August 2016 Newsletter - Ostomy Support Group of North San Diego

OSTOMY NEWS
A Monthly Newsletter For Ostomates & Caregivers
Ostomy Support Group of North San Diego County
P.O. Box 3019, Vista, CA 92085
Web Address: www.ostomysocal.org/ osgnsdc
Volume: 9
Issue: 8
August, 2016
Officers
President: Leslie Schwartz
(760) 470-9589
lbschwartz@prodigy.net
Secretary: Mona Villa
monav99@cox.net
760-317-6343
Treasurer: Lou Drexel
760-749-6656
lmrnch@gmail.com
Directors
Sierra Cabezas
Tammy Davis
Paulette Frazelle
Dawnette Meredith
Richard Rettig
Leland Russell
Josh Rapp
Dodie Wilson
Honorary Directors
Dr. Dhruvil Gandhi
Al Nua
Newsletter
Editor: Sierra Cabezas
530-392-2211
sierracabezas@gmail.com
Charlotte’s Kathleen Baker inspires with
silver in 100 backstroke
BY SCOTT FOWLER
sfowler@charlotteobserver.com
RIO DE JANEIRO - North Carolina’s Kathleen Baker won a silver medal in the
Olympics Monday night, finishing second in the women’s 100 backstroke and
saying she hoped to inspire others with her fight against Crohn’s disease.
A giddy Baker first described the race afterward like this: “So incredible! I
mean I went a best time and just got a medal! I couldn’t even put into words
how happy I am and how grateful for the amount of support I have here from
the teammates and coaches along the way. It just takes a village for everyone to
get me here and I couldn’t be happier.”
Baker continued what has been the meet of a lifetime for her with another personal-best time. She swam the race in 58.75 seconds – all three of her sub-59
times of her career came in a
48-hour span in Rio.
But Hungary’s Katinka
Hosszu was just too strong,
winning in 58.45 seconds for
her second gold medal of
these Olympics. Canada’s
Kylie Masse and China’s Yuanhui Fu tied for third, each
finishing a fingertip behind
Baker for bronze medals. The
other American in the race,
Olivia Smoliga, was sixth.
Baker has recently made public her fight against Crohn’s disease – a chronic
inflammatory condition of the gastrointestinal tract. She has undergone years of
various treatments and practice adjustments to continue her swimming career.
“I definitely have been through my fair share of adversity,” Baker said. “I think
it really helps me appreciate the sport even more, knowing that it can be taken
away from me. I love swimming more than anything in the world, and to be able
to swim in the Olympics – it’s an incredible feeling. I hope I inspired a lot of
people today. …
“I prayed about this a lot. I think this is something I’ve been put here to do. I’ve
never given up on my dreams, and I hope other people are the same.”
(Continued on page 5)
PAGE 1 - OSTOMY NEWS
President’s
Message
Upcoming Meetings
Dear Fellow Ostomates and Friends,
For those who could not attend, July’s General Meeting, it was a huge success. The attendance for Al’s
sendoff was sixty-four people which included members, guests and five individuals from Tri-City Medical Center .
General meetings are held at Tri-City
Medical Center, 4002 Vista Way, Oceanside
Lower Level, Room AR 1 @ 1:00 P.M.
Among the attendees were the President and Secretary of the Hemet Support Group, Ron and Darlene
Johnson, and the President of the Orange County
Support Group, Teri Stickel. Al received an engraved
clock for his dedication and service to our support
group. Al was truly overwhelmed by the outpouring
of warmth. He will be truly missed.
2016 General meeting dates:
January 29th
February 26th
March 25th
April 29th -Vendor Fair
May 27th
June 24th - Summer Party
July 29th
August 26th
At the August Board Meeting the Board unanimously passed a motion that made Al an honorary director.
September 30th
Over the next month or two, you will see a transition
in who will publish the newsletter. Dawnette Meredith
will be handling the responsibility while Sierra gets
her health issues under control. We are looking to see
an earlier publication and not have members receiving
their newsletters the day of the General Meeting.
December 9th - Holiday Party
If there are any members belonging to a community
service group or organization that would like to give
an informative talk on that group as a program
speaker, please contact Lee Russell.
Here's to your health and looking forward to seeing
you all at the General Meeting on August 26th.
Please don’t forget that the meeting will begin at 1:30
pm not 1:00.
October 28th
November 18th
2016 board meeting date:
January 11th
February 1st
March 14th
April 11th
May 9th
June 13th
July 11th
August 8th
September 12th
October 10th
November 7th
Respectfully, Leslie Schwartz, President
December 12th
PAGE 2 - OSTOMY NEWS
Sunshine
Report
Meeting News
By Paulette Frazelle
& Tammy Davis
By Dodie Wilson
It’s time to celebrate!
Ostomates celebrating their
stomaversary for August:
TennieBee Hall , Roger Lebsock , Lou Drexel,
Richard Rettig, & Tricia Joerger
Welcome new members:
Susan Caldwell
Visitors & members in July:
64
Goodies Providers for August's
general meeting:
Leland Russell, Tom Bacheky, & Lollie Taylor
Birthdays in August:
Donnie & Timi Ruiz, Larry Mc Cann, Rae Sarin,
Laraine Melzer, Mary Bowden, Marta Mc Cann,
Sandy Nichols, Carmen Danker, Ann Parker, Stephan
Thompson, Trino Cabezas, & Clarice Bednarz
Goodies Provider for August’s
board meeting:
Tammy Davis
Thinking of you and get well:
Lynell Warren & Matt Sarin
Thank you to:
The group for providing a cake & Larry Reed,,
for providing goodies at our most recent meetings.
PAGE 3 - OSTOMY NEWS
Sympathies:
Jean Cole & Sierra Cabezas
We Want Your Input
If you have any ideas or comments to give the
OSGNSDC, please let me know. We want to know what
kind of speakers you look forward to hearing, ideas for
the newsletter, whether you like the date/time the meetings are held, or anything else you feel would benefit the
group.
In Case You Missed it…
By Mona Villa
OSGNSDC General Meeting Minutes July 29, 2016
President Leslie Schwartz called the meeting to order
at 1:05 pm followed by the flag salute, welcoming
members and new visitors. After the selfintroductions, we were reminded of the ostomy supplies, at the back of the room, which are available to
everyone.
Email to: sierracabezas@gmail.com,
Mail to: P.O. Box 3019, Vista, CA 92085.
Or: Bring in your written ideas to the
