2021 Meetings | Silicon Valley Ostomy Support Group

**What Happened at our December 14th Virtual Meeting**

The December 14th meeting was called to order at 7:05 pm on Zoom by Crystal. 17 people were in attendance for the meeting.

Sherri Gordon, Senior Ostomy Territory Specialist with 180 Medical and Cindy Myers, a CWON Clinical Resource Specialist with ConvaTec joined us. Cindy told us about the ConvaTec Me+ Recovery Program, a program designed to assist a new Ostomate condition and strengthen their core with a 3-step plan.

Cindy focuses on exercises for post-operative ostomates. General comments from the group mentioned that Cindy’s presentation was outstanding to say the least. Cindy instructed and demonstrated to us the ConvaTec Me+ Part 1 Recovery Program. She took questions during and after which helped a number of our members. The ConvaTec Part 1 is a three-step program.

The information in this handbook and series is not intended to provide medical advice. You should speak with your health care professional before engaging in physical activity following ostomy surgery. In the event you experience pain or discomfort, stop the activity immediately and contact your health care professional.

The me+™ recovery series, provides information and support about the importance of movement and physical activity after ostomy surgery.

Too many people are worried about harming themselves by doing physical activity, when in fact there are so many benefits to being active.

To address this, we developed the me+ recovery series which is based-on gentle movements – guiding users through their recovery after ostomy surgery and beyond.

The UOAA 2022 Annual Conference is slated for the Royal Sonesta Houston Galleria, 2222 West Loop South, Houston, Texas 77027, August 11 to August 13, 2022.

For those who are interested in going, you might find the following interesting. As a member/volunteer of the Silicon Valley Ostomy Support Group, a 501 C3, organization, if you decide to go, this can be a tax write off. I was told that if you itemize your taxes, then you can write it off. Please double check with your tax advisor if you decide to go.

Planned 2022 Schedule of meetings:

Jan –11, Feb -8, Mar- 8, April-12, May-10, June-14, July-12, August-9, September-13, October-11, November 8, December-13 –

The meeting was adjourned at 8:25 pm by Crystal. Regards, Dave Bunger, Silicon Valley Ostomy Support Group Secretary.

**What Happened at our November 9th Virtual Meeting**

The November 9th meeting was called to order at 7:05 pm on Zoom by Crystal. 14 people were in attendance for the meeting.

Sherri Gordon, Senior Ostomy Territory Specialist and Mark Pattenaude, a ConvaTec Rep for some 32 years joined us this evening. Mark used a presentation that addressed a number of different products and services that ConvaTec has. I have included information that Sherri sent me to our minutes. Sherri is looking into the availability of a WOCN that might be able to join us in December to talk about exercise. As soon as she can, she will let us know.

For those in your membership unable to attend or for those in attendance who may not have jotted down my contact info I have attached my contact card.

As a division of ConvaTec 180 specializes in Ostomy & Intermittent Catheter supplies. We do carry all brands and are known for giving a compassionate caring customer experience while providing the best supplies for each patient’s unique ostomy needs.

180 Medical makes the process of getting supplies easy from start to finish. We want to make working with us simple… 😊

Some 180 FAQ’s

ü 180 provides free samples

ü 180 ships all initial orders overnight free of charge within 24-48 hours, when an ostomates supply needs are low.

ü 180 is in network with virtually all insurance plans 😊

ü 180 will assist any uninsured patients with finding the cheapest cash supplier and/or assist with enrollment into their respective manufacturer’s indigent programs

As I shared above, I took the liberty of attaching my personal contact card along with a general information form for anyone who would like me to reach out to discuss supplies.

In addition, I have attached a helpful link to further expand upon Mark’s discussion about our Moldable technology. https://vimeo.com/639700553

Please Note: At our December 14th meeting, Sherri has arranged for Cindy, a WOCN Clinical Resource Specialist with ConvaTec will join us. Cindy focuses on exercises for post-operative ostomates. It is suggested that anyone that wants to participate wear comfy and stretchy clothes as she would like everyone to participate in some of the Phase 1 movements.

The UOAA 2022 Annual Conference is slated for the Royal Sonesta Houston Galleria, 2222 West Loop South, Houston, Texas 77027, August 11 to August 13, 2022.

