Later that afternoon Shirley, the Ostomy Queen, as she calls herself, comes to show me how to put on the pouch.  She goes through the procedures using Unisolve TM, a solvent wipe, which cleans old adhesive from the skin, and Skin Prep TM, a wipe to provide better adhesion to the skin.

Monday, October 18, 1999

            Today, I have an appointment with Dr. DeVito. The nurse removes the staples that hold the incision together.  The doctor removes the Penrose drain, which comes out of the stoma.  As he presses around my body, he notices a bulge, which could be a hernia.  This could be serious.  It could have occurred during the operation.

            I am taken by wheelchair to a general surgeon in the next building who sends me for x-rays.  He presses his fingers around my abdominal area.  I have a slight pain.  Observing the x-rays, he is unsure whether it is a hernia and said we should watch it for a few days.

Tuesday, October 19, 1999

            The aide, Ellen, comes to the house and gives me a refreshing massage and sponge bath. She also cleans my room and bathroom.

Thursday, October 21, 1999

            It is 4:30 AM. I am awake.  The pouch is leaking.  I wake up Rhoda and we change my pajamas and the bedding and put on a new pouch following Shirley's instructions.  I take a Valium and sleep the rest of the night.

            Later that morning, I decide to start an exercise program. The length of my house is sixty feet. I have a clear, straight path of fifty feet from one bedroom to the living room.  I start to walk this distance several times a day.  The first day I walk half a mile. I will increase it every day.