stoma guard. Also talk to your doctor about stomach strengthening exercises, to reduce the risk of developing a hernia.
If you are a swimmer, you may worry that your ostomy bag will leak in the water. Ostomy pouches are specially designed to prevent that from happening. If you are still worried, you can apply waterproof tape to the pouch for added security. You may also want to empty your pouch before you dive in.
Although the idea of having an ostomy pouch can take some getting used to, and despite the need to deal with certain challenges, research suggests that most people enjoy the same quality of life after the procedure that they had before their ostomy.
Support and resources for living with an ostomy
These resources can make it easier to live with an ostomy:
United Ostomy Associations of America. This nonprofit organization provides informational materials on life with an ostomy, as well as support groups.
Wound, Ostomy and Continence Nurses Society (WOCN). This website provides resources for patients and families. It can help you find an ostomy nurse to help with ostomy care, as well as adjusting to life with an ostomy.
Source: Harvard Health Publishing
Instablog9ja
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A lady has revealed her unique food preference.
She said this in response to actor Yomi’s outburst of enjoying to smell his fart. She said she enjoys eating raw uncooked beef and ponmo.
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Shock as actor Abayomi Alvin unveils his unexpected secret hobby.
He said he secretly like to smell his fart. He asked if he is the only one that like this.
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Fela Durotoye, a Nigerian public speaker, says he worked in the administration of President Bola Tinubu for just six months without receiving a salary.
In October 2023, Tinubu appointed Durotoye as senior special assistant on national values and social justice. Following Tinubu’s appointment of Daniel Bwala as special adviser on public communications and media, on Friday, some Nigerians on social media criticised the president for appointing a plethora of media aides without considering the cost of governance.
In a 13-man list that went viral on social media, Durotoye was named as one of the media aides to the president. In an opinion piece published on Monday, Durotoye said his appointment as aide to the president ended in March 2024. He added that throughout the six months of his appointment as the president’s aide, he didn’t receive any salary, allowance, or upkeep as a government official.
“Like many other issues in the public discourse, social commentary often has the tendency to overgeneralise; and broad assumptions may sometimes lead to errors of misconceptions, misstatements and misinformation,” Durotoye said. “One of such errors is in a recent case study that went viral on social media regarding the current media team of the president, where my name was listed as one of the president’s media aides. Unfortunately, this statement needs to be updated to accurately reflect the current media team of the president. For clarity, I served briefly in the role of Senior Special Assistant to the President on National Values and Social Justice (SSA-NVSJ) for a tenure of six months, from October 2023 to March 2024.
When I was invited to serve in this administration, I expressed, as a condition for accepting the call, my desire to NOT receive a salary from the government, as I considered this to be my service to my nation. When I finally accepted the role in October 2023, it was on the condition that I would not receive any salary or allowances. During my six-month tenure, I did not accept any government funds for my service, expenses, or upkeep.
I rented my apartment and took my personal car to Abuja. My utility cost, fuel cost and upkeep were all borne by me and I never requested a reimbursement from the government for any expenses I incurred. Everything I contributed-time, effort, and resources-was paid for by me and my family.”
Instablog9ja
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President Bola Tinubu has written to the National Assembly, seeking approval of a fresh N1.767tn as a new external borrowing plan in the 2024 appropriation act.
If approved, the loan will be used to part-finance the budget deficit of N9.7tn for the 2024 budget. The president’s request was read by the speaker during plenary on Tuesday. The president has also forwarded the MTEF/ FSP 2025- 2027 to parliament and the National Social Investment Programme establishment amendment bill, to make the social register the primary tool for the implementation of the federal government’s social welfare programmes.
This is as the Central Bank of Nigeria recently said the Federal Government spent $3.58 billion servicing the country’s foreign debt in the first nine months of 2024. Data sourced from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) report on international payment statistics showed that the amount represents a 39.77 per cent increase from the $2.56bn spent during the same period in 2023.
According to the report, while the highest monthly debt servicing payment in 2024 occurred in May, amounting to $854.37m, the highest monthly expenditure in 2023 was $641.70m, recorded in July. The trend in international debt servicing by the CBN highlights the rising cost of debt obligations by Nigeria.
Further breakdown of international debt figures showed that in January 2024, debt servicing costs surged by 398.89 per cent, rising to $560.52m from $112.35m in January 2023. February, however, saw a slight decline of 1.84 per cent, with payments reducing from $288.54m in 2023 to $283.22m in 2024.
March recorded a 31.04 per cent drop in payments, falling to $276.17m from $400.47m in the same period last year. April saw a significant rise of 131.77 per cent, with $215.20m paid in 2024 compared to $92.85m in 2023. The highest debt servicing payment occurred in May 2024, when $854.37m was spent, reflecting a 286.52 per cent increase compared to $221.05m in May 2023. June, on the other hand, saw a 6.51 per cent decline, with $50.82m paid in 2024, down from $54.36m in 2023.
July 2024 recorded a 15.48 per cent reduction, with payments dropping to $542.50m from $641.70m in July 2023. In August, there was another decline of 9.69 per cent, as $279.95m was paid compared to $309.96m in 2023. However, September 2024 saw a 17.49 per cent increase, with payments rising to $515.81m from $439.06m in the same month last year. Given rising exchange rates, the data raises concerns about the growing pressure of Nigeria’s foreign debt obligations.