The meeting was adjourned at 8:07 pm by Crystal.

**What Happened at our October 12th Virtual Meeting**

The October 12th meeting was called to order at 7:05 pm on Zoom by Crystal. 9 people were in attendance for the meeting. I think we were competing with the San Francisco Giants vs. LA Dodger baseball playoff game!

This Sunday, October 17^th, San Jose State WOCN program needs help. From 10:00 to 12:30, Professor Wong is asking for 3 of our members to join with the current class at San Jose State. This program allows nurses who are going through a WOCN program at State, to ask questions to real people who have ostomies. What is needed is 3 people who can talk about their ostomies.

Ileostomy
Urostomy
Colostomy

If you can help out this vital program, please email Dave or Crystal and they will arrange the contact with Professor Wong. Thank you….

Joining us this evening was Emily Clark, Regional Care Advisor for Coloplast. Emily is a fellow ostomate and joined Coloplast September 2019. If you have questions for Coloplast, please call them at 1-855-430-9500.

Emily talked to us about a couple of new products from Coloplast, barrier rings and extra wide barrier seals. The extra wide seal number is 12076.

Also joining us was Sherri Gordon from 180 Medical. Sherri will be our Keynote speaker for out November meeting.

Crystal then led a round robin discussion with our members to see how everyone is doing.

Trish asked if there were plans to bring back our in-person meetings. We have talked to San Jose Park and Recreation about facility availability. After spending a lot of time, we found out that while possible, it would get very expensive. If anyone knows where we could meet, please let one of the officers know. It does not appear at this time that we will be able to go back to O’Connor Hospital.

On a sad note;

Dr. Paul J. Masquelier, Jr., long time member of the Silicon Valley Ostomy Support Group, webmaster and benefactor of our web site, passed away September 23 at his home in Fresno, California.

Michael, husband of Kathy Riccardi passed away this last month.

The UOAA 2022 Annual Conference is slated for the Royal Sonesta Houston Galleria, 2222 West Loop South, Houston, Texas 77027, August 11 to August 13, 2022.

For those who are interested in going, you might find the following interesting. As a member/volunteer of the Silicon Valley Ostomy Support Group, a 501 C3, organization, if you decide to go, this can be a tax write off. I was told that if you itemize your taxes, then you can write it off. Please double check with your tax advisor if you decide to go.

Please note that on November 7, turn your clocks back one hour! Then you will not miss our November 9^th meeting!

For our November 9^th Meeting, Sherri Gordon from 180 Medical and Mark Pattenaude, ConvaTec Executive Territory Manager.

The meeting was adjourned at 8:15 pm by Crystal.

**What Happened at our September 14th Virtual Meeting**

The September 14th meeting was called to order at 7:08 pm on Zoom by Crystal. 17 people were in attendance for the meeting.

We welcomed Howard and Tim to our meeting this evening. Howard has had an ostomy for some time and Tim is relatively new. Welcome to our group!

Joining us this evening was Pat Camp, RN, WOCN Retired. Her husband received an Urostomy and over a period of time, his urine output reacted in such a way that a rather strong odor was noticed. They went to the surgeon and there was no help for what was going on. Some time later, another Doctor got a Urostomy and had the same problem. Then he wanted to get involved. From that, StomaCloak was invented. The StomaCloak covers the ostomy collection bag. It can act as a secondary protection device against leakage. Ms. Camp shared with us several StomaCloak UTube videos. Look at www.StomaCloak.com for more information. Sizing is important and some devices require an adjustment to the size. You can call StomaCloak at 1-213-733-5555 or www.sales@stomacloak.com. Priced at $29.95, 3 at $26.95 and if you put in the coupon code “Nurse”, a percentage will be taken off, click apply.

Help Wanted: The officers of the Silicon Valley Ostomy Support Group are asking for help. What we are looking for is a person to take over the scheduling of speakers for our meetings beginning with the January 2022 meeting. As we all benefit from the speakers who join us, this is a key position for our group. Please contact me if you can accept this position. The salary, as with all of the officers is, our thanks for a job well done!

The UOAA 2022 Annual Conference is slated for the Royal Sonesta Houston Galleria, 2222 West Loop South, Houston, Texas 77027, August 11 to August 13, 2022.

