Maybe you’ve heard of an ostomy but for most, it isn’t an everyday term. Which begs the question, “What is an ostomy anyway?” An ostomy is an opening that is created surgically to divert either urine or stool away from the body into a disposable bag that adheres to the person’s abdomen. Having an ostomy of any kind is truly life changing. At any given time in the U.S., there are approximately 1 million people living with an ostomy, with an estimated 100,000 ostomies being created each year in the U.S. However, life doesn’t stop for patients with an ostomy and Centra’s clinic is here to provide the care needed to keep those patients active and living their best lives.
Ostomy patients need specialized care while in the hospital and especially after going home. For many patients, their ostomy journey will only last 6-8 weeks (until reversal of the ostomy), but for others they will keep their ostomy for their lifetime.
Kim Kennedy, board-certified nurse practitioner, runs the clinic. Kim is also certified in wound and ostomy care. “Ostomy care has been a passion of mine for many years, as my own ostomy journey began in 1999 when I was diagnosed with moderate to severe Ulcerative Colitis, an autoimmune condition that causes diffuse ulcerations within the large intestine.”
Kim further explains her journey, “fast forward to 2002, I had a severe flare-up (on my honeymoon!) that resulted in the emergency removal of my entire colon and creation of my ileostomy. I was 26 years old. I had a five-year-old daughter. Life had to go on. I kept that life-saving ileostomy for a little over a year and lucky for me, I had an amazing ostomy nurse. I drove over an hour each way to see her when I had an issue with my ileostomy. In the year that I had my ostomy, there were certainly ups and downs, but I learned to manage life with an ostomy and now I help others to do the same!”
Kim strongly believes that all persons who undergo ostomy surgery should have access to a specialized ostomy provider to help with adaptation and adjustments that are necessary following the surgery and on an ongoing basis.
In addition to clinical assessments and treatments, Centra’s ostomy care team provides:
- Presurgical ostomy site marking
- Presurgical education
- Local hospital care
- Post-surgical care
- Appliance fitting and adjustments
- Peri-stomal wound management
For more information about the ostomy clinic contact CMG Wound Care at 434-200-1800.
Original source can be found here.
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