Just to show you what I go through..😢

First off this is after the removed bag with just residue no-sting paste and wafer. As you can see for some reason the paste didn't harden after 24 hours (as it should have just peeled off) and didn't adhere to the damaged skin.

🔒 Login to see image

I removed the residue paste using a coffee stir stick scraped sideways onto it, then removed off the stick using toilet paper. Then I use a rough side of a plastic sponge to remove the film. (No picture, but it shows a nice clean stoma)

What I did here was mix some no-sting paste with stoma powder to hopefully get it to set more properly. Applied a thin layer all around and checked that it stuck onto the damaged skin. Then a little more stoma powder on top to really get it to activate and blow dry to try to get it to harden up more. Waited and then applied skin barrier on top and dried well. Then applied cut extra large moon barrier strips all around the stoma and pressed down all around.

The cardboard is protecting my belly button scar tissue from the grabbing effects of the adhesive.

🔒 Login to see image

I gave a topping of skin protectant on top of the barrier strips and dried as their surface is smooth and may not bond as well to the paste to marry to the wafer.

🔒 Login to see image

The paste looks thicker than it is, the lighting is causing a shadow. It's wide as to provide maximum holding power as I have a belly fold there and my convex wafer needs to bend some. It's also thicker on the left side to combat separation that always occurs there because the belt is weaker on that side than the other with the graneoluma. I did previously weaken the wafer so it will be flexible.

🔒 Login to see image

As you notice the paste does not encroach over the stoma. I now make sure the paste marrying to the wafer is a bit more activated and is applied slightly away from the stoma so when the wafer is pressed on it doesn't cover the stoma which can cause a clog. Since I've previously protected the skin with the thin coat of paste and cut barrier strips, there isn't a need to get the wafer level of paste so close to the stoma and risk a clog.

And now the external barrier strips and the belt. For the finished product. 😊 

🔒 Login to see image

I know I've got a good bag on because I will feel no pain. Not even on my tiny bump of a graneoluma. 

Now of course is longevity which I've had instances using this method lasting me up to nine days, but that was a fluke. It leaked on top of the stoma barrier strips and dried, grew mold even. 😆  So 7 day bag wear time is my limit regardless.

Hopefully I'll get a good 4-5 days outta this bag and allow that damaged skin to heal up. That's been my problem, I drive and bending over causes strain and leaks because the convex wafer isn't flexible.

Hollister did come out with a rather flexible convex and I aim to order some samples to try. Coloplast's convex is stiff and one has to work it some.

Near flush stomas with a belly fold are not easy to handle. 

Looks like a hassle and pretty gross, glad I don’t have to deal with any of that. 

G-Day Shamrock,

After seeing your photos, I recon you need to get a re-siting of your stoma and get it made longer. If you start from scratch you will be 100% better off. This is me trying to help you Shamrock. Regards IGGIE

What is nice about this design is if a leak between the wafer occurs, the stoma barrier strips and the external ones make like a pocket to contain the output. There is area of clear skin that I may feel it, or sometimes a little leaks through a crack someplace thus letting me know there's a problem.

I likely need a revision, however this was a temporary Ileostomy depending upon a biopsy of what occurred to my intestines and colon which came back cancerous by mesothelioma (asbestos). I'm kind of glad actually because I got a settlement and doctors etc. got paid, however I'm disabled, can't work much (because of the stoma being difficult) and they say I require chemo etc and 3-4 more surgeries over 3-4 years. After such hell on the first one I declined any further treatment as essentially worthless as it would only prolong my life they say by about another year. Since I declined they said I only had less than a year to live. But I started thinking, what if they were wrong about the biopsy? Could the damage to my intestines have come from another source, like coffee and/or too much driving? So since I'm taking a wait and see approach, it's been over a year now and I'm still alive. Having no other complications other than this problematic stoma. They say they can reverse the ileostomy but wanted to wait until the cancer was eliminated first. 

So anyway I'm considering a second opinion if I truly have cancer or not. I'm at this point, being a tough stick, that I don't even want to even see a needle ever again. 

So a revision, based upon current information, is about worthless at this point. Because if I go under the knife again I could just have them fix it at that time but hopefully not at all and I'll pass peacefully in my sleep. 

The last hospital, ER+ for 10 days, PET scan and seeing the cancer doctor over a few months cost well over $63,000.

The one where I got the surgery and 4 weeks in the hospital, plenty of CRT scans etc. only cost $45,000. 

Certainly got better treatment at the second hospital than the first, but not a whole lot of bang for the buck. But they do cancer and told me what the story was which the first hospital was just a trauma hospital and sent the biopsy off to Chicago someplace.

So if anyone likes to keep ballpark figures, a week in the hospital costs around $10,000-$13,000 per week based upon my experience.

So it's at the end of the year and I have to use the Affordable Healthcare site to get a new plan for next year. I'll get a $1900 tax credit so I'm only paying a few hundred dollars a month for full coverage. Unfortunately I was on Medicaid and the new Affordable Healthcare insurance with tax credit at the same time and they didn't inform each other, so the second hospital bills are stuck between two policies and one isn't trying to pay because I had the other one. 