For those who are interested in going, you might find the following interesting. As a member/volunteer of the Silicon Valley Ostomy Support Group, a 501 C3, organization, if you decide to go, this can be a tax write off. I was told that if you itemize your taxes, then you can write it off. Please double check with your tax advisor if you decide to go.

For our October 12^th Meeting, we will be joined by Emily Clark, a Coloplast Representative. Thanks go to Trish for setting this up! Starts at 7:00 pm.

For our November 9^th Meeting, Sherri Gordon from 180 Medical and Mark Pattenaude, ConvaTec Executive Territory Manager.

The meeting was adjourned at 8:35 pm by Crystal.

Join Zoom Meeting – 2nd Tuesday of the Month – October 12th- We will start at 7:00 PM
Meeting ID: 987 9375 8102 Passcode: 736331. By Phone – +1 669 900 6833

Regards, Dave Bunger, Silicon Valley Ostomy Support Group Secretary

**What Happened at our August 10th Virtual Meeting**

The August 10th meeting was called to order at 7:08 pm on Zoom by Crystal. 24 people were in attendance for the meeting.

Going to change the format a bit this month.

Question: One of our members is going through a very tough time as her brother passed away. No trust or will was in place. I would like to ask if the members would like us to try to arrange for an attorney who is knowledgeable about trusts and wills to join us. If no one responds, it will not happen!

Due to the Covid-19 virus, we are meeting on Zoom. Safety of our members is our primary concern so we will be doing this for the foreseeable future. The meeting ID and Passcode are sent out approximately a week before the meeting.

This evening we were joined with Michael Gerald, PhD, CMHC, LMHC and Ostomate from Idaho. Michael’s discussion was excellent as he is an Assistant Professor at Utah State University.

Personal Bio

My name is Michael and I was born in Northern California in 1986. Shortly after birth, I was diagnosed with a Lymphangioma in my left buttock, which as it grew damaged my rectum. As a result, I had my first Colostomy surgery at the age of 18 months. When I was 12, I had a second Ostomy surgery, where my Colostomy was moved from my transverse colon to my sigmoid. My Ostomy is permanent, and I have had my Ostomy for over 33 years. I currently live in Logan, UT, where my wife and I both teach at Utah State University (USU). I have a PhD in Rehabilitation Counselor Education, and I am a licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor (CMHC). In my spare time I like to read, hike, and go to the gym, among other things. As it is a small world, he knew Chole, one of our members.

Here is a brief overview of what will be covering:

Emotional Adjustment to an Ostomy

For many of us who experience life with an Ostomy, there is often a perception that the process of adjustment is completed once our physical healing has concluded. In reality, adjusting to an Ostomy is an ongoing and continuous process that can impact us emotionally, psychologically, mentally, socially, and occupationally. Therefore, emotional, or psychosocial adjustment to an Ostomy is a dynamic process that is highly individualized and not as frequently discussed. In this conversation, I will present information on adjustment to Chronic Illness and Disability, as well as specific considerations for adjusting to an Ostomy.

Michael’s warm approach to life as an Ostomate was refreshing. During his presentation he told us he has a tattoo above his stoma that reads, “Don’t Ask”. He, like most of us, went through an Emotional adjustment period, he was always angry, full of guilt and shame. He did not tell any of his friends that he had an Ostomy. Adjustment to an ostomy is a lifelong process.

Michael took a number of questions from the group. As an ostomate, he understands what we go through.

He told us about an annual Youth Rally, to be held at San Diego State University July 2022. This is a rally for young people to join with others and under the guidance to Nurses to help the kids simply have fun.

Look at https.//youthrally.org.

The UOAA 2022 Annual Conference is slated for the Royal Sonesta Houston Galleria, 2222 West Loop South, Houston, Texas 77027, August 11 to August 13, 2022.

For those who are interested in going, you might find the following interesting. As a member/volunteer of the Silicon Valley Ostomy Support Group, a 501 C3, organization, if you decide to go, this can be a tax write off. I was told that if you itemize your taxes, then you can write it off. Please double check with your tax advisor if you decide to go!

For our September 14^th Meeting, we will be joined by: Pat Camp, RN, President of Stomacloak.

For our October 12^th Meeting, we will be joined by Emily Clark, a Coloplast Representative. Thanks go to Trish for setting this up!

