If you will be undergoing, or have undergone, ostomy surgery, Rory Hornstein RD is here for you. Meeting with an experienced and Registered Dietitian after your ostomy surgery is extremely important. A dietitian can help with nutritional guidance, dietary adjustments, hydration and electrolyte balance, food intolerance and avoidance issues, preventing malnutrition, supporting and healing recovery, addressing individual concerns, empathy and understanding, and practical insights. Rory is particularly qualified and well equipped to help with all of these things. Not only does she have first-hand knowledge of recovery having undergone an ileostomy herself, but she has co-authored 3 e-books on eating and living well with an Ostomy for Coloplast Canada (“Ileostomy and Colostomy Guide to Living and Eating Well” and “Urostomy Guide to Living Well”) and is serving as a medical lifestyle advisory team member for Ostomy Canada Society.
What is Ostomy Surgery?
Ostomy surgery is an operation that changes the way the contents of your intestine leave your body when part or all of your bowel is injured, diseased or missing. The surgery involves creating an opening (ostomy) in the abdominal wall to allow the intestines to drain out the surface of the abdomen. In other words, an ostomy allows for the passage of stool or urine from the body when the normal route is blocked or needs to be bypassed. This procedure is often necessary in cases where the digestive tract or urinary system is compromised, which might be the case with certain types of cancer, inflammatory bowel diseases (like Crohn’s Disease or Ulcerative Colitis), trauma or other conditions affecting the bladder or intestines.