Lawton-Fort Sill Ostomy Association

In spite of the threat of rain, we had a fair turn out for our March meeting. Member Richard Sullivan went back into the Reynolds Army Hospital in late March. They did away with Richard's colostomy and put in an ileostomy. He did well and they sent him home. He had to return to the hospital because of an upset stomach and other complications. While at the hospital, Susie McCann's husband, Mac, had a stroke. He and Richard are in rooms next to each other on Ward 2 West, rooms 16 and 17. Richard and Mac McCann need our prayers.

" I have watched TV grow from infancy to adultery."

Our new member Susan has made plans to attend all of our meetings. Susan works with some who have questions about ostomies. Let's give Susan "the right of way" and be sure we cover the three ostomies we are familiar with.

" It's OK to ask dumb questions. They're easier to handle than dumb mistakes."

The following article is from USA Today dated 27 March 2000:

DON'T THINK AND DRIVE: Keeping an eye on the road may not be enough. A study shows for the first time that mental distractions can lead to car crashes. The study, in the March issue of the American Psychological Association's Journal of Experimental Psychology:Applied, found potential danger from distractions ranging from playing simple word games to reading a map. "The potential hazard of using a cellular phone is one thing," said L. M. Nunes, a study author from the Universidad Complutense in Madrid, Spain, "but add in-depth conversation that requires a considerable amount of mental effort, like recalling a route on a map, performing a mathematical computation or discussing an emotionally charged subject, and you compound an already risky behavior." The authors monitored eye movements as people drove. When the drivers performed various mental tasks, they paid less attention to driving. One possible remedy is to listen to music, which "can have beneficial effects," the study says. "Drivers need to know how much they can do or think while driving and know when to stop the activity to concentrate on the road."

"Closets are something people hang things in when they run out of doorknobs"

"If all is not lost, where is it?"

Web Digest-A Compilation Of Items From The Internet via Ron Gould of Chicago's North Suburban Chapter & So. Nv. T.K.

If you are an ostomate, DON'T EVER...

*Drop a clip in the toilet. Do always carry a spare.

*Stand up quickly with clip caught on edge of toilet seat. I hear I'm not the only one who got up quickly and ended up stopped instantly in mid-air because the clip's caught on inside edge of toilet seat. It lifts the seat and feels like a fish caught on the end of a line. Quite a bad visual, I know, but you'll only do it once. Tries to pull the appliance clear off.

*When drying your appliance with a hairdryer, use the high setting. NOT! Use the "cool" setting, plastic melts!

*Let your dog jump on you when your bag is full. Not a good idea.

*Drink Power Ade's "Mountain Blast" or Gatorade's "Blue Bolt" before a doctors visit; they turn your stool a bright green. (Try it and you'll see what I mean) or Blue Hawaiians the night before. Or red beets. Looks like you're bleeding to death!! Or red velvet cake - same affect as beets.

*Let your cat knead your pouch or jump on your lap and begin kneading her/his paws on you-LOTS of tiny holes. My cat uses my pouch in the middle of the night for a hot water bottle.

Our next meeting will be on April 18, 2000 at 4:00pm at the American Cancer Society office at 1305 W. Gore Blvd, Ste. A., Lawton, OK. Hope to see you there!

Marcus