Next Meeting is slated for Tuesday, September 14^th at 7:00 pm. Same Zoom Station, same PDT start – 7:00 PM

The meeting was adjourned at 8:35 pm by Crystal.

Regards,

Dave Bunger, Silicon Valley Ostomy Support Group Secretary

—

In lieu of going to San Jose State, three of our members went to Irvine to help WOCN nurses in training!

**What Happened at our July 13th Virtual Meeting**

The July meeting was called to order at 7:08 pm on Zoom by Crystal. 21 people were in attendance for the meeting.

This evening we were joined by Lorie and Angelina from TSA. They are involved with the TSA Speakers Bureau and Angelina is an instructor for TSA at the Oakland Airport. Lorie presented a briefing that she put together telling how TSA does their job, what can be done for an Ostomate and how to eliminate issues before they become a problem. I plan to include some of her presentation in the July minutes as my shorthand was not quick enough to get all of the details she presented. After her presentation, both Lorie and Angeline took questions from the group. A number of people felt more comfortable after hearing the presentation and had their questions answered.

TSA Notification Card: Individuals with Disabilities and Medical Conditions I have the following health condition, disability or medical device that may affect my screening: I understand that alternate procedures providing an equivalent level of security screening are available and can be done in private. I also understand that presenting this card does not exempt me from screening. Information • Assistance Requests • Compliments • Complaints TSA Cares 1-855-787-2227 (Federal Relay 711) Weekdays: 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. ET TSA-ContactCenter@tsa.dhs.gov Weekends/Holidays: 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. ET Hablamos Español Automated information offered in 12 languages Call 72 hours prior to traveling to request the assistance of a Passenger Support Specialist (PSS) at the checkpoint. If a PSS is not available, you may ask for a Supervisory TSA Officer at the checkpoint.

We welcomed Sharon, Chuck and Jane to our meeting.

Crystal announced that Professor Vivian Wong, from San Jose State has requested our support for the next meeting slated for August 22, from 10:00 to 12:00 in Irvine California. The reason for this is San Jose State will be working with Kaiser Hospital to help their program. Crystal is the point of contact for this adventure as people will be flying to Southern California for this event.

The UOAA 2022 Annual Conference is slated for the Royal Sonesta Houston Galleria, 2222 West Loop South, Houston, Texas 77027, August 11 to August 13, 2022.

Many Thanks to Virginia L for her work to keep this going for our group!

Dear Community Partners,

Many thanks to you all for participating as virtual exhibitors in our 5^th Annual “Be Strong, Live Long” Health & Wellness Fair at the end of May.

Our live stream was a lot of fun and we enjoyed using our new Zoom skills to share our instructors’ energy with the 66 older adults who attended mini-sessions of Small Group Fitness, Tai Chi for Life, Fall Prevention, and Mindful Meditation.

For our virtual experience, 40 agencies and nonprofits in our City and County contributed and we really appreciate the effort you made to participate. If you are collecting stats, following this message, I’ve listed the number of visits your booth received on the day of our event, May 20^th. (The booths were live and accessible via our webpage through the month of June, but that data is not available.)

Hopefully we will all be together again in the park next year – please save the date: Friday, May 20, 2022, 10am – 2pm! We’ll be in touch later this year with specifics.

Take care and, again, much appreciation for your help,

Mallory

Visits to “Be Strong, Live Long” Health & Wellness Fair home page: 237

For our August 10th Meeting, we will be joined by:

Michael Gerald PhD, CMHC, LMHC (Iowa), CRC | Assistant Professor

Personal Bio

Here is a brief overview of what will be covering:

Emotional Adjustment to an Ostomy

Question: Does anyone know of a room that can be made available for us to gather again as a group? Annette found a room at the Camden Community Center. By the time the lady explained all of the do’s and don’ts, I gave up.

Next Meeting is slated for Tuesday, August 10 at 7:00 pm. Same Zoom Station!

The meeting was adjourned at 8:35 pm by Crystal.

Regards,

Dave Bunger Silicon Valley Ostomy Support Group Secretary

**What Happened at our June 8th Virtual Meeting**

The June meeting was called to order at 7:03 pm on Zoom by Crystal. 17 people were in attendance for the meeting.