meeting and give them to the Newsletter
Editor, Sierra Cabezas.
ð Stomaversary ð
It has been a custom in our group, and likely in many other ASGs of UOAA as well, to honor those who have had
their ostomies for a certain number of years. Those who
are celebrating such anniversaries may wish to contribute
to the general fund of the OSGNSDC in the amount of
one dollar for each year of their having had an ostomy.
We wish to acknowledge these people in our newsletter.
This is valuable news to those who are just entering their
ostomy journey and can provide much needed support
and confirmation that living with an ostomy is a very manageable situation and not life-limiting in most cases.
If You Have Internet Access...
Are you still receiving this newsletter in hard copy? If you
have internet access, you can save us money by joining our
electronic mailing list. To try the electronic version, send
an e-mail request to: sierracabezas@gmail.com. We won’t
remove you from our hard-copy list until we know you
can receive the electronic version successfully. We appreciate your efforts to keep costs down while also being
more eco-friendly.
Surplus Ostomy Supplies
Ostomy supplies have been donated by chapter members
or their families when an ostomate has had a revision surgery or passed away. These supplies are available to our
chapter members or individuals in need of supplies.
Please contact Leslie Schwartz at (760) 470-9589 if you
need supplies or have supplies that you no longer need.
Leslie then introduced our speaker, Mr. Steven
Dietlin, CEO of Tri-City Medical Center. Mr. Dietlin
spoke about the mission and vision of the Medical
Center. He would like us to see the Medical Center as
our healthcare choice and for the needs of our patients
here at Tri-City.
Sunshine Report: submitted by Dir. Dodie Wilson.
The Koins 4 Kids collected approximately $ 43.00
The 50/50 raffle collected $ 64.00 won by DeForest
Mayo.
Leslie presented Al with an engraved clock expressing
our appreciation and fond memories.
After a short breakout session, several members stood
and praised Al for all of his kind help and patience;
some became emotional and all were heartfelt. By the
looks of it, Al was surprised by some of our guests
whom he hadn’t seen in quite some time, such as
WOCN Cheri Sheehan, A.V. Cohen and Teri of the
Orange Co. Ostomy Group. Al then gave a nice
speech and thanked all for attending.
A ‘thank you’ goes to Dawnette who made the very
nice basket, holding the Farewell Cards for Al.
*The next General Meeting on August 26th will
begin at 1:30 pm. The new time is only for this
date.*
The Money Corner
Income & Expense Report
Want to become a Certified Ostomy Visitor?
Richard Rettig is looking for ostomates who would like to
attend a class to become a Certified Ostomy Visitor. Visiting new and recent ostomates is the most important service our group provides. Visitors go through formal training and can make calls in the hospital and home. If you
are interested, please call Richard at (760) 722-1340.
PAGE 4 - OSTOMY NEWS
Income/Expense for the month of July
Income: $0.00
Expense: $169.54
Income/Expense year to date
Income: $ 4,033.00
Expense: $ 3,210.41
(Continued from page 1)
Tough, resilient
Said Katie Meili, Baker’s teammate at Charlotte-based
SwimMAC Carolina and her close friend: “Now that
Kathleen’s story is a little bit more public – and I’ve said
it many times before – she’s the toughest and most resilient person I’ve ever met. For her to win that medal, I
don’t know anyone more deserving.”
Baker also gave a shout-out to North Carolina when I
asked her what message she’d like to send back home.
“Thank you so much for the support – it means the
world,” she said. “And I can’t wait to check on my social media, it’s been blowing up this week.”
Baker, 19, had previously had the best two times of her
life in the 100 backstroke on Sunday. In both the preliminaries and the semifinals, she swam the race in exactly
58.84 seconds. In both cases, she had the best time, edging Hosszu.
Baker was the youngest of the eight finalists Monday
night. She had admitted Sunday night that being part of
such a field would be “definitely intimidating” in the
biggest race of her life. “Those are the best in the world
and I have looked up to them for years,” she said 24
hours before the race. “To just be a part of it is so incredible.”
A factor throughout
Baker was more than a part of the final, though. She was
a factor all the way through – second at the halfway
mark and then briefly in the lead with about 25 meters to
go. But Hosszu, who had been sixth at the halfway mark,
surged in the second half of the race to the win. Hosszu
had already won a gold medal in these Olympics, shaving
more than two seconds off the world record in the 400
individual medley.
Baker, who just completed her freshman year at CalBerkeley, moved from Winston-Salem to Charlotte when
she was 14 so she
could train at SwimMAC Carolina. Her
parents never moved
from Winston-Salem,
so the family burned
up Interstate 77 and
Interstate 40 for years
so that she could
spend time in the
Winston-Salem
hometown she loved
and still obtain the
coaching in Charlotte
that she craved.
Baker was homeschooled from 10th
grade onward so that
her swimming schedule could be accommodated.
I THINK THIS IS SOMETHING I’VE BEEN PUT HERE
TO DO. I’VE NEVER GIVEN UP ON MY DREAMS,
AND I HOPE OTHER PEOPLE ARE THE SAME.
Kathleen Baker of SwimMAC Carolina
Baker will have a chance for a second medal later in these
Olympics in the medley relay. It was barely a month ago
that she finished second in the Olympic Trials to edge
into the Olympics; now she has finished second in the
world.
“My reaction then at Trials and my reaction now is the
same,” Baker said. “Pure joy.”
And incidentally, Baker had one more thing go right, too,
in the past two days. She lost a pearl earring during her
preliminary swim on Sunday. It was later found and returned to her.
Now she has both of her earrings back. Hopefully, they
go well with silver.
Mona Villa and Al Nua with his new engraved clock
expressing our appreciation and fond memories.
PAGE 5 - OSTOMY NEWS
Enterostomal Therapy And Wound Clinic Information
When To Call A Doctor
Or A WOCN

