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Tracheostomy is the process of creating a small surgical opening in a part of your throat called trachea or the windpipe in common terminology. A specially designed tube, generally known as a trach, is placed into this opening to enable a person to breathe easily. 

It helps to keep the airway open to help with oxygen supply, breathing treatments, and to regularly help with the cleaning of mucous accumulated. For some people who have extreme breathing troubles, a ventilator is attached to this tube to make breathing easier. 

120,000 people have ostomy surgery each year, and nearly 1 million people have some type of stoma, as reported in 2003. The number is only increasing.

While it may feel incredibly scary and isolating to know you're about to have a stoma, you're in good company. In fact, famous people with ostomies include the Queen Mum and Pope John Paul II. So don't worry, you're hardly alone.

In this blog post, we'll go over what exactly an ostomy is, as well as what ostomy supplies you'll need once you're released from the hospital. This post will make your transition from the hospital to the comfort of your own home as easy as possible.

If you're reading this before your surgery, don't forget to ask your doctor or nurse for anything specialized that you may need. While we can attempt to cover everything you may need, every person is different. As such, their ostomy supplies may not be uniform.

Read on for more information about the ostomy supplies you'll need.

As we age, sometimes our bodies don't cooperate in the way they once did. We deal with more aches and things like walking difficulties and adult incontinence.

If you suffer from incontinence, you're not alone! Some form of incontinence is common in about 51% of people aged 65 or older. Suffering from incontinence can keep you home and away from friends, family, and daily activities. Without the right tools and methods to ease your distress, it's easy to give up an active lifestyle. 

There's no need to suffer alone or stop doing the things you love if incontinence is part of your life. Keep reading to learn how to find relief and regain your freedom. 

A person lies on a hospital bed, gauze covering the entirety of their body except for their penetrating eyes. You may be familiar with this image from television and film, but it is not merely a theatrical convention. This cliché from medical drama has some basis in medical fact.

We often see the pain of the fictional patient, but the truth is that their extensive dressing plays a significant part in their recovery. Here is some information on the Unna boot, including what kinds of wounds it can treat and how to make the most of it.

Many people need regular injections of medicine for one reason or another. Everyone knows about insulin shots, but medical syringes and needles are also vital for hormone injections, certain cancer medications, and fertility drug administration. In all these cases and more, the person administering the shot needs to get it right, whether they are the patient or a guardian/caretaker. Any mistakes or slip-ups may prove painful.

Did you know that about 45 percent of normal, healthy adults snore on occasion? If you didn't, you do now. Ask your sleeping partner if you are one of those people, and they will likely regale you with stories of being kept awake at night by your buzzsaw of a throat --- that is if you haven't already been on the receiving end of a few jokes.

The good news for your partner, and ultimately you, is there are ways you can ease your snoring without a trip to the doctor. Here are five ways you can put an end to the annoying noise as soon as tonight.

When we are children, our parents are always there for us with a kiss and a bandage when we have a banged up knee. Fall off your bike and scrape your arm, a bit of antiseptic ointment does the trick. As we enter middle age, roles tend to reverse. Our parents are no longer taking care of us; we are taking care of them.

Bandages and ointments may still be staples of first aid kits, but do you need something more? If you are taking care of your senior parents, having a first aid kit on hand is essential and stocking it with the right supplies is important. Here are some things to be sure to include in your kit for seniors.

As we age, we tend to take more medications in order to manage various health conditions. Some of those medications may be oral, and some may be delivered via injection. If you are taking care of your adult parents, knowing what to do with your full sharps container is important.

Learn how to properly dispose of sharps now!

When you got a cut as a kid, an adult washed it off, slapped a bandage on it and gave it a kiss. You were all better. At worst, you had a cool scab to show off to your friends. The older we get, the more careful we have to be about taking care of a cut properly. Our skin gets thinner as we age, and cuts can have more serious consequences.

Learn how to treat a simple cut at home.

No one wants their child to be sick, but with the cold and flu season in full swing, it's almost unavoidable. With winter fun comes sore throats, headaches, fever, and other ailments. If your child is sick, there are some things you can do at home to help them overcome their illness.

Here's what you need to know...

If you have a picky eater on your hands, you know how frustrating meal times can be. If your little one refused to eat anything but plain hot dogs, chances are you are wondering whether they are getting an adequate amount of nutrition.

After you have bladder surgery, you may be given a urostomy pouch or bag. This pouch is attached to your skin around a stoma, which is the hole urine will drain from. Your urostomy bag may also be called an appliance. In order to be sanitary and remain healthy, you will need to change your bag frequently.

Here's what you need to know...