This evening we tried to get TSA to join us. Several problems prevented that from occurring. TSA is now scheduled for July 13.

The UOAA 2022 Annual Conference is slated for the Royal Sonesta Houston Galleria, 2222 West Loop South, Houston, Texas 77027, August 11 to August 13, 2022.

Jennifer is going to contact O’Connor Hospital to ask if there is a date that we again could meet in person there. More to follow. Jennifer has reported that O’Connor still does not know when this might happen!

If anyone knows of a place we could meet, please advise Jennifer….

Annette has advised the group about a speaker for our August meeting. Should be interesting…

Since we did not have a speaker, Crystal started a Round Robin. Numerous questions were asked and opinions offered.

Several people had questions about traveling with an Ostomy. I contacted the TSA someone to join us at our June Meeting; They were not able to respond for June however we have a commitment for July. But between now and then, here is some information that you might find helpful.

The Transportation Security Administration is committed to ensuring access and serving all persons with disabilities with RESPECT and DIGNITY. We hope this guidance will facilitate your security checkpoint screening experience.

If you are enrolled in a trusted traveler program (TSA Precheck, Global Entry, NEXUS, SENTRI), enter your known traveler number or PASS ID when making airline reservations. When you check in for a flight, look for the TSA Precheck boarding pass indicator.

WHAT TO KNOW

TSA Cares:

- - · TSA Cares is a toll-free helpline, 1-855-787-2227 or Federal Relay 711, available for travelers with disabilities and medical conditions to get the latest information on screening. You may call from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. EST Monday through Friday, and 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. weekends and holidays.
  - · Travelers with disabilities or medical conditions who would like assistance at the checkpoint should call no less than 72 hours ahead of travel so that TSA Cares has the opportunity to coordinate checkpoint support. Checkpoint support may include coordination with a Passenger Support Specialist (PSS). Each airport has different resources; therefore, the level of assistance you receive can vary. Some airports have an individual who will call you to gather additional information and arrange a meeting time and place. Other locations notify the checkpoint manager of your itinerary, but no pre-contact is made. If you arrive at the checkpoint and have any concerns before, during, or after the screening process, you should immediately request to speak with a Supervisory Transportation Security Officer (STSO) or a Passenger Support Specialist for assistance.
  - · Learn more about screening procedures for travelers with disabilities and medical conditions at TSA.gov.

- - Medical and disability-related tools and equipment are permitted in carry-on baggage.

Passenger Support Specialists:

- - Travelers may request the assistance of a passenger support specialist through TSA Cares, or at the airport.
    · The specialist is a specially trained staff member who provides travelers with disabilities and medical conditions on-the-spot assistance at security checkpoints. · Learn more about passenger support specialists at TSA.gov.

Advanced Imaging Technology:

- - · Travelers are eligible to be screened using advanced imaging technology if they are able to stand and walk through the machine; stand and hold their hands above their head for five to seven seconds without support; and if there is an alarm, stand for additional time to resolve the alarm.
  - · Travelers not wishing to be screened by advanced imaging technology, and travelers who are not eligible for such screening, can request a pat-down.
  - · Learn more about advanced imaging technology at TSA.gov.

Walk-Through Metal Detectors:

- - Travelers may be screened by walk-through metal detectors if they can walk through the machine on their own. · Travelers cannot request metal detector screening in lieu of advanced imaging technology or a pat-down.
    · Learn more about walk-through metal detectors at TSA.gov.

Pat-Downs:

- - · Except under extraordinary circumstances, when conducted, the Pat-Down will be performed by a TSA officer of the same gender.
  - · A traveler can request a private screening, and be accompanied by a companion of his or her choosing.
  - · Additionally, the traveler can request a chair if he or she needs to sit down.
  - · Travelers should not be asked to remove or lift any article of clothing to reveal a sensitive body area.
  - · Learn more about pat-downs at TSA.gov.

Explosive Trace Detection Screening:

- - TSA officers may swab personal property, a medical device being worn, or a traveler’s hands, and then use explosive trace detection technology to test for explosives. · The swab is placed inside the unit, which analyzes the content for the presence of potential explosive residue.
    · Travelers can request a new swab prior to their hands or medical device being sampled.
    · Learn more about explosive trace detection at TSA.gov.

