Having a spinal cord injury is like a gift that keeps giving unwanted gifts. Two gifts I received were my supra pubic catheter (SPC) and ileostomy site.
The SPC is the device used to drain urine from my bladder since I can’t urinate on my own. This is in place of regular catheterization, which is through the urethra. It is easier to take care of and I am less likely to get infections. But there are plenty of complications that can happen.
- Bleeding at the catheter site
- Infections
- Stones or pieces of a tissue clogging the tube
- Urine leaking out of the catheter
- Discharge from the insertion area or urethra
I am prone to have kidney stones because of my lack of movement. I drink between 3 to 4 liters of water per day to minimize sediment and blood in my urine. The urine drains into a bag, which is strapped to my leg.
I’ve had bladder spasms and catheter blockages, which has caused urinating on myself. Fortunately, it hasn’t happened in public yet.
The ileostomy is a stoma constructed by looping the small intestine out into the surface of the skin. My poop passes through the ileostomy into a bag that needs to be emptied periodically.
My stoma is approximately 1 inch in diameter and quite gross looking. I do my best avoiding gassy foods or carbonated drinks. This causes my ileostomy bag to balloon with gas. I call the staff to ” burp my bag.” This is a simple procedure of releasing the noxious fumes into earth’s atmosphere creating an alluring smell.
An advantage to the ileostomy is having no longer to do a bowel program. This can last up to an hour. I’ve got people to see and places to be!
A shit show unfolded last week while I was in bed. My ileostomy bag was full of feces and gas when the staff was repositioning me too abruptly. My arm brushed against the bag and it ripped off. Crap spilled all over me. So they hauled my ass into the shower and stripped the bed sheets.
I was good as new after being sprayed down and a good scrubbing with Old Spice body wash. My muscle tone was all fired up as a result.
The staff felt responsible for having caused this shit show. I blame the muscle tone that caused my arms to practically hug myself all the time.
The lesson learned was to empty the bag before repositioning me in bed.
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