Ostomy Association of Los Angeles

Transcription

1 Ostomy Association of Los Angeles Hotline # Member Newsletter Volume 16 Issue 1 January/March 2019 OALA UPDATES PAGE 1 & 2 OALA CALENDAR PAGE 3 UOAA NEWS Disaster Preparedness Page 2 & 5 UOAA Conference Page 4 Subscribe to the Phoenix Magazine, a magazine dedicated to everything ostomy. A portion of every subscription supports the UOAA! PAGE 6 Travel Communication Card Page 7 Renew Your Membership Time to renew your membership for 2019 Page 8 OALA UPDATES WE HOPE EVERYONE HAD A JOYOUS AND HEALTHY HOLIDAY SEASON. WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO A POSITIVE NEW YEAR. WE ARE PLANNING A NUMBER OF PROGRAMS THAT SHOULD BE OF INTEREST TO THE MEMBERSHIP. - GLENDA HAMBURG RN, CWON WILL PRESENT A VISITOR TRAINING REFRESHER. IT WILL BE A SERIES OF LECTURES ON THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF STOMAS, HOW EACH OF THEM ARE DIFFERENT EACH WITH UNIQUE CARE NEEDS, AS WELL AS HOW TO BEST SUPPORT ANYONE WITH A NEW STOMA. - SHERRY LYNN HARRIS, AN AUTHOR AND SPEAKER ON ADAPTING TO ALZHEIMER S DISEASE WILL BE SPEAKING WHEN YOUR PARENT BECOMES YOUR CHILD - WE WILL ALSO HAVE SEVERAL MANUFACTURER REPRESENTATIVES PRESENT NEW PRODUCTS TO YOU. TAKE A LOOK AT OUR CALENDAR SECTION FOR MEETING DATES FOR PLEASE NOTE THAT ARE SEVERAL CHANGES FOR THE WEST LOS ANGELES MEETINGS AS WE NEEDED TO CHANGE SEVERAL DATES DUE TO UNAVAILABILITY OF THE ROOMS AT THE VETERANS CENTER.

2 S E Q U O I A C L U B SINCE IT IS THE NEW YEAR, IT S TIME FOR MEMBERSHIP RENEWAL. YOU CAN UPDATE YOUR MEMBERSHIP AT A MEETING OR SIMPLY FILL OUT THE MEMBERSHIP FORM IN THIS NEWSLETTER AND SEND IN YOUR DUES. YOUR MEMBERSHIP DUES ARE VITAL TO SUPPORT THE ORGANIZATION SO WE CAN CONTINUE TO HAVE MEETING SPACE AND A NEWSLETTER FOR OUR MEMBERS. WE WILL BE SENDING OUT MEMBERSHIP RENEWAL REMINDERS BY AND SNAIL MAIL SOON AS WELL. DISASTER PREPAREDNESS: SURVIVING A FIRESTORM WITH AN OSTOMY BY HEATHER BRIGSTOCK MSN RN CNL DISASTER PREPAREDNESS IS SOMETHING WE ALL NEED TO TAKE SERIOUSLY, ESPECIALLY WITH THE HORRIBLE FIRES WE HAVE EXPERIENCED IN THE LAST FEW WEEKS AND THE EARTHQUAKE IN ALASKA. THESE NOTES WERE PART OF AN ARTICLE WRITTEN BY HEATHER BRIGSTOCK FOLLOWING THE FIRES IN SANTA ROSA IN PART I BEFORE THE DISASTER *PREPARE NOW-DON T WAIT! WE HAVE A FALSE SENSE OF SECURITY WHEN WE THINK THAT DISASTERS WON T HAPPEN IN OUR TOWN. I NEVER THOUGHT A WILDFIRE WOULD RAGE THROUGH MY CITY. PREPARING PROPERLY COULD NOT ONLY SAVE YOUR VALUABLES AND OSTOMY SUPPLIES, IT COULD SAVE YOUR LIFE. *MAKE A GO-BAG A GO-BAG IS A BAG THAT IS PACKED AT ALL TIMES, IN AN EASILY ACCESSED PLACE THAT YOU CAN GRAB AS YOU RUN OUT THE DOOR IN THE EVENT OF AN EVACUATION. IT SHOULD CONTAIN EXTRA OSTOMY SUPPLIES AND NECESSARY MEDICATIONS IN ADDITION TO IMPORTANT DOCUMENTS. ACCORDING TO FEMA, YOU SHOULD PACK YOUR GO BAG WITH ENOUGH SUPPLIES FOR 3 DAYS. THIS INCLUDES FOOD, WATER, AND FLASHLIGHTS, ETC. VISIT READY.GOV TO SEE A COMPLETE LIST OF RECOMMENDED ITEMS FOR YOUR GO BAG. DURING THE FIRES, WE WERE EVACUATED FOR TWO WEEKS BUT MANY OF MY FRIENDS WERE EVACUATED FOR FOUR WEEKS, SO PLAN YOUR OSTOMY SUPPLIES ACCORDINGLY. *MAKE LISTS AND ASSIGN TASKS HAVE A FAMILY MEETING AND DECIDE WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR WHAT IN AN EMERGENCY. INSTEAD OF EVERYONE RUNNING AROUND FRANTICALLY, EACH PERSON WOULD HAVE A LIST OF TASKS. ONE PERSON SHOULD BE IN CHARGE OF MEDICAL SUPPLIES AND MEDICATIONS. MAKE A LIST OF FAMILY HEIRLOOMS/IRREPLACEABLE ITEMS AND WHERE THEY ARE LOCATED. DON T FORGET LAPTOPS OR THUMB DRIVES IF THAT IS WHERE PHOTOS ARE STORED. CONTINUED ON PAGE 5