75 Years Old and Over:

- - · Travelers who appear 75 years old and over can leave their light jackets, light outer garments, and shoes on while going through security checkpoints, even in the standard screening lanes.
  - · Learn more about procedures for travelers 75 years old and older at TSA.gov.

If you are able to help the Silicon Valley Ostomy Group with the $20.00 in annual dues, it would be gratefully welcomed. Please send your check to Annette Kaiser, made out to the Silicon Valley Ostomy Support Group;

Next Meeting is slated for Tuesday, July 13 at 7:00 pm. Same Zoom Station! We are trying for TSA to join us in July.

The meeting was adjourned at 9:04 pm by Crystal.

Regards,

Dave Bunger Silicon Valley Ostomy Support Group Secretary

**What Happened at our May 11th Virtual Meeting**

The May meeting was called to order at 7:05 pm on Zoom by Crystal. 14 people were in attendance for the meeting.

This evening we welcomed Phuong Gallagher, Senior Product Manager and Brent Reel, Nursing Director from 11 Health. Phuong and Brent presented a Power Point Presentation developed by the staff of 11 Health geared primarily towards ileostomy patients. If you want more information please look at www.11Health.com

We then went around the Zoom Monitor asking how everyone was doing.

The UOAA 2022 Annual Conference is slated for the Royal Sonesta Houston Galleria, 2222 West Loop South, Houston, Texas 77027, August 11 to August 13, 2022.

Several people had questions about traveling with an Ostomy. I am in the process of contacting TSA for someone to join us at our June Meeting. But between now and then, here is some information that you might find helpful.

If you are able to help the Silicon Valley Ostomy Group with the $20.00 in annual dues, it would be gratefully welcomed. Please send your check to Annette Kaiser.

Next Meeting is slated for Tuesday, June 8 at 7:00 pm. Same Zoom Station!

The meeting was adjourned at 8:20 pm by Crystal.

Regards,

Dave Bunger Silicon Valley Ostomy Support Group Secretary

**What Happened at our April 13th Virtual Meeting**

The April meeting was called to order at 7:05 pm on Zoom by Crystal. 22 people were in attendance for the meeting.

This evening we welcomed Dr. Min Yi, a General Surgeon at O’Connor Hospital. Dr. Min Yi has been practicing medicine as a surgeon for 22 years. She is a graduate of Loyola University of Chicago, Stritch School of Medicine. She has a great deal of experience with ostomy surgery and mentioned a number of items that can have an affect on how someone recovers from ostomy surgery.

Smoking – How critically important it is to stop smoking. A heavy smoker has a high risk to surgery.
Diabetes -and Surgery Risks

Hyperglycemia (high blood glucose) or hypoglycemia (low blood glucose) can be an issue after surgery.
Poor wound healing.
Slow wound healing.
Infection of the wound.
Other types of infection such as pneumonia, urinary tract infections or sepsis.
Hyperosmolar Hyperglycemic nonketotic syndrome (HHNS)

Obesity – Creates increased pressure on the abdominal wall
Coughing – Heavy coughing can be hard on the abdominal wall

Dr. Min Yi told us that surgeons are trying not to do Ostomy Surgery. If there is any way to repair the issue, it is now preferred to do that instead doing an ostomy.

Here is a website of the hernia society that Dr. Min Yi mentioned: https://americasherniasociety.org/

It is a good source of information. Unfortunately, I couldn’t find any surgeon in this area who is a member of the society. That doesn’t necessarily mean the surgeons in this area don’t know how to fix hernias. I went to their meetings when I could but never joined the society because my practice didn’t focus only on hernias.

Please feel free to forward this email to the members so that they could check out the website.

We Thank Dr. Min Yi for joining us this evening.

Crystal received an email from UOAA informing us that the next National Convention will be in Houston, Texas, August of 2022.

Questions came up about the Wound Care/Ostomy and Continence Nurse availability for us.

O’Connor Hospital – 1-408-947-2804

El Camino Hospital – Mountain View – 1-650-940-7003

We had several new people join us tonight. Rick, Alyssa and Debra. We welcome them all.

A question came up about how to prepare for swimming this summer. Hy-Tape and if your device has a vent, cover it up with the small white adhesive covers that come with the bags.

If you are able to help the Silicon Valley Ostomy Group with the $20.00 in annual dues, it would be gratefully welcomed.

