Debbie Herlihy is someone who makes a difference in people’s lives. This El Camino Hospital nurse, who is specially trained as an enterostomy therapist, works with patients before and after they have ostomy surgery.
She helps people learn how to get on with their lives even though after the surgery their body waste collects in a bag taped to their tummy.
“Having an ostomy is a major life-altering, body-image-altering event, like a mastectomy,” Herlihy said. “Eventually people adjust to it and accept their new body image.”
The ostomy procedure – a colostomy, ileostomy or urostomy – surgically creates an opening in the abdomen, to bypass a damaged or diseased part through which body waste then passes.
This 45-year-old mother of two works with patients as teacher, coach and support person while the patient is in the Mountain View hospital.
Sometimes Herlihy sees patients before surgery. This allows her to watch them move when they sit or stand up and to find the smoothest spot on their tummy for the new opening. “And then I mark it – X marks the spot,” she said.
Since everybody’s tummy is smooth when they are lying down – and that’s what the surgeons see – her X helps in locating the new opening.
After surgery, Herlihy teaches patients how to care for their new opening – called a stoma – and how to cope with the traumatic change in their body.
She’s “very caring, gentle, patient,” said Cheryl Reinking, Herlihy’s supervisor.
“I bring my basket full of stuff and figure out which product works with which patient,” Herlihy said. “There are more than 2,500 different dressings and products to choose from. I can teach people how to live with this whole new body they have.”
Her youngest patient was 9. “Soon he was emptying and changing his pouch on his own,” she said.
She shares tips.
A hot tub will melt a pouch. “Just change it when you get out,” she said. Pouches are 100 percent waterproof
You can still wear your regular clothes.
“Unless you’re really into Spandex, no clothing modification is needed,” she said. “Men may need to switch to boxers or suspenders,” she said, depending upon the location of the stoma.
She offers encouragement.
Yes, folks can return to an active sex life. One of her patients has had two babies since her surgery
She speaks with pride.
A 24-year-old patient loved to surf. After his ostomy, he created a belt that wound around his abdomen, like a wet suit, and he could tuck his pouch into it.
“It protected his stoma, and he could slide all over his surfboard,” she said.
Herlihy came to El Camino Hospital in May and is the only enterostomal therapist on staff.
She has been a nurse since 1976. Nine years ago she was treating many patients with wounds who were in home care. She took a class on wound treatment and became intrigued, deciding she wanted to specialize in stomal therapy.
First she needed to earn a college diploma. In 1995 she received a bachelor of science degree. Ten days later she started the enterostomal training.
Ostomy patients are just a part of her work. She is also certified for wound and continence management.
“The nurses love her,” Reinking said. “She’s a mentor, always willing to teach. She’s approachable.
“And she’s very well respected by physicians. One day I heard a plastic surgeon asking her advice. She’s seen as a expert throughout the hospital.”
Herlihy is definitely someone who makes a difference.