So the hospital is going to try billing the first policy and seeing what they pay, then try the second one and any left over I have to pay. It's such a racket. 😔 

I'm off the Medicaid as Affordable Healthcare told me I can't have both. So that's done. With Medicaid they can just take stuff from you to pay the bills like they did with part of my settlement..proof. But now it looks like I'm going to live and be disabled so my income stream is as well.

However learning these lessons is vital and I'm going to pick a plan accordingly as not to be hit financially if I have to go back in for something. There is a $200 a month plan with a $7000 deductible with 5% copay after that. Or a $100 a month plan with $7000 deductible with a 50% copay after that. 

So it's complicated and then these insurance companies just refuse to pay for certain bills, or only a certain amount or not even all of them. 😒

But if you go without insurance, the hospital sends you bills at a much higher inflated price, like $5000 for two ER visits for 7 stitches and a shot. That 10 years earlier only cost $600 at another hospital.

Hi Shamrock i sure admire your tenacity during such a difficult time and probably the hardest part is dealing with insurance co..  good luck

Getting Support in the Ostomy Community with LeeAnne Hayden | Hollister

After seeing you stoma I took agree with Iggie. Suggest a revision or a relocation.

I agree a revision is in order but I'm waiting to see if and when another surgery I wish to undergo and they can take care of it then.

If I perfect this method (I'm getting better at it each time) then I can function more or less like normal and become more productive. Get a job etc. 😊 

I do think, since this HealthCare Dot Org insurance company refused to pay any of my second hospital submitted bills due to this snafu. (They only taking a loss of $34,000 overall). That I should look at other insurance companies plans.

Why don't you just reapply for medicaid and stick with that then? Medicaid will pay for everything. 

Because I got a somewhat substantial settlement $1M. 

The lawyer got $400k

Medicaid clawed back $40k before I got anything. Thinking I was dying I gave away $50k and a week trip to Disney World to a needy family. Which I find out later Medicaid does a five year look back and that disqualifies me as they think I'm trying to hide money they can claw back legally in Florida it seems.

I only made $12,000 last year and expected to make $18,000 which just barely disqualifies me for Medicaid and allows HeathCare dot org tax credit of $1900 a month to kick in. So I did that $18k estimate again this year as I should be healthier now that this stoma is better under control. (My only hang up really).

So now I signed up for a Bronze plan of $240 a month, covers about every major cancer and surgery hospital in Florida..with a $6500 deductible and a few dollars here and there coinsurance over that. (Last year it was only $83 a month $7050 deductible only). The aim being not to be slammed with $40k-$60k+ hospital stays and specialist treatment if I change my mind and want to live. 😆

So I don't know what's going to happen with this insurance company conflict, one says they won't pay because I was on Medicaid, Medicaid won't pay because they know about my settlement and thus not qualified as indigent. 

Healthcare Dot Org says I may have to pay for all of 2024 tax credit given because I was still on Medicaid, that's $21,000.

I tell my insurance company they have to pay because I shouldn't have been on Medicaid once that policy kicked in. It will likely cost me $7050, but that's a lot better than $21,000 or even $63,000 if Medicaid goes and claws money outta my bank account or something. They have a lot of power. 

Thing is I need the measly $400k I have left because I'm disabled and not working, don't quite know what's going to happen to me next. I may need long term assistance in a nursing home.

So I'm going to see about setting up a trust, it's supposed to protect in situations like this. Because if not I could find myself broke and living under a bridge begging for change at stop lights. 😢 

I've had cancer victims with exactly the same thing telling me they are still alive after 20+ years!

Everything was fine when I was supposed to die. 😆 

I am a bit confused? 🤔 If your on disability automatically you have the health insurance with your state. And you can have a second insurance while on Medicaid because ,but you can't use the tax credit.  you have to pay the full regular amount not the amount you would on health care. Gov . As far as from your surgeries whichever insurance information you have them and on all your paperwork is the insurance that should pay. 

I can't afford $2000 a month for second insurance and that's $24,000 a year and well over $17,000 and under for Medicaid qualification.

However last year I was essentially broke when I went on for my first surgery and got disability also as it's a package deal.

The new tax credit thing didn't take effect until 2024..so I applied for that as it was something I could afford.

But it didn't matter, when I got my settlement Medicaid was there to carve off the $40k I used. So I basically paid for my first surgery out of pocket. 😔

Just because now I have some money doesn't necessarily mean I'm rich..my income is rather low.

Oh I am not saying your rich just be ause you got money. I went through this same thing. When your on disability you don't pay for health insurance. You get on Medicaid  because your on disability. So you can't get the  low income insurance because you already have Medicaid. You can however pay the full amount out of pocket and have a secondary insurance but it can't be the low income and tax credit. Which is why are talking about you paying it back because you applied for the tax credit and for low income insurance while you are on Medicaid .you can't have both .