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& Get Well Soon
Vote for Oland’s Sarah Squire in the Ostomy Lifestyle 2012 Awards!
Congratulations to Ostomyland admin, and Colostomy Association Facebook Group Admin Sarah Squire (aka Sarah73) on her nomination towards the “Volunteer of the Year” category in this year’s Ostomy Lifestyle Awards.
Ostomy Lifestyle is a UK based ostomy charity which offers support for all ostomates regardless of whichever stoma type you may have.
To vote for Sarah visit the Ostomy Lifestyle Awards Voting Page where you’ll have an opportunity to vote in the other categories too which include Support Group of the Year, Stoma Nurse of the Year, Industry Professional of the Year and more! (NB: You dont have to vote in each category, just skip to the next section if you dont want to place a vote in any area).
Sorry Fuzzbutt, but I’m afraid there’s no “cute fuzzy ostomy mascot of the year” category otherwise I’m sure you’d win!
External Links:
The Ostomy Lifestlye Awards Voting Page:
http://helenbracey.polldaddy.com/s/2012-ostomy-lifestyle-awards-voting
Ostomy Lifestyle Website:
http://www.ostomylifestyle.org
Colostomy Association Facebook Group:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/colostomyassociation2011/
This content has been Digiproved © 2012 Ostomyland
Ostomyland Editorial #3 Now Available
How the Digestive System Usually Works (Stoma Care for Health Care Assistants)
Editorial #3: Building an Ostomy Reference Library from Freebie Company Leaflets has just been published on Ostomyland. It is the third in our new Editorials feature. This time around its discussing the wealth of information found in company patient-support booklets, and specifically we’re looking at the SecuriCare booklets which are by far-and-away my favourite of all the companies various ranges of free literature. SecuriCare are a UK home delivery service which forms part of the CliniMed group of comapanies, along with Welland Medical.
The SecuriCare booklets go far beyond being just product advertising for their pouches and skin care accessories like most company leaflets do. Instead, their literature offers you a comprehensive library of information about your ostomy and caring for it. Regardless of if you are awaiting surgery, or been an ostomate for many years, there is still information contained in these which make them worthwhile keeping.
The company also offer a range of booklets for carers and health-care workers too, and whilst the information contained within is aimed more for the medical professional than the patient they are still worthwhile having on your bookcase or in your desk drawer as they also include indicators of what possible problems can arise with a stoma, along with symptoms and advice. This, to me, makes them an invaluable set of booklets for all self-caring ostomates and not just for those who receive external help with managing their stoma.
Hard copies of all the leaflets are available for free to our UK readers, and for our international readers SecuriCare have kindly allowed us to host PDF files for many of their booklets which are available for free and immediate download, and you don’t even have to give them your contact details! If the booklet you are interested in is not available on the page in PDF format, please keep checking back as we hope to get some more available in the near future.
You can find Editorial #3 here, and the full link is available below. You can read more on both SecuriCare and CliniMed on their respective pages on Ostomyland (also linked below) and our international readers can get details of which CliniMed products are available in their own country by visiting the Welland Medical website.
Useful Ostomyland Links:
Editorial #3: Building an Ostomy Reference Library…..
http://ostomyland.com/mainsite/editorial-3-build-an-ostomy-reference-library-from-freebie-company-booklets/
SecuriCare’s “Suppliers” page on Ostomyland:
http://ostomyland.com/mainsite/securicare-home-delivery-service/
CliniMed’s “Manufacturer” page on Ostomyland:
http://ostomyland.com/mainsite/manufacturers-clinimed-uk/
External Links:
SecuriCare Website: http://www.securicaremedical.co.uk
CliniMed Website: http://www.clinimed.co.uk
Welland Medical Website: http://www.wellandmedical.com
I would like to thank SecuriCare Brand & PR Manager, Amanda Castle, for allowing us to host these download files for our International readers – not all companies would have allowed this – and also for her invaluable help and patience during the writing of this editorial.
