CRF flight query..

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JMan
Posts: 3471
Joined: Fri Apr 23, 2004 10:21 am
Location: Lives in a slightly weird bit of Shropshire called Telford!

CRF flight query..

Post by JMan »

The enquirer has 9yr old son with CRF and has to be catheterized every few hours via a stoma. Hospital advised may be a good idea to contact air line to ask if they can have permission to use 1st class toilet facilities to cut down the risk of infection, care has done this but airline won’t give commitment they have said it is up to the staff on the day.

Any suggestions folks??

TIA

JMan
"Dialysis! What is this? The dark ages!"
L. 'Bones' McCoy, ST"
Read my blog:)
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Art from Ontario
Posts: 55
Joined: Mon Apr 26, 2004 1:11 am
Location: Niagara, Ontario, Canada

CRF flight inquiry

Post by Art from Ontario »

Dear JMan
I am assuming that the stoma is either and illeostomy or a urostomy.
I've had my illeal loop urostomy for 15 yrs. The stoma does not need
to be sterile, only the catheter to be inserted.
The chance of infection are minimal. Remember, the tissue inside of the stoma is the inside lining of a section of small bowel.
Think of what comes out of a person's bowel and you will know
what kind of bacteria the stoma can put up with.

My transplanted kidney was connected to my existing stoma and
a stint was placed in the new kidney's ureter to keep the swelling
at the attachment point open. The end of the stint exited the stoma
(so you could pull it out after the risk of swelling closed the ureter
was gone)
Several days after transplant, while I was changing the ostomy flange
I failed to keep hold of the end of the stint and it slipped back into the
stoma.
I didn't want the stint end to poke a hole in the
side of the stoma, so the doctor was informed.
The next day, the transplant surgeon came in with a plastic haemostate
(pliers) in his hand, zippped my bag off, stuck the pliers into the stoma
a few inches, felt around for the stint and pulled it out....
..elapsed time 45 seconds....sterile proceedure....not needed.

Also, 2 of my children had the same ureter reflux problems
as I did.
After each of their bilateral reimplant surgeries (into the bladder)
of their ureters, they had to self-catheterize every 4 hours
for a couple of weeks. (These surgeries took 8hrs & 6hrs resp.)

The oldest boy, at 9 yrs, would catheterize in the school washrooms and at home for 2 weeks until the bladder residuals (after peeing) showed the
normal 50cc max. Then he stopped and never again. (he's 30yr now)

The 8 yr old girl did the same, but school was out, so not needed in
public washrooms (she got to here max residuals in 10 days)
She is 20 yrs old now.
They both did their own documenting (wall charts in bathroom).

I think the people involved need to be more informed about
the boy's medical condition.

In this day & age, statements made by medical personel are
too heavily influenced by their concern over legal action.


....Art
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Art from Ontario
Posts: 55
Joined: Mon Apr 26, 2004 1:11 am
Location: Niagara, Ontario, Canada

Neobladder

Post by Art from Ontario »

(forgot to add)
If the boy has a neobladder, jpouch, wpouch,or spouch he is catheterizing
then they are all still made from the same bowel tissue as the stoma.
He just has a valve to slip the catheter by.
... art
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JMan
Posts: 3471
Joined: Fri Apr 23, 2004 10:21 am
Location: Lives in a slightly weird bit of Shropshire called Telford!

Post by JMan »

Thanks Art.. that is a most useful response.. I am going to wait till next week then collect all the information I have and pass it on the the person concerned:)

Thanks again.
"Dialysis! What is this? The dark ages!"
L. 'Bones' McCoy, ST"
Read my blog:)
Live to Fly
Image
http://www.flickr.com/cybercast
amanda in CA
Posts: 1806
Joined: Fri Apr 23, 2004 5:14 pm
Location: Georgia, USA

flight query

Post by amanda in CA »

My suggestion is to endeavour to get something in writing from the airline, escalate it upwards if the answer is less than satisfactory. It is simply not good enough to leave it to the crew on the day to decide, there needs to be a written policy for everyone's sake. Rattle people's cages enough, and policy change can happen, my husband managed to get BA to change their policy regarding when people can use their first class lounge as a frequent flier. Amanda
Art from Ontario
Posts: 55
Joined: Mon Apr 26, 2004 1:11 am
Location: Niagara, Ontario, Canada

Post by Art from Ontario »

This sounds like paranoia...because..

1. First Class Washrooms are less hygenic than economy class....
....first class passengers often want some one else to clean up after them.
3. This prcedure is as sterile as a bandaid change.

.Art
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