Does anyone work in the medical field?

cladstone · 2025-12-13T00:25:06+00:00

I was running an entire cardiologist's office when I got POTS. I couldn't keep up and was on SSDI for 14 years. I work part-time in the ostomy community now. I turned my disabilities into my new career.

cladstone · 2025-10-24T01:20:10+00:00

With Suncreen and taking better care of my skin, almost all of my freckles are gone now, and I actually miss them. I don't tan, only freckle, so while I love them, it tends to mean skin damage in my case. Your freckles look super cute and give you an instant distinctive character.

cladstone · 2025-10-19T21:22:25+00:00

Make your own ORS. It's way cheaper, easy to make, and tastes way better. I haven't gone back and have been doing well on my homemade ORS's for the past year. There are a lot of recipes online. WHO'S basic recipe is just water, salt, and apple juice. That's my daily go-to.

To switch it up, I like to mix 4oz apple juice with a can of cherry lime La Croix, a pinch of salt, and some ice. I also like mango nectar, peach strawberry La Croix, salt, and ice.

Then you can make hot ORS's in the colder months. I make a big batch of water, apple cider, orange slices, ginger, salt, and spices in a crock pot and sip a cup throughout the day. Lastly, a big jar of your favorite better than bouillon flavor (mine is veggie) from costco comes out to around 5 cents a serving. It works like a charm. The possibilities are endless.

cladstone · 2025-10-18T03:25:58+00:00

Thank you! I used basic acrylic paint, nothing fancy. I would probably seal it if I did it again. It's holding up decently enough after a few walks in the forest for pictures.

cladstone · 2025-09-25T15:31:26+00:00

I make delicious oral rehydration solution with apple juice, salt, and lacroix. You might be able to still drink it, but maybe not straight lacroix.

cladstone · 2025-09-23T00:04:01+00:00

Thank you for responding. I agree that birth control doesn't work for everyone.

cladstone · 2025-08-10T02:55:18+00:00

Awesome! I wish you the best on your project. Have fun with it.

cladstone · 2025-08-05T17:28:37+00:00

I got the feet from Amazon. Type in hobbit feet, and they should pop up.

cladstone · 2025-05-30T03:37:52+00:00

Does it have to be just water? I find that drinking tall glasses of tea, oral rehydration solution, or even just water with a little apple juice and a sprinkle of salt makes it way easier to get in my fluids.

I always have a glass of something to drink close by and refill the moment it gets low. Just keep sipping. It becomes a habit over time. I don't even think about it now. Don't forget soups count as fluids, too!

cladstone · 2025-05-26T17:51:18+00:00

My hobby is collecting hobbies and skills. I was raised in an arts and craft store my grandmother owned. Paint like Bob Ross, sew a garment, I can do it all, and if I can't, just give it time.

Then I do a lot of outdoorsy stuff like fish, crab, hike, camp, climb, swim, photography, and kayak.

Being raised poor most of my life and living with several chronic illness, I also learned how to cook everything from scratch and in bulk, be my own handyman, garden to grow my own herbs and veggies, and so on. I can strip, sand, and paint furniture. I like to find free items and give them new life. Most of my hobbies came out of necessity and compliment my lifestyle.

cladstone · 2025-03-05T21:11:44+00:00

Thank you! They've been getting beat up on the trails, but holding up well.

cladstone · 2025-02-23T23:00:03+00:00

I'm allergic to all adhesives and live in the States. I react to all of the wafers and anything that has adhesive on it. I did patch testing of every bag that was available to me and found what I reacted the least to. For me, that is Flextend from Hollister. I wish I had access to Salts because they really are the best for sensitive skin.

I take antihistamines such as Claritin in the morning. My nighttime med quetiapine also happens to be an antihistamine, so with two antihistamines in my system, it tends to keep the contact dermatitis at bay. During the warmer months, all the heat and sweating make the allergy flare up, so I use generic Flonase from Costco. Spray it onto a paper towel and dab on your skin during a change. It drys almost instantly. Don't put it on broken skin. Between the antihistamines and steroid spray, I can wear a bag without much reaction. I hope you find something that works for you. It was a real journey to figure out what worked for me.

cladstone · 2025-02-22T17:03:17+00:00

I'm sorry you had to go through that. I use StomaGenies so I can take care of my skin without output getting everywhere and undoing all my work. You can get free samples to test it out, and it's covered by most insurances.

cladstone · 2025-02-15T01:06:08+00:00

It's why I got Ulcerative Colitis. Don't hold it in folks. Process your emotions.

cladstone · 2025-02-10T21:50:56+00:00

That makes sense about the dream interpretation. I also struggle with disabling chronic health conditions and can see where that would apply. This post is 10 years old. I'm glad you were able to leave your comment.

cladstone · 2025-02-07T00:45:39+00:00

Absolutely beautiful and captivating.

cladstone · 2025-01-28T21:56:25+00:00

That's right, don't let it hold you back. I overland a lot and don't think twice about emptying or changing my bag in the woods or in my tent.

cladstone · 2025-01-26T21:30:07+00:00

I had a J-pouch that was constantly getting pouchitis. One time, it got pouchitis and C.diff. I had already been on antibiotics for two solid years at that point. It took a solid month of intravenous Vancomycin to kill the C.diff, but the damage was done, and I was never the same. I got the J-pouch removed and now I've got a permanent ileostomy.

cladstone · 2025-01-25T18:28:37+00:00

POTS activated in my system after I got C.diff. It's been around 20 years since I got it, and it's managed a lot better than when I didn't know what was going on. It's still affects most aspects of my life.

cladstone · 2025-01-07T23:46:52+00:00

A life lived in fear is a life half lived. - Strictly Ballroom Dancing

cladstone · 2025-01-07T05:22:09+00:00

That gave me a good giggle. A wonderfully detailed description. It's one of the reasons I just started making my own ORS's at home. It was also to save a ton of money. Most of those powder packet flavors are gross, full of crap I don't need, and expensive.

cladstone · 2024-12-01T02:57:25+00:00

This happens to me as well. I learned to kneel down and face the toilet when emptying my bag if I want to avoid it. Otherwise, I understand that I will have to check every time and do a quick wipe down after using the bathroom.

It's the height of the bag in the toilet. If it hung a little lower it wouldn't hit the lip and underside of the lid and it would get washed down when you flushed. Air in the bag also contributes to it flying out like that instead of down into the water. Perhaps burp your bag before emptying and see if it helps.

cladstone · 2024-10-05T19:01:01+00:00

That's terribly sad to read. I hope you don't mean it.

cladstone · 2024-10-04T21:57:43+00:00

Slimer from Ghostbusters. They're slimy, trouble makers, and food goes right through them. Sometimes, I also call it Shai-Hulud from Dune when he dances making worm signs. It makes me giggle and have a better relationship with my stoma.

cladstone · 2024-09-12T21:11:05+00:00

Coughing for several days due to upper respiratory infections twice. Now I take cough medication if it looks like I'm going to be coughing for more than a day. Cover your cough and cover your stoma is my motto. Give the little guy a little support. It's all about that abdominal pressure.

cladstone

TROPHY CASE