This content has been Digiproved © 2012 Ostomyland
New Content: The Stoma-Stifler
Ostomyland is delighted to announce that another accessory company has agreed to be be part of our Manufacturer’s listing, so we’d like to take this opportunity to welcome Stoma-Stifler to our website community.
Stoma Stifler is a stoma guard with built in noise suppressant. It was developed in collaboration with ostomy support groups and the medical community to meet unique needs and expectations. It is a lightweight, discreet and easily removable stoma noise suppressor and guard that allows its users the freedom of mind to engage in social situations with confidence. Its 2-pc magnetic-clasp design and flexible polyurethane foam cup provide comfort, conformance to individual body curves, robust stoma protection and excellent acoustic dampening. Our customers use it for many applications: noise suppression in the office, worship services, restaurants, and other social settings. It also provides stoma protection from seatbelts, enthusiastic grandchildren & pets, sports, gardening, and housework.
For full details and on this product, which is available internationally, please visit the Stoma-Stifler page on Ostomyland (it’s located under the Manufacturer: Accessory sub-heading in the menu), or by visiting their website. The links are below.
Useful Links:
The Stoma-Stifler page on Ostomyland:
http://ostomyland.com/mainsite/manufacturers-accessory-stoma-stifler/
The Stoma-Stifler company/product website:
http://www.stomastifler.com/
Stoma-Stifler on You Tube:
http://www.youtube.com/user/BeammLLC
This content has been Digiproved © 2012 Ostomyland
New Content: Opus Healthcare (Manufacturers: Accessory)
Opus Healthcare
We’re delighted to announce that another company has agreed to have an entry in our manufacturers listings. Opus Healthcare is a UK based who produce ostomy accessories, many of which are highly regarded in the market.
Opus Healthcare’s products include the fantastic pancaking-busting product Clear Way Stoma Bridge, which we recently featured in our Combating Leakage: Some Products You May Not Be Aware Of editorial.
We’d like to thank Opus Healthcare for allowing us to feature them on Ostomyland, and we hope that their inclusion will bring their products attention to UK ostomates and in turn that it helps them more effectively manage any stoma management issues they have.
Useful Links:
The Opus Healthcare page on Ostomyland:
http://ostomyland.com/mainsite/manufacturers-opus-healthcare/
The Opus Healthcare website (External Site):
http://www.opus-healthcare.co.uk
This content has been Digiproved © 2012 Ostomyland
Updated Content: C&S Ostomy Pouch Covers
C&S Ostomy Pouch Covers
C&S Ostomy Pouch Covers have very kindly given us some new and updated content for their manufacturer’s page on Ostomyland. The content shows the various new ranges they have available for purchase, including daily wear covers, quick dry covers as well as some new covers with fun quotes on them.
We all know that for some people, having an ostomy can be a difficult experience both physically and emotionally, and I often say that the most important step of living with an ostomy is acceptance. You dont have to love the stoma, but once you’ve accepted the fact you have a stoma you can start to move on, and continue with your life.
And, one things is for sure, whatever the cover’s pattern – be it just a plain cover, tartan cover, spotty cover, or even one with the slogan Shit Happens or Does This Cover Make My Stoma Look Big? on it – an ostomy pouch cover can help with your self confidence [with clothes or without 
] and keep you drier in hot summer days when your pouch may normally cause your skin to sweat where it rubs against it.
C&S Ostomy Pouch Covers now despatch internationally too, so why not take a peak at their newly updated Oland page, and see if any covers tickle your fancy.
Useful Links:
The C&S Ostomy Pouch Covers page on Ostomyland:
http://ostomyland.com/mainsite/manufacturers_cs_ostomy_pouch_covers/
The C&S Ostomy Pouch Covers website & store:
http://www.cspouchcovers.com/
This content has been Digiproved © 2012 Ostomyland
Happy 14th Birthday Ostomyland
This week Ostomyland will be having a birthday. On Saturday 21st of January we will be 14 years old. It seems only yesterday on New Years Day 1998 that I was bored and picked up a .net magazine (UK internet computer magazine) which had a feature on creating your own homepage. 21 days later my little ostomy site went online – all three pages of it, mixed in with a few personal homesite pages. Eventually what became known as Living with a Colostomy (the site’s original title) grew around those few ugly pages of very dubiously constructed code.