3 S U P P O R T G R O U P M E E T I N G S San Fernando Valley Location: Brookdale Assisted Living Burbank Blvd. Tarzana, CA 7 pm to 9 pm 2 nd floor computer room 2019 January 23 July 24 March 27 September 25 May 22 November 20* * 3 rd Wednesday West Los Angeles Location: Veterans Memorial Complex 4117 Overland Ave. Culver City, CA 1 pm to 3 pm Check listings for room 2019 February 9* August 3 April 13* October 5 June 1 December 7 * 2 nd Saturday JANUARY 23 VISITOR TRAINING REVIEW PART 1- OSTOMY OVERVIEW ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY, DISEASE PROCESSES AND DIFFERENCES FEBRUARY 9 ROOM C MANUFACTURER REP- APRIL 13 ROOM C MARCH 27 VISITOR TRAINING REVIEW PART II OSTOMY CARE POUCHING, SKIN CARE, PSYCHOSOCIAL ISSSUES VISITOR TRAINING REVIEW PART 1 - OSTOMY OVERVIEW ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY, DISEASE PROCESSES AND DIFFERENCES Do you have a topic you would like discussed? Perhaps a guest you would like us to invite to present? Let us know!!

4 O S T O M Y I N T H E N E W S UOAA NATIONAL CONFERENCE REGISTRATION OPENS 1/1/19 AUGUST 6-10, 2019 UOAA NATIONAL CONFERENCE PHILADELPHIA, PA TOP MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS INSPIRATIONAL STORIES FREE STOMA CLINIC APPOINTMENTS WITH WOC NURSES PRODUCT EXHIBIT HALL WITH 25+ VENDORS SOCIAL EVENTS ASG LEADER NETWORKING DEDICATED SESSIONS FOR CAREGIVERS AND FAMILY VACATION DESTINATION MEDICAL MARIJUANA/PAIN MANAGEMENT SEXUALITY ACTIVE LIFESTYLE PANEL TOPICS FOR EXPERIENCED OSTOMATES HOTEL RESERVATIONS NOW OPEN PHILADELPHIA 201 HOTEL $159 USD PER NIGHT (PLUS TAXES/FEES) LAST DAY TO BOOK: FRIDAY, JULY 5, 2019 YOU MAY CALL CENTRAL RESERVATIONS AT TO BOOK A ROOM. SAY THAT YOU ARE BOOKING FOR UOAA OR USE GROUP CODE UO1369. GET MORE INFO AT THE UOAA WEBSITE: OSTOMY.ORG LOOK FOR THE NATIONAL CONFERENCE TAB