The May 11 meeting, will be interesting as we will be joined by Rena Munster who is a Regional Sales Account Manager for 11 Health.

I am a fellow ostomate who also happens to work at 11 Health as a sales rep.

11 Health is the creator of the world’s first smart wearables for ileostomy patients. Through our virtual healthcare ecosystem, we can monitor, manage, and engage patients at home while also reducing risks and readmissions. The current Generation II of our SmartBag and wafer connect wirelessly to our SmartCare mobile application. Data on stoma activity, cumulative output, risk of leakage and changes in skin condition are transmitted to patients and their clinical team. We have pretty cutting-edge technology for ostomates and I’d love the chance to share it with your group.

The meeting was adjourned at 8:20 pm by Crystal.

Regards,

Dave Bunger Silicon Valley Ostomy Support Group Secretary

**What Happened at our March 9th Virtual Meeting**

The March meeting was called to order at 7:08 pm on Zoom by Crystal. 15 people were in attendance for the meeting.

This evening we were joined by Collin Jarvis, Vice President of Stealth Belt and Alyssa. Collin told the story of how he got involved with the Stealth Belt Organization.

He started running at a very young age. He learned to love it and continued to run, earning a scholarship at UC Berkeley. He continued running until health issues slowed him down, then stopped his running. Because of his status as a collegiate athlete, he had access to the best doctors and it was determined that he was suffering from Ulcerative Colitis. That diagnosis put his college scholarship on hold. He lost 30 pounds, from a frame that was slight already, debilitating pain, depression and finally he dropped out of CAL. He underwent a total Colectomy 8 months after diagnosis. A very tough time in his life.

He recalled an in interesting quote:

“Only Challenge produces the opportunity for greatness”. Professor Dan Mulhern, CAL.

He took that quote as his challenge and began his journey for greatness. He and a friend went to New Zealand and spent considerable time hiking. Every so often, they would stay in a youth hostel. People began to ask him what the bag was, and so he told them.

Hi David and Crystal!

Thanks again for having me/Stealth Belt at your Ostomy Support Group this evening. I appreciate everyone’s time and the opportunity to share my story and our products 🙂

As promised, here is some information that your group may find helpful:

For anyone interested in purchasing a Stealth Belt, please let them know that the promo code: DOANYTHING will get them $20 off their first Stealth Belt.

I wanted to also pass along a few helpful links / articles / information for the members of your group, should they want to follow up with Stealth Belt, or just have access to some more resources.

Our Website is www.stealthbelt.com and our contact phone number is (800)237-4491.

We also have a number of blogs that people find helpful for managing an ostomy. Here are a few of the most popular ones:

- Staying Hydrated with an Ostomy: https://www.stealthbelt.com/blog/ostomy-hydration-tips
- How Fixing Posture Can Help With Dealing With An Ostomy: https://www.stealthbelt.com/blog/ostomy-posture
- Tips For Rebuilding Core Strength:https://www.stealthbelt.com/blog/rebuilding-core-strength-after-ostomy-surgery
- Here is the Runner’s World Magazinearticle I mentioned that tells my story: https://www.runnersworld.com/runners-stories/a29761153/collin-jarvis-running-with-ostomy/

Here is our YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC3I-I12TxzSinhNOWTSzZCw

- How to empty an Ostomy from a horizontal position video: https://youtu.be/GLNPB1nQWy0
- Tips for reducing leaks with an Ostomy video: https://youtu.be/lvlYSYPcB60
- My Run-Test with a Stealth Belt holding on an ostomy that is nearly falling off, and no leaks: https://youtu.be/Kzmd4OWB9f4

Collin Jarvis
Vice President
Phone:	(800)237-4491 ext. 200
Mail:	collin@stealthbelt.com
Web:	stealthbelt.com
“We rise by lifting others”
– Robert G. Ingersoll

Dues – We have done our best to keep expenses down, we do have bills that come in. Because of that, we agreed to assess ourselves an annual amount of $20.00. If you have sent your 2021 dues in, we commend you.

Tonight we heard from Ron who recently has Laparoscope surgery. This time he is following the Doctor’s orders and taking life easy. We also heard from Jane, who was still in the hospital. Please keep Ron and Jane in your thoughts.