If cramps last more than two
or three hours

If you get a deep cut in the
stoma

Excessive bleeding from the
stoma opening or a moderate
amount in the pouch after
several emptyings

Bleeding at the juncture of
the skin and stoma

Severe skin irritation or deep
ulcers

Unusual change in the size
or appearance of the stoma
Lorena Eckert, CWOCN
Tri-City Medical Center
Mon-Fri 8 A.M.—4:30 P.M.
760-415-8216
Phyllis Parker RN, CWOCN
Kaiser Garfield Clinic
5893 Copley Drive
San Diego, CA 92111
858-616-5006
Mandy McDonough, WOCN
Scripps Ostomy Clinic
10666 North Torrey Pines Road
La Jolla, CA 92307
858-554-8984
Donna Rositani, CWOCN
Margaret Talley, CWCN
Palomar Hospital
Mon-Fri 8 A.M.—6 P.M.
760-739-2891/2393
Certified Ostomy Visitors
Visitor Coordinator
Richard Rettig
Phone: (760) 722-1340
Email: rgrettig@earthlink.net

Change to a purple-blue
color may be an indication
Visiting new and recent ostomates is the most important service
our group provides. Visitors go through formal training and can
make calls in the hospital and home. They are proof that life after
ostomy surgery can be normal. They can answer questions about
living with an ostomy.