5 N E W S F R O M T H E U O A A U P D A T E *MAKE A COMMUNICATION PLAN DURING EMERGENCIES, CELL TOWERS CAN BE OVERWHELMED AND CALLS WILL OFTEN DROP. IN OUR SITUATION, TEXTS WOULD SEND BUT SINCE IT WAS THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT, PEOPLE OUTSIDE OUR AREA WERE SLEEPING AND NEVER GOT OUR FRANTIC MESSAGES. AFTERWARD, WE DISCOVERED THAT MOST CELL PHONES HAVE A WAY TO ALLOW TEXTS/CALLS TO ALERT FROM CERTAIN NUMBERS EVEN IF THE PHONE IS ON SILENT. FOR EXAMPLE, IF MY PHONE IS ON SILENT FOR THE NIGHT BUT MY MOM CALLS ME, MY PHONE WILL RING BECAUSE IT IS NOW SET SO THAT HER NUMBER OVERRIDES THE SILENT SETTING. LEARN ABOUT THE FEATURES YOUR PHONE HAS FOR EMERGENCIES. ALSO DESIGNATE A MEETING PLACE OUTSIDE THE AREA SO THAT IF THERE IS A RUSHED EVACUATION AND YOUR FAMILY IS SEPARATED, YOU KNOW WHERE TO MEET EACH OTHER. *KEEP EMERGENCY SUPPLIES TOGETHER WE DISCOVERED THAT ALL OF THE EMERGENCY SUPPLIES I HAD CAREFULLY GATHERED WERE NOT LOCATED IN THE MOST EFFICIENT PLACES. I HAD FOOD AND WATER IN THE GARAGE BUT OUR EMERGENCY RADIO AND FIRST AID KIT WERE OUT IN THE SHED. I HAD PURCHASED N-95 FACE MASKS BUT I COULDN T REMEMBER WHERE THEY WERE. HAVING THE ITEMS ISN T ENOUGH, THEY NEED TO BE LOCATED IN A PLACE WHERE THEY ARE FAST AND EASY TO ACCESS. THE SAME RULE APPLIES FOR OSTOMY SUPPLIES. KEEP THEM TOGETHER IN A PLACE THAT IS ACCESSIBLE. *PLAN ON EXTRA WATER IF YOU HAVE AN OSTOMY FOR EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS, THE RED CROSS RECOMMENDS PLANNING FOR ½ GALLON OF WATER PER PERSON PER DAY. HOWEVER, THAT IS FOR THE AVERAGE PERSON. IF YOU REQUIRE MORE WATER DUE TO YOUR OSTOMY OR AN UNDERLYING MEDICAL CONDITION, PLAN ON MORE. YOU MAY WANT TO PURCHASE FLUIDS THAT ARE ENRICHED WITH ELECTROLYTES TO PREVENT DEHYDRATION. *KEEP GAS IN YOUR CAR AND CASH IN YOUR WALLET DURING MOST DISASTERS, ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS THAT HAPPENS IS EVERYONE RUSHES TO GET GAS ON THEIR WAY OUT OF TOWN. GAS STATIONS QUICKLY RAN OUT OF GAS DURING THE FIRE. CREDIT CARD MACHINES ALSO WENT DOWN IN MANY LOCATIONS SO CASH WAS THE ONLY WAY TO PAY FOR GAS. IN THIS ERA OF ELECTRONICS AND TECHNOLOGY, ALWAYS HAVE A BACKUP PLAN. *TAKE PICTURES GO THROUGH YOUR HOME AND TAKE PICTURES OF EACH ROOM. THIS WILL SERVE AS PROOF FOR YOUR INSURANCE COMPANY OF WHAT YOU OWN, AND IT WILL ALSO REMIND YOU OF WHAT YOU OWN SO YOU CAN CLAIM YOUR LOSSES. TAKE A PHOTO OF YOUR MEDICAL SUPPLIES AS WELL. STORE THESE PICTURES IN MORE THAN ONE PLACE. I RECOMMEND KEEPING THEM DIGITALLY ON YOUR PHONE AND HARD COPIES IN YOUR GO BAG.

6 T H E P H O E N I X M A G A Z I N E Providing Answers for Ostomy Questions Topics addressed in each issue of The Phoenix Magazine include: * Advice from medical professionals * New ostomy products * Skin care and treatment * Odor control * Sex and intimacy * Emotional and psychological issues * Diet and exercise * Surgery techniques and advancements * Personal stories of recovery The Phoenix is printed 4 times a year for one year subscription for $ The Premier Online Version of The Phoenix magazine allows instant access to an electronic version at a discounted rate of $19.95 for a one-year subscription. Plus, a back issue is included at no additional charge. Click here for more information. The Phoenix is the official publication of the United Ostomy Associations of America. Subscriptions are a major source of funding for the UOAA to help improve the quality of life of people who have, or will have, an intestinal or urinary diversion.

7 T R A V E L I N G W I T H A N O S T O M Y

8 O A L A M E M B E R S H I P - N E W / R E N E W

9 I N F O R M A T I O N HAVE OSTOMY SUPPLIES THAT YOU NO LONGER USE?? Contact: Friends of Ostomates World Wide Or Ostogroup C C O N T A C T U S Phone Number: Our Hotline is Mailing Address: Ostomy Association of Los Angeles 4000 Magnolia, Suite D Box # 140 Burbank, CA Website: Did you miss a newsletter? Our past newsletters are online, check them out!

10 OALA 4000 Magnolia, Suite D Box # 140 Burbank, CA I N F O R M A T I O N