Advice on the nature of my pictures and how to get the password to view them

These pictures are directed at those perhaps learning how to cope with changing one type of stoma pouch — a single piece Coloplast Assura Drainable. The whole process takes about 10 minutes and is carried out every 48 hours. Emptying the bag routinely using the first part of this process takes about 3 minutes about 3 times a day.

Some would find most of the pictures a little gruesome so if this is likely please go back to the text. Otherwise, email me at jmwest@ntlworld.com for the password to open the pictures.

After getting the password, click here to get to the links to all the pictures by entering the password once only.

I hope you find them informative. There is nothing that should offend someone genuinely interested in finding out what a stoma actually looks like. My belly is not quite as fat as some of these poses suggest. Please be aware that my stoma spout  is apparently unusually long, but I am pretty sure that it is functionally more efficient than a non-protruding spout. The protrusion ensures that the waste does not go on my skin and hence I have never suffered from skin contamination problems like some ileostomists seem to do. So I am pleased to advertise what I think is a good stoma construction. I'm afraid that the surgeons might not appreciate the reason for a long spout — but my surgeon has my eternal thanks for his technique and giving me a good quality of life.

Picture Menu (after obtaining the password)

1. Clothed prior to removal of bag
2. Assembly of shield, bag cover and support pouch
3. Shield hanging off
4. Dirty bag hanging in support pocket
5. Dirty bag hanging outside support pocket
6. Side view dirty bag hanging outside support pocket
7. Ditto
8. Closeup of stoma through dirty bag
9. Side view of stoma in dirty bag
10. Another side view
11. Clean bag with my fingers showing through hole
12. Clean bag from flange side
13. Ditto
14. General view of clean stoma bag
15. Sitting on loo; 2 feet distant; dirty bag hanging between legs
16. Sitting on loo; 2 feet distant; dirt dropping into loo
17. Sitting on loo; 2 feet distant; wiping end of bag clean
18. Sitting on loo; 2 feet distant; opening bag end for cleansing water entry
19. Sitting on loo; 2 feet distant; filling bag with cleansing water
20. Sitting on loo; 2 feet distant; emptying dirty water into loo
21. Sitting on loo; 2 feet distant; first stage of peeling old bag down
22. Sitting on loo; 2 feet distant; second stage of peeling old bag down
23. Sitting on loo; 2 feet distant; bag removed, supporting spout in tissue paper
24. Sitting on loo; 2 feet distant; ditto
25. Sitting on loo; 2 feet distant; ditto
26. Sitting on loo; 2 feet distant; cleaning skin with wipe
27. Sitting on loo; 2 feet distant; tissue paper getting dirty
28. Sitting on loo; 2 feet distant; shaving skin
29. Sitting on loo; 2 feet distant; side view after shaving
30. Stood up; wiping skin
31. Spout from various angles; 1 feet range
32. Spout from various angles; 1 feet range
33. Spout from various angles; 1feet range
34. Spout from various angles; 1feet range
35. Spout from various angles; 1feet range
36. Spout from 3 inches
37. Spout from 3 inches
38. Putting clip on new bag
39. Removing backing sheet from new bag flange
40. Presenting new bag to spout
41. Sticking new bag to skin
42. Flattening new bag to skin
43. Showing Convatec clip after sticking new bag
44. New bag installed; front view
45. Ditto; side view
46. Ditto; side view
47. Showing white shirtsleeve pouch before fitting
48. Clipping white shirtsleeve pouch to pants elastic
49. Ditto
50. New bag from 2 feet
51. Inserting bag into linen cover
52. Ditto
53. Bag, linen cover and shield final assembly
54. Inserting bag cover into shirtsleeve pouch
55. Total assembly
56. Total assembly closeup
57. Ditto side view
58. Total assembly covered with clothing
59. Trousers pulled up in place
60. Standing fully clothed and refreshed for another few days
61. 5FU chemo pump attached to arm for nighttime
62. 5FU chemo pump slung around neck for daytime
63. 5FU chemo pump
64. Catheter (blue tube) entering crook of straight arm
65. Catheter (blue tube) entering crook of bent arm
66. Draught excluders on bed
67. Draught excluders supporting body/back/leg