Severe watery discharge
lasting more than five or six
hours

Strong odor lasting more
than a week
You can expect a visitor of the same gender and with the same
surgery. I encourage you to take advantage of this valuable service.

Any other unusual
occurrence with the stoma.
The Ostomy Support Group Of North San Diego County trains
and certifies ostomate members who can offer psychological support to individuals and their families both before and following
surgery. Ostomy visitors may come to a home or to the hospital,
but may only visit when invited by the patient, his or her doctor,
or a family member.
(Courtesy San Diego & Metro
Maryland Newsletters)
The chief goal of a visitor is to reassure individuals that they can
look forward to an essentially normal and satisfying life following
ostomy surgery. To insure integrity, all medical questions which
may arise during a visit are referred to medical practitioners. To
request a certified ostomy visitor or to obtain additional information on this program, please contact Richard Rettig.
PAGE 6 - OSTOMY NEWS
Dr. Dhruvil P. Gandhi
At Colorectal Center of San Diego, Inc., we
are committed to providing quality care to our
patients. Dr. Dhruvil P. Gandhi is the only board
-certified colon & rectal surgeon in the north
San Diego county area, serving Oceanside,
Vista, Carlsbad, Encinitas, and San Marcos.
www.sandiegocolon.com
2095 West Vista Way, Suite 106
Vista, CA 92083
Phone: (760) 295-2924
MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION
OSTOMY SUPPORT GROUP OF NORTH SAN DIEGO COUNTY
MEMBERSHIP is open to all ostomates and individuals with continent diversions, persons contemplating or scheduled for
ostomy surgery, family members, medical professionals, and other interested persons.




MEMBERSHIP INCLUDES:
OSTOMY NEWS, our Group’s monthly newsletter containing useful information on how to live a satisfying life as
an ostomate, helpful hints for caregivers, and other relevant information.
Monthly meetings to: hear interesting speakers, exchange ideas, answer questions, receive emotional support, share
the camaraderie of fellow ostomates, and enjoy refreshments.
One-on-one visits by Certified Visitors to prospective or new ostomates, and to others as needed.
Access to the many services and information made available by our national association, United Ostomy Associations of America, Inc. (UOAA).
TAX DEDUCTIBLE ANNUAL DUES ARE: $30.00
Name:______________________________ Date of Birth:
Spouse/Caregiver: ________________
Address:___________________________________________ City:
Zip:
Phone:
E– mail:_______________________ Date of Surgery:___________
Type of Ostomy: Colostomy
Urostomy Ileostomy
Continent Ileostomy Ileoanal Reservoir
Continent Urostomy
I do not have an ostomy
I am the parent of an ostomy child
How would you like to receive your newsletter?
By Mail
By E-mail
PLEASE ATTACH YOUR CHECK MADE PAYABLE TO: OSTOMY SUPPORT GROUP OF
NORTH SAN DIEGO COUNTY OR OSGNSDC. SUBMIT YOUR PAYMENT AT A GROUP MEETING OR MAIL TO:
P.O. BOX 3019, VISTA, CA 92085
PAGE 7 - OSTOMY NEWS
United Ostomy Associations of America
The Ostomy Support Group
Of North San Diego County
P. O. Box 3019
Vista, CA 92085
Address Service Requested
Dated Material
NEXT MEETING:
Friday August 26th 1:30 P.M - 3:00 P.M.
Toastmasters International Helps Folks Gain the Courage
to Speak to and Lead Groups at Any Level!
Guest speaker: Richard Rettig, a long-time member of our ostomy support group and a
long-time member of Toastmasters will describe Toastmasters International,
its worldwide impact, and how anyone--18 years of age or older--can benefit from
membership.
- Disclaimer It is not the intention of The Ostomy Group of North San Diego County, its advertisers,
contributors, or the writers of any articles to provide specific medical advice, but rather, it is to
provide users with information to better understand their health and their diagnosed
disorders. Specific medical advice will not be provided, and this group urges you to consult a
qualified medical professional for diagnosis and for answers to your personal questions.