On Monday, Channels Television reported a rise in debts of the 36 states of the federation. The total debts of the 36 states in Nigeria rose to N11.47tn as of June 30, 2024, despite allocations by the Federal Accounts Allocation Committee (FAAC), and their respective internally generated revenues (IGR). An analysis of data from the public debt reports released by the Debt Management Office (DMO) said the rise was 14.57 per cent higher than the N10.01tn recorded in December 2023. External debt for the states and the Federal Capital Territory also climbed from $4.61bn to $4.89bn within the period under review.
In naira terms, the debts increased by 73.46 per cent, from N4.15tn to N7.2tn, following the devaluation of the naira from N899.39/$1 in December 2023 to N1,470.19/$1 by June 2024. However, domestic debt for states and the FCT declined from N5.86tn to N4.27tn. In total, states and the FCT accounted for Nigeria’s public debt of N134.3tn in June 2024, a decrease from their 10.29 per cent share in December 2023, even as their nominal debt levels increased.
Channels Television had earlier reported that the sub-national governments continued to grapple with a persistent reliance on borrowing to finance their budgets in 2023, as the total debt stock of the 36 states surged by 38.1%, from N7.25tn in 2022 to N10.01tn. According to BudgIT’s 2024 State of States report released on Tuesday, the debt growth was partly driven by a N606.12bn increase in domestic debt, resulting in an average year-on-year growth rate of 11.4%. By 31st December 2023. The total domestic debt stood at N5.86tn.
The situation was further complicated by rising foreign debt, which increased by 4.1%, from $4.43b in 2022 to $4.61bn in 2023. According to the report, the liberalisation of the exchange rate exacerbated the financial strain on states, significantly raising their foreign loan repayment obligations in naira terms. Lagos State remained the most indebted in foreign currency, accounting for 26.9% of the total foreign debt, equivalent to $1.24bn.
The DMO’s report comes after budget’s report said that the 32 states of the federation relied on FAAC for at least 55 per cent of their total revenue in 2023. According to the 2024 report released last week, the development paints the over-reliance of state governments on federally distributable revenue and accentuates the vulnerability of the state governments to crude oil-induced shocks and other external shocks.
The report further said that 14 states relied on FAAC receipts for at least 70 per cent of their total revenue. Furthermore, transfers to states from the federation account comprised at least 62 per cent of the recurrent revenue of 34 states, except Lagos and Ogun, while 21 states relied on federal transfers for at least 80 per cent of their recurrent revenue.
In the 2023 fiscal year, the combined revenue of all 36 states in Nigeria increased significantly by 31.2 per cent from N6.6tn in 2022 to N8.66tn. This growth rate exceeded the previous year’s increase of 28.95 per cent, indicating a notable improvement in fiscal performance.
Of the total revenue generated in 2023, Lagos State contributed N1.24t, representing 14.32 per cent of the cumulative revenue of the 36 States. Gross FAAC, which grew by 33.19 per cent trom N4.05tn in 2022 to N5.4tn in 2023, contributed to 65 per cent of the year-on-year growth of the combined revenue of the 36 states.
“32 states relied on FAAC receipts for at least 55 per cent of their total revenue, while 14 states relied on FAAC receipts for at least 70 per cent of their total revenue. Furthermore, transfers to states from the federation account comprised at least 62 per cent of the recurrent revenue of 34 states, except Lagos and Ogun, while 21 states relied on federal transfers for at least 80 per cent of their recurrent revenue. The picture painted above buttresses the over-reliance of the state governments on federally distributable revenue and accentuates their vulnerability to crude oil-induced shocks and other external shocks.” The report provides a detailed analysis of states’ fiscal sustainability, examining how well they balance internally generated revenue against federal allocations.
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A popular cleric and General Overseer of The God’s Anointed And Blessed Church International, Pastor Toye Ebijomore, has urged that for Nigeria to be redeemed from the series of challenges facing it, President Bola Tinubu must convene a national prayer.
According to the cleric based in Akure, the Ondo State capital, the national prayer is crucial for the survival of the country as it will enable Nigerians to seek divine guidance.
Speaking to newsmen, he revealed that there are sinister plans by some persons to cause disasters across the country, hence the federal government should empower security forces to forestall any breach. While appealing to Tinubu to urgently do the needful, he said: “As I reflect on our nation’s challenges, I firmly believe that this National Prayer is crucial for our collective well-being because it will enable us to come together, seek divine guidance, and work towards a brighter future. “I envision a Nigeria where unity, peace, and prosperity thrive, and I believe this prayer is a vital step towards achieving that vision. I am very confident in the Lord that by working together and following the Lord’s guidance, we would overcome our challenges and build a brighter future for Nigeria.
Towards this end, we only need sincerity, humility, and courage to defeat every force against this godly mission for a lasting solution to our numerous problems. Since we desire Nigeria to be in the comity of great nations and we are learning democracy from the great nations such as America and Great Britain, we should also emulate their art of yearly national prayer, such as America’s National Prayer Day, or US National Prayer Breakfast, or Australian National Prayer Breakfast, which is a secret of the Lord with them.”