Finally, Crystal, Jennifer, Steve and Virginia stayed late with the teacher to discuss their presentation to Professor Vivian Wong at San Jose State, for the Wound Care presentation. This year, it will be done on Zoom. An expense for us as our actors will need Screen Actors Guild Cards for their performance! (That is tongue and cheek, as there is no cost for this!)

Please Note next month, April 13, we will be joined with Dr. Ming-Yi. She is an excellent surgeon that we have in the South Bay. I can attest to how good she is as she worked on me for 8 hours January 19,2021.

Regards,

Dave Bunger

Silicon Valley Ostomy Support Group Secretary

**What Happened at our February 9th Virtual Meeting**

We had just over 20 people in attendance at tonight‘s meeting!

Bruce and Theresa from Stomagienics, Inc., were our guest speakers and opened our meeting. They are from South Carolina. Theresa’s dad had a urostomy and he created this product to help himself during bag changes. It’s a tube with an absorbent liner that catches the effluent that may come out while doing a bag change. After Bruce spoke to the group about the StomaGenie, Theresa gave the group a demonstration on how to use the product using a fake stoma:

One hand holds the StomaGenie, so it’s best to have all materials open and cut as you only have one hand available. You can now clean skin, do layering, shaving of hair, etc, all without nicking your stoma and catching any effluent. The cartridge can also be used for helping to put on the wafer. You keep the cartridge on over your stoma, slide the wafer down to the skin with the cartridge in the hole in the middle of the wafer. This method works for a two-piece system. They can also create a custom adapter for non-round stoma’s- and it’s free! The custom adapter slides onto the end of the cartridge. One of the tips they gave is if you have sensitive skin and don’t want the outer cartridge touching your skin, you can pull out the inner absorbent lining and fold it over the end so that is what touches the skin. Also, the thickness of the tube is only 1 mm. They also showed us a product called Secure Press which helps get a secure seal of the wafer to the skin and works for a single or two-piece pouching system.

In regards to ordering their products, they are currently in talks with Byram, but other vendors carrying their products are: Amazon (search “StomaGenie”), www.medicalmonks.com, or directly from them at www.stomagienics.com. For insurance inquiries, call them directly – Medical Care Products, 800-741-0110, Patti or Kimberly can answer all questions. Theresa’s email is theresa.johnson@stomagienics.com.

As a gift to SVOSG, they are offering our support group members free products! Go to:

www.stomagienics.com
use Promo Code: SILICONVALLEY
Code allows for a free 5 pack and free shipping

Many thanks were given to Theresa and Bill, and everyone was excited about the product. One of our urostomate members even showed the group that she had just received her stomagenie!

The meeting then directed to hearing from new people, including spouses, giving the group a report on how they are and answering any questions, and making connections with other ostomates. The meeting ended shortly before 8:30 pm.

Jennifer

**What Happened at our January 12th Virtual Meeting**

The January meeting was called by to order at 7:07 pm on Zoom by Crystal. 12 people were in attendance for the meeting. In addition to our normal group, tonight we had a member from the San Mateo Ostomy group and two ladies from the Marin Ostomy group. Welcome to Eric, Susan and Eileen.

Crystal opened the meeting asking each member what was going on in their lives.

Susan is awaiting ostomy surgery. I think we answered a number of questions for her. Recovery time was an important question that she had.

San Jose State WOCN program has scheduled their Ostomy Clinic for March 14 at 09:30. This is a Sunday morning, Mothering Sunday in Ireland and the UK. Please contact Jennifer if you are interested.

We are going to pass the hat to provide Crystal a gift card to help her as she is going to have surgery next week. If you can help, please contact Jennifer.

We are going to plan to have Stoma Genie to join us February 9th and Stealth Belt March 9^th if all goes well.

A Question came up as to foods to stay away from after surgery. We heard from several people. Some people have had no restrictions, others have had many. Best suggestion, take it very slow, chew your food VERY THROUGHLY and try it in very small portions until you know that it is safe for you!

The meeting was adjourned at 8:40.

Next Meeting is Slated for February 9^th at 7:00 pm. The meeting ID and password will be sent out about a week before the meeting.

Respectfully Submitted,

Dave Bunger

Secretary, Silicon Valley Ostomy Support Group