It’s been a busy year for us, with some new features coming to the site, and our community member base continuing to grow. If you are interested in what we accomplished this year, why not have a read of our “State of the Community” blog, which is a bi-annual round up of what each part of the site has achieved, and the plans we have for the 6 months ahead. You can find that over in our community blogs section. Or directly from this link: http://www.ostomyland.org/ostomyboardipb/index.php?/blog/15-ostomyland-state-of-the-community/ (* Requires free community member account to read. Register here.)
But what can you expect from us in 2012? The short answer is “more”. More peer-to-peer support, more ostomy news and reviews and features, but the two big projects I have lined up for this year is the introduction of a ticket-based support system for account and website related help as at the moment it is not always clear who should be emailed for what problem etc. This system will allow both Kathy and myself to staff the support desk to sort out any account queries whereas at the moment the speed of reply depends who the member has emailed and their own personal health problems at the time (because, dont forget, we’re all patients ourselves with health problems too).
The second big project is a total overhaul and buff up of the Wiki system. There is a wealth of information on there but very little member interaction on it. I’m looking into ways to improve this, and more than likely I will replace the Wiki software to the industry standard MediaWiki (very similar to Wikipedia’s software).
So that’s the two big projects for this year. But on top of that there will no doubt be improvements and feature-additions to our community software suite written by Invision Power. They are continually improving and revamping their Invision Power Board (IPB) and add ons such as the blog, gallery and chat systems. There is a big 3.3 update due within the next month which is introducing some new features to the reputation system that we use, and you can read more on that on the Invision Power website itself.
Anyway, thank you one and all for your support over the last 14 years. Reading other forum based communities online I realise just how lucky I have been with the quality and friendliness of the member base which has grown here on Ostomyland and cannot say just how large a part of my life you have all become. So here is to looking ahead to 2012 – it just wouldnt be the same without you all.
Thanks everyone, and Happy Birthday Ostomyland!
Jason D.
Founder/Webmaster/Senior Admin/Coffee Maker, Chief Cook and Bottle Washer
Ostomyland.com
This content has been Digiproved © 2012 Ostomyland
New Home Delivery Service/Suppliers Section
We’ve just added a new section to our website. To accompany our Manufacturer listings we now have a Suppliers listings too which is intended to list Home Delivery Services who provide Ostomy products. As with the manufacturer’s sections these wont be an exhaustive listing as there’s just too many worldwide to list them all, but instead it will be a selection of them, featuring companies who have either requested to be in the section, or accepted our invitation to be included on the site.
To launch the section we have two services listed, one in the USA – Edgepark Medical Supplies – and one in the UK – Securicare (Part of Salts). You can find their page links in our new Suppliers (Home Delivery) sidebar menu category, or by clicking the links at the bottom of this post. Both companies have been very helpful and patient in the creation of this new section, so our thanks goes to them.
The listings are a free service for all companies, and the page content is usually written and supplied by the company themselves as they know how best to advertise their services.
We hope you find this new addition to the site useful, especially as it starts to grow over the coming weeks and months. More listings are coming very soon!
Have a great weekend everybody! 
Useful Links:
The Edgepark Medical Services page on Ostomyland: http://ostomyland.com/mainsite/suppliers-edgepark-medical-supplies/
The Securicare page on Ostomyland: http://ostomyland.com/mainsite/securicare-home-delivery-service/
External Links:
Edgepark Medical Services Website: http://www.edgepark.com
Securicare Website: http://www.securicaremedical.co.uk/
This content has been Digiproved © 2012 Ostomyland
Fun Ostomy Belts
We’ve had an email from Alan over at Fun Ostomy Belts – funostomybelts.com – saying hello and promoting his new website. After visiting the site ourselves we can certainly say its worth a visit. Colourful and fun ostomy pouch covers are nothing new, but when was the last time you saw a fun or colourful ostomy belt? Exactly. They are rarer than hens teeth. So, if you are looking for a new ostomy belt, and are fed up of the plain and boring styles that are available today, then why not pop over to Alan’s new site and check out his range of belts.
