The Austi-Mate Journal

of The Ostomy Association of Austin
Quarterly Publication Spring 2026

Join Us for Our Meetings 7:00 PM – 8:00 PM

The first Thursday of the Month except January and July

Ascension Seton Northwest Hospital
11113 Research Blvd, Austin, Texas 78759

Located in classroom A & B on the 3rd Floor. Enter through the Emergency Room and check in at the front reception window. Head to your right towards the electric double doors.
Go a little further and the elevators will be on your right

Mailing Address: Ostomy Association of Austin, P.O. Box 143383 Austin,Texas 78714
www.austinostomy.org

Voice Mailbox Number: (512) 537-5411 and leave a message. We'll get back to you!

Ostomate Testimonial: Blaze Callahan, Newsletter Editor​
​"If you'd had my bowels for the last thirty-five years, you'd understand."

For the last nine years or so, that has been my standard answer to the question, “why don't you want to be reconnected?" Most people, doctors included, would say something in a sing-songy sounding voice, “well... it's your body..."; although the person who was soon-to-become my Ex literally accused me of being insane. A doctor, on the way out of his exam room after a second opinion, dramatically waved his arm at me and said, "I don't know WHY anyone would want to live like that!"

It all started about 50 years ago with bleeding hemorrhoids. After 20 years of constipation and gas pains, those hemorrhoids became prolapsed to the point where I had to reinsert them after every bowel movement. Fifteen years after that the bleeding was so bad I had to experiment with various feminine hygiene products to keep from bleeding through my pants onto people's couches. That's when I had my first colonoscopy, and the diagnosis of "severe diverticulosis" along with diverticulitis, and I was prescribed antibiotics -- which I didn't take because I figured my body would heal itself, and I didn't want to contribute to the whole creating-super-bugs-by-overusing-them thing. Little did I know I would literally have gallons of the stuff pumped into me at later dates.

Five years later after some bad bouts of pain that I wrote off as being constipation, I worked a booth at the Austin Hot Sauce Festival in 104 degree heat for 8 hours. I stayed hydrated and used cold compresses all day, but the next day I had aches and chills. The aches turned into constant gut pain in the next four months. I was up to 12 small bowels movements a day, lost 35 pounds, and had turned a light shade of green -- more of a sage I would say.

After another visit to my cash-only primary doctor (no insurance at the time), she at first said, "You need to go to the hospital." After a few more minutes of conversation she said, "You're going to the hospital!" Later I wished she'd call an Uber; that little ambulance ride cost me $900.

Once in, they gave me a CT scan and found no less than 3 abscesses, one of which was the size of a small orange that had perforated the bowel. The abscess had walled itself off, and I had no fever or sepsis, which turned out to be a mixed blessing because I was misdiagnosed for the next 3 months. The admitting surgeon later told me he thought I had stage 4 cancer when he saw me first come in. Anyway, the plan was to drain the abscesses and then resect the bowel. During that time my bowel was to rest with the help of a temporary colostomy bag.

There are many more details, but suffice to say that hearing offhandedly that you will have a bag for four months is much different than actually seeing a piece of your intestines sewn to the outside of your body -- and then having to manage your poo close up. Frankly, I was horrified and couldn't imagine living that way for four months. Now my main concerns are managing the smell during changes, and fashion (I wear suspenders now instead of belts because of the location of the stoma.)

But wait: There's more.

I've since visited my sister in India; approximately a 14-hour flight. I've gone swimming twice in Barton Springs. And I went back to college and finished my undergrad that I started 50 years ago. Now, at age 69, I have a BA in Social Work.

But during my first semester I had a stroke. It was a mild one, if there is such a thing, but worse than a TIA, and likely stress related since I had no other risk factors. Then, January 2025 I was diagnosed with Stage 3 colorectal cancer. A full round of chemo and X-rays and one surgery later and now it's wait and see for the next 2 years.

Here's the most important part of my story: People would say, regarding my stoma reversal, “I bet you're looking forward to getting back to normal!" to which I'd reply "ah, NO!" Normal for me was bleeding hemorrhoids, gas pains, constipation -- and the not funny jokes like, "Hey! Did ya fall in?"

It was a truly agonizing decision, but I decided to keep it. It's the best decision I've ever made.

Are Your Dues Due?

Our budget is modest but your membership dues are GREATLY appreciated! It's only $25 PER YEAR! And you can now pay online!

​Click here to pay online; OR DONATE​

That's right; you can make a tax deductible donation to The Ostomy Association of Austin Texas. We're a Non-Profit Health Support Group serving Ostomates, their families, and friends since 1973.

Do you want to give back in another way? Consider volunteering for our Hospital Visiting Program. Our visitor program is a very important function of the OAA. Individuals who have had stoma surgery are specially trained to visit new ostomates in the hospital, at home, or by phone to answer questions about ostomy-related issues. Visitors must be requested by a physician, an Enterostomal Therapy nurse, the patient or patient's family. Call 📞 (512) 537-5411 for more information.

