HAN 2017 – The Lowdown

August 7, 2017August 7, 2017 matrust2016

The Lowdown on Enteral and Parenteral Nutrition – Supporting PINNT HAN Awareness 2017

Ever find yourself scratching your head about the terms people use in relation to feeding? New to it and confused? On one type, but not sure of the other? We’ve put together this table to help drill down some specifics… Click on the highlighted terms to read the definition as well as our lived library entries. Lots more info can be found at PINNT too.

	Enteral Nutrition	Parenteral Nutrition
Definition	Passing through the intestinal tract	Occurring outside of the intestinal tract
Acronyms / Alt Names Used	EN, HEN, Tube Feeding	PN, HPN, TPN
Device(s)	NG/NJ tube (short-term) G tube G/J tube J tube	Hickman line (or alternative Central Venous Catheter (CVC) Portacath/PORT PICC (short-term)
Term for Site on Body	Stoma	Exit Site
Where on Body	Abdomen (except naso-tubes)	Chest
Type of Nutrition	Formula	Infusion
Delivery System	G tube: Pump / Bolus J tube: Pump	Pump
Procedure / Technique	Clean / Sterile	Aseptic Non-Touch Technique (ANTT)

Inspiration

April 1, 2017April 3, 2017 matrust2016

These are some of the inspirational individuals, who as well as putting themselves and their experiences with medical accessories out there, have found creative ways to push pass stigma and challenge ideas about disability, illness and body confidence to name a few. We hope they inspire you too.

Bedeleven

A blog about stomas, fistulas, TPN, intestinal failure and living life. Hayley charts her experience of undergoing a multitude of surgeries, the challenges of living with multiple medical appliances and treatments, and the search for diagnosis. Hayley’s experiences are shared with humour. She has gone on to work in the health service.

Hannahwritesablog

Hannah is a poet who blogs about the health challenges she faces, through living with multiple health conditions, including intestinal failure and life with a feeding tube. There is lots to be found on her site above. An article by Hannah about writing from experience, featuring some of her poems can also be found here. In it Hannah discusses how her poetry helps her in processing sometimes traumatic health events, and enables others to get a sense of her experience, including challenging misconceptions about artificial feeding and being unable to eat.

Lucy’s Light

Lucy is an amazing health advocate who works tirelessly to spread awareness. Alongside her other projects, Lucy writes a blog about issues relating to chronic and life limiting illness, disability, different conditions, healthcare and hospice and palliative care. Including info about living with multiple ostomies and a central (Hickman) line. Here Lucy challenges societal conceptualisations of beauty and the way in which disability is perceived. The article challenges shame and celebrates what our bodies have endured.

Stomainateacup

Shelley is brilliant health advocate and determined campaigner, involved in many health projects. Shell blogs about multiple health conditions and issues, including life with an ostomy. Here Shell shares her awesome group swim, for Colostomy and World Ostomy day. She discusses using difference to make a difference, through raising awareness and challenging misinformation.

Disclaimer: MAST takes no responsibility for the content of external sites. Inclusion here does not signify endorsement.

What Lies Beneath Campaign

March 15, 2017March 16, 2017 matrust2016

We are launching our What Lies Beneath campaign to increase awareness about the medical accessories people live with and care for day to day. It is allied to the Not All Disabilities Are Visible movement associated with multiple charities and individuals.

We’ve put together a double sided information card to promote awareness about the existence of hidden medical accessories, as well as basic information about the different medical appliances and devices, that people may have. Its handy business card size, means single or multiple cards can be carried around in a bag or wallet and used if and when an occasion arises. We’ve also produced an A4 poster with the same information, for places where a static sheet or leaflet would be useful. Both can be downloaded by clicking on the relevant PDF below.

The card and leaflet are particularly aimed at those situations where those of us with hidden accessories can be negatively appraised, challenged or simply misunderstood. Using disabled facilities is a frequent context where this can occur, but there are also many other times when greater understanding and awareness would be helpful. It can be difficult in the moment to know what to say. Sometimes it is just a shake of the head and disapproving look we receive. Those with medical accessories should not have to feel they need give personal information to explain themselves, unless they want to. The recipient will not know which medical appliance / device you have. The card quietly asks others to reappraise the situation, while you go on your way. The front side of the card can also be used alone if preferred. We hope that the recipients understanding will then be carried forward to future situations.