“When was the last time you heard the words fun and ostomy used in the same sentence? I’m betting never! I’m hoping to change that in my own little way. Maybe even spread a few smiles. I make these the old fasion way, one at a time with as much attention to detail as I can muster. Each one will be one of a kind.” – Alan, Fun Ostomy Belts
Fun Ostomy Belts is based in NY, USA. Please contact them directly for details of availability outside of the United States of America.
Ostomyland wishes Alan all the best for his new site and venture.
This content has been Digiproved © 2012 Ostomyland
Introducing the Oland Post-Xmas Diet Club Forum
Yes, its that time of year again – the time when we get on the scales and scream when we realise how much weight we’ve gained.
In the past we’ve had a diet club here on Oland which was rather popular at the time, and so I’m pleased to announce that I’ve decided to relaunch that forum so we can all club together and give each other the morale support needed to shed those pounds. Then we can celebrate together in our success, or commiserate together when we gain a bit, and own up with shame when we’ve had some chocolate and have a guilty conscience for the rest of the week!
Everyone is welcome to join in with the club discussion1. No diet plan or exercise plan is supplied, but no doubt ppl will discuss theirs so you could pick up a few tips, or you can ask about peoples plans to gain them too2. Its amazing how much difference having some people joining in with you can make to a diet. A spirit of camaraderie and almost competition is created, and it can really help make a difference for some people. And here you’ll also have the advantage that your diet pals are other ostomates and so can offer you advice from their own ostomates perspective – something very few other diet clubs could do.
You’ll find the Ostomyland forum over on the community message board – or this link below will take you directly to the new diet club forum there:
http://www.ostomyland.org/ostomyboardipb/index.php?/ forum/195-ostomyland-post-christmas-diet-club/
1. A free members account is required to access the forums. Register here.
2. You should always consult your GP/Doctor before starting any diet regime and you partake at your own risk, as the diet forum is covered by the usual O’land medical disclaimer and forums TandC‘s.
Useful Links:
Ostomyland Community Support Board:
http://www.ostomyland.org/ostomyboardipb/
Ostomyland Post-Xmas Diet Club Forum:
http://www.ostomyland.org/ostomyboardipb/index.php?/
forum/195-ostomyland-post-christmas-diet-club/
This content has been Digiproved © 2012 Ostomyland
Combating Leakage: Some Products You May Not Be Aware Of
I’m pleased to announce that the Ostomyland Editorial #2 is now available – it is also being added to our Lifestyle Guide as it is a look at the current product ranges available to the ostomate to help combat leakage from a variety causes. It also helps you determine the cause of leakage, and offers advice on what you can do to help ease the problems caused by leaks themselves.
For the full article, please visit chapter 17b from the lifestlye guide menu, or visit this link.
We’d love to read your comments on the article, so please feel free to leave your thoughts on what we’ve written about combating leakage via the comments form, or Facebook comments box at the bottom of the Combat Leakage page. Dont foget to “like” the page if you, um, like it. 
I’d also like to take this opportunity to wish you all a very happy new year, and a happy and prosperous 2012.
Useful Links:
Ostomyland Editoral #2: Combat Leakage – Some Products You May Not Be Aware Of
http://ostomyland.com/mainsite/combating-leakage-some-products-you-may-not-be-aware-of/
Ostomyland Lifestyle Guide: Chapter 17 – Leakage / Skin Problems
http://ostomyland.com/mainsite/chapter-17-leakage-and-other-skin-problems/
This content has been Digiproved © 2012 Ostomyland