You can donate supplies, too. Just bring them to our next meeting. Through our affiliation with the United Ostomy Associations of America, we are a registered 501(c)(3) organization. Your donations of supplies are tax deductible.

And, a little late, but...

Do you think you'll never have fun again?

Think again! Here are pics of our Christmas party

There were sweets galore and a somewhat competitive white elephant gift exchange. We were there for about 2 hours if memory serves.

SPECIAL NOTES TO ANYONE WITH AN ILEOSTOMY

Karen Holis author, edited by Blaze Callahan

Your healthcare provider will explain how to recognize signs of possible ostomy complications. It may take up to eight weeks to recover completely from ostomy surgery. Your bowel movements may take a few weeks to become regular again. Getting up and moving a little each day will help you recover faster.

After ostomy surgery, you’ll wear an ostomy bag most or all of the time. A wound ostomy continence nurse (WOCN) will show you how to attach, empty and change the pouch. Most pouches include a disposable liner and a skin barrier.

How often should I change my ostomy bag? It depends on the type of pouching system you have. Most people will need to change their ostomy bags every three to seven days. Some need or prefer to change it daily. When changing your ostomy bag, be sure to:

• Wipe away any mucus on your stoma
• Use warm water, mild soap and a washcloth to clean the skin around your stoma
• Rinse your skin well

Dry the area completely. In addition to keeping your stoma clean, be sure to examine it daily and notice any changes. If the size, shape or color looks different from normal, or it feels swollen or sore, contact your healthcare provider immediately. People with an ileostomy should be on a low-fiber, low-residue diet to prevent food blockage. Some foods are not completely digested in the human body and can cause digestion to slow or stop.

Avoid eating uncooked carrots, celery, broccoli, cauliflower, onions, etc. If you must eat these foods-- cook them softer, not lightly steamed or crunchy. Chew-chew-chew! Drink fluids to help wash them down. Some meats are very dense, others are not. Avoid lobster, shrimp, crawfish as they are very dense. Chicken, pork, beef and fish are all ok to eat.

HIGH FIBER FOODS TO AVOID IF YOU HAVE AN ILEOSTOMY

Whole kernel corn or corn on the cob
Popcorn
Nuts—peanuts, pecans, walnuts, etc.—chopped into small pieces or made into butter is OK
Skins on fruits and vegetables—peel them then eat them
English/sweet peas—hulls are not completely digested
Kidney beans, lima beans, butter beans-- hulls are not completely digested
Mushrooms—very dense and not completely digested, chop into small pieces
Shrimp, crawfish, lobster—very dense meats
Chinese/Asian food veggies—bamboo shoots, baby corn,
Snow peas, okra, cabbage, broccoli, onions, and cauliflower

MEDICATIONS for ILEOSTOMATES OF WHICH TO BE AWARE

Enteric coated medications are not dissolved before they pass through the small intestine and may be expelled into the ostomy pouch before you get the full effect of the medication. Enteric coated medications can also be large and can create a blockage in the intestine. Make sure to discuss this with your doctors or pharmacists to make sure you are not receiving enteric coated medications.

Hint—enteric coating makes the outer shell of the pill look like the coating on an M&M.

Examples of enteric coated medications: Slow K (potassium), Enteric coated aspirin

Timed released/once or twice daily medications that will be expelled before you get the full effect: Once a day allergy medication, (e.g. Singulair) and once or twice a day pain medication, (e.g. MS Contin.)

OAA has over 270 Affiliated Support Groups around the United States. Bladder cancer survivors attend many of them and also serve as volunteers and leaders. Peer support and preparation can put you on the path to success in what may be a challenging time both

We Always Need Speakers Do you know someone who could be a speaker at one of our meetings? If you think they are knowledgeable enough to give a talk on anything stoma related, give us a call at 📞 (512) 537-5411 and ask for J.T. to call you back. Or you can email him at austinostomy@gmail.com and put "speaker" in the subject line

Instructions for Online Meetings

For those of you who would not be able to attend without an online option, we can Zoom you right in! To get online, make sure you have Zoom on your desktop/laptop computer or smartphone. Then enter Meeting ID: 886 3266 6521, and then the pass code: Welcome

Our Vision

The Ostomy Association of Austin is a volunteer based Non-Profit Health Support group dedicated to providing mutual aid and education, information and advocacy for persons and their families who have had or will have ostomy surgery. Because we are a non-profit, tax-exempt 501(c)(3), health support organization your dues and donations are tax deductible.

It is our vision to educate, empower and inspire through information and mutual support in all phases of life.

The information contained within our newsletters is for informational purposes only and may not be applicable to everyone. Please do not follow any medical advice in our Newsletter without first check with your physician or Wound Continence Ostomy Nurse.