Yes indeed!! Welcome Erin!! If you’re on Facebook, there’s a great (and private) ladies group of ostomates (mostly colostomy and Ileostomy) but we are all from different countries, have different reasons for having ostomies, but there’s a lot of support there too so I try to share that often here as well 🙂. facebook.com/groups/1693184820935348/?ref=share
Thank you for the toilet paper idea, I never would have thought of that (though I have encountered a mad flushing toilet unfortunately). My doctor is over 3 hours away, so I've learned all the rest areas and gas stations along the route with good bathrooms and good faucets - I prefer the faucets that aren't motion activated and have a stream instead of 3 or 4 jets, in case I need to refill my rinse bottle. Also my "go bag" is a NISHEL 4 Sections Hanging Travel Toiletry Bag Organizer (large) that I got off the internet...that thing has enough room for 3 full bag change supplies, a water rinse bottle, and a vanity type mirror with suction cups on the back to stick to a door or wall to see what I'm doing - plus I can fit a pair of leggings, underpants, and a shirt in it for those really bad accidents. My 4 year old granddaughter calls it my Stanley bag...cuz, Stanley the Stoma...the bonus is it looks like a large purse, has a large exterior pocket for my wallet/phone, and does not look like a medical supply bag so I don't feel self-conscience carrying into the stores. Question - have you gone on any long road trips, if so how do you manage the long period in the car? My stoma (2nd) is high on my belly, but my first one was low and the seat belt was a nightmare...even now I have to be aware of not compressing my bag into a mini-pouch. Many Blessings.
Oh my goodness Charmin!! You do have a great routine down and I do love that your granddaughter - how adorable - named your supply satchel the Stanley bag!! 😄🥰 Way to be prepared too!! 👏🏻 💯 Three hours?!?!? I will not murmur about my 2 hour trips!! Bless your heart!! What a great point about the sensor faucets! I didn’t even think about that! Awesome, awesome point!! It sure is a pain trying to navigate where the sensor is to to keep the water streaming!! It’s funny that you ask about what I do on long trips. I was going to actually put that in this video but I wanted to stay focused on public bathrooms as much as I could LOL! So, I thought that I would create a video just for camping and road trips. We did actually take a 12 Hour Drive (in one direction) that was supposed to go longer (last May) but our dog had been recently diagnosed with Cushing’s and she wasn’t riding well so we stopped about 600 miles short of our first destination. What I actually do is collect these plastic containers from Dollar Tree that have screwtop‘s (less likely to leak if they tip). They have a wide opening and it easily catches urine if I need to pee in the car as well as emptying my bag. I put a little bit of soap and water in the bottom - that way there’s always some kind of cleaner in it to help neutralize whatever goes into it. I’ll bring them home, flush the contents, bleach them out, and use them again. It worked so great on the trip that I decided I was going to keep them in the car all the time and they have come in handy - especially during the heights of the pandemic when I was a little leery about using public bathrooms. The vehicle I have is a minivan with seats that stow away so I have a huge space in between the back and the driver seat. Mainly it’s reserved for our big dog but there is still plenty of room for me to use the space if I need to. It’s also equipped to be a camping vehicle, with covers for the windows etc. I have complete privacy to do what I need to do. I also make sure I keep camping toilet paper in the van because I flush all contents down the toilet and we have a septic system so we need to be careful about the type of toilet paper that’s flushed. As for the seatbelt, I have captains chairs and will actually wrap the seatbelt around the arm first then click it. That can give me some extra space. I’ll also use a small pillow right over my stoma so the seatbelt presses against the pillow and not my ostomy. How ironic that your question actually crosses over into one of my other channel’s focus’ (KarahVan Chronicles) 🤣 I sure do love that minivan 🤷🏻♀️ I hope that helps! 💜 I’m not sure what your vehicle is but those small containers really come in handy for me! When I do the video, I’ll of course post pictures of what I use 🙂. Blessings!!
Do you ever empty your bag standing up? It's easier for me to empty it standing up so I place toilet paper on top of the water so that it doesn't splash when I empty my bag.
Yes Carolyn! I had to when I was initially home post op. I wasn't able to walk without a full leg brace & walker - which made emptying while sitting not too convenient so for several months, I emptied at the sink, with a large bowl. I then emptied the bowl into the toilet. Whatever makes it easy is what works! The toilet paper in the toilet first tip is a great one! I've seen folks also lay tp half into the bowl and on the seat, covering the sides too. That's where most of my output tends to go so I will do that if it's not fully liquid.
Dear Karah. Thanks for your video. I don't quite know what you mean Like a Boss. What comes to my mind. (Forgive me). When I'm in a hurry for emptying my pouch i place some toilet paