Blowout Disaster: Lessons in Preparedness and Resilience

Well, after all the "what if" and "what would I do if I had a blowout"... it happened, and it was a big one!

Since my ordeal in January, I have retrained as an HVS carer (Home Visiting Service). I needed to give something back and feel my life was still worthwhile... Anyway, the blowout: I am visiting an elderly gentleman to help him get up and get dressed, have breakfast—you get the idea. I had just finished getting him dressed when I smelled 💩, so I thought, "Oh no, he has had an accident!" The smell was getting worse, and he pointed down to my white top, which was now chocolate brown and a little wiffy, to say the least. I got him comfortable in front of the TV and said I would be back in a minute... I walked out of the living room, and then the horror hit: I hadn't taken any supplies with me; it was only an hour call! I had some in the car, but that was parked 100 yards down the main road in a shop carpark 🤢. I had no choice; I had to walk to the car in a 💩-covered top, smelling pretty bad, I must admit. I got the stuff, went back to the house, got myself cleaned up, and grabbed a new bag and a spare T-shirt I keep in the car (the white top went straight in the bin).

Everyone is saying, "Well, you did it; you got through it," but they don't really understand. All the confidence I have built up over the last 9 months has just been sucked out of me ☹️. Now I have to start again.

Hi Loki,

I understand the situation; it has happened to all of us. Things do happen, and we just live with the outcome. There's nothing we can do but clean up and know that tomorrow is another day.

We try to make sure we have the necessary things with us to clean up and change. Always keep a kit with you (with trash bags in case you have to put a shirt in it).

This is the best place to talk about these little issues, good or bad.

Take care, it will get better, and so will your confidence.

....mtnman.

Hey...hey...hey...hold on there, Mountain...it hasn't happened to me (yet). I'm pretty anal about keeping my bag empty, and the few times I've caught myself daydreaming or such, the first thing that pops into my head when I come out of it...is to feel the bag! I have had leaks while learning how to sleep and occasionally, if I'm doing a lot of physical stuff outside with swimming in between, I may lose some adhesion...but I still haven't had what Loki's talking about.

The good news for us short gutters is that because our intestines are so short...and there is no colon...what comes out into our bag hasn't had a chance to ferment and start stinking. It's more like puke than shit...if you know what I mean. Now there have been times when I got working at my desk, lost track of time, and felt a full-size water balloon of a bag hanging down there. Then it's either throw my flannel shirt on to hide it and make a mad dash to the men's room (and hope like hell no one bumps into me in the hallway) or dump it into a 32oz McDonald's cup I always keep on my desk and then take it to the men's room when I can. I used to carry a kit in my car...but after a while, I started forgetting. So now I just have 2 blankets in the car and a plastic urinal container. The urinal container has saved my ass more than a few times when I got stuck in traffic with a full bag...but I've never had to use the blankets.

Loki...I feel your pain, Bro! But like Mountain said...take your lumps and live to fight another day. I've had friends have seizures and heart attacks right in front of me...and drop dead. So I won't be too embarrassed if my bag pops or bursts. As life goes on, it's getting harder and harder to embarrass me...because I really don't give a shit (no pun intended). My dead friends certainly aren't laughing at me.

 

Later,

Bob

Oh yes! I REMEMBER IT WELL.

But, I'm with Bob in that not much embarrasses me anymore.

Best wishes

Like you, Bob, I have been fortunate enough not to have a blow out, well, except for the time in the hospital a few days after my surgery. I used to be very careful about always carrying my bag of supplies with me, but now I just carry some waterproof tape and a sanitary napkin in my purse. I figure I can tape up any leak that I have with that. Then I carry an oversized towel in my car. I figure that will allow me to get home where I can then deal with the problem. Of course, when I travelled, (remember those days?) I carried a complete kit in my purse. Of course, if you go to work every day, carrying spare clothes in your car might be necessary, just in case. I used to be paranoid about an accident happening, but I guess I'm less worried about it these days. That's not to say an accident won't happen, but why spend so much time worrying about it? I have a plan to deal with things if they happen, and I figure that's all I need. 
Lucy

 

 

 

Stories of Living Life to the Fullest from Ostomy Advocates I Hollister

Congratulations on completing another stage of the initiation ceremony to become a true bagee!

Yes, it does knock your confidence for a few hours, sometimes days, and you will be constantly checking your bag for a while.

All those friends who said you coped well are right, and you will see it yourself in a few more days' time.

No disrespect to you, I say it in the nicest possible way: take a few days to feel sorry for yourself (we all need to have days when we feel sorry for ourselves; it's only natural), and you know what? You will get the confidence back, then get back out there, live your life, and do the job you love.

And may it be many years before you have another leak.

Hang in there. Blowouts are usually rare. After 30 years with a colostomy, I have had about 10. While walking my dog because I extended my wear time way too long, at work when I first had my ostomy, at work again when I had a terrible rash around my stoma and the bag was not sticking well, in the car commuting home after drinking a large black cup of coffee. I always think of the reason for the blowouts so I can prevent them from happening again and always have my backup supplies nearby if I am gone for more than an hour. Nobody knows or cares that you have a colostomy. Most people are only concerned about themselves and the sounds and smells their body is expressing.

I have had my ileostomy for a long time.

May I suggest you put a frame of micropore tape around your flange, like a picture frame? This won't stop a blowout but gives you more time. Also, always warm it when you put a fresh one on; it sticks better. At home, I put my fresh one under a hot water bottle while showering. Cold ones don't stick so well on me. Don't ever ignore a feeling that doesn't feel right, as it's probably just starting to come unstuck for whatever reason. I also never wear tight trousers.

I don't have daytime accidents anymore.

Best of luck.

Hi Loki,  That sounds like a really bad one.  I have only had one blowout in a public place, at the mall, and I was able to get home before it became obvious to anyone else but me.  I had a really bad one during the night, the bag came right off of my two piece system and everything had leaked out and soaked right through the sheets, mattress pad and even to the mattress.  I still sleep with one of those blue and white hospital pads under me just in case.  I'm not sure I'll ever relax enough not to.  I imagine that someday I'll have another blow-out in public, the odds are not in my favour, so I just take as many precautions as possible.  Always have a kit in my purse or inside jacket pocket.  Never go anywhere without emptying first, especially if I know I'm going to be a while. If I change my appliance and it doesn't feel like it's a good seal, even if it's only a day or two later, change it again.  Not worth the risk.

I understand that this has knocked back your confidence, but you will get it back.  Try to see it as a learning experience.  How can you do things differently to avoid something like that again?

You have officially passed part of the initiation!  But don't be fooled, there might be more! Hang in there!

 

Best wishes,

Terry

Hi Lucy,

  We're simpatico!  I do keep a long flannel shirt and a pair of sweats in my car, but I also take the "throw a towel over it and head home" mentality.  And like you, I don't let the thought of a leak mess with my head anymore.  It's inevitable, kind of like dying... so why waste my time worrying about something I can't control?  But I'm sure most folks on here have some pretty funny (now) stories to tell.

Regards,

Bob

Hi Ostomate friends, I've had my surgery since I was a kid of 15...and that's more than 55 years ago. Back then, supplies were in the dark ages, and we actually used a flammable glue/paste to adhere a plastic wafer to the skin. And that was progress. Before that were paper and plastic disposables... We've come a long way. I've led a very active and busy life, and after raising my kids, getting divorced, and completing college, I began to travel. I always packed extra supplies, but was careless about day trips. Never did pack supplies, but always had a handy roll of tape, which got me out of a lot of problems. Sadly, though, accidents do happen. Once, I had a blowout while visiting my son and his family in Australia. It was mortifying to soil the bed in someone else's house. I've had other mishaps, like filling up with air (in a theater) and "popped" before the show was over. I cleaned up in the bathroom and had my trusty tape. But the worst, funniest, and most mortifying was when I went swimming in the Dead Sea, in Israel. The salinity of the water is so high, knee-high water "knocked me over". I didn't know I had a problem until I went into the dressing room to change. Seems the pouch popped off the wafer, despite the tape. I was a filthy mess. It took me and my towel to the nearest shower to clean up. And true to form, I didn't have a spare wafer or pouch. So after cleaning up, I cleaned the pouch and taped it to my belly. I couldn't wait to get back to our hotel, so I could repair the damage. Did I learn the lesson? Nope. I still don't carry spare supplies around. But then, with COVID, I'm not traveling around much. Best of luck to everyone. Most important...be prepared, and have a sense of humor. Marsha.

You are a brave lady!

My one-and-only was halfway through a 150-mile organized bicycle ride. The group had stopped for nourishment and I made the mistake of drinking half a Coke--the enemy for me. Don't know what I was thinking. Had to ride 25 miles to the next stop to change out. Ugly. Yes--I finished the event. 

Loki, that sounds horrifying and traumatizing to me. Living with an ostomy is tough enough. Blowouts aren't fair. Sorry you had this one and are messed up in the head about it. I would be too.

Your name here, Loki, is the God of thunder, right? Hold onto that name and feeling and you'll get through.

Peace!

Thanks for the supporting words. Loki is the God of Mischief, and I am trying to live up to the name, lol.

Ahhh yes, the God of Mischief. You keep your head in that space, I hope it helps. 

I knew Loki was the God of something, as I named one of my first out of control rescue dogs Loki. She was incorrigible and oh so very dear. Thank you for reminding me of why I named her as I did!  

Of all of the dogs I rescued, she is the one I miss the most, as her mischievous ways kept me thinking and moving. She is unforgettable. 

And I bet you, too, are unforgettable in all you do. Don't let this blowout stop your innate ways. 

I think it was "delgirl" that said about Loki's mishap, "It was a bad one"... Just sharing another little story. I went to China with a friend, and our tour was about 40 people, on two buses. We made enough stops to have adequate bathroom time (had to bring our own toilet paper/tissues because China's public bathrooms don't provide them). I was doing fine with the pace, and the on the bus, off the bus routine. But my dear friend, with no ostomy, had to have the bus stop for her, so she could find a bathroom (a case of the runs). In the end, she did soil her pants... Mortifying for her, and she was a bit irate when she got back to the bus. Pointedly she said, "You (meaning me) have the issue, and I 'shit' my pants." Of course, I felt sorry for her, but it was a turnaround for me, realizing that others have the same issues... just a different "exit hole." It was a good lesson for me. Marsha

Loki- Have you ever looked at irrigation? I think we've all had accidents, and have all learned our own ways to prepare. If you're ever in a situation where you may not have access to supplies or a change may be hard, look into ostomy irrigation. It's a great way to make sure you don't need to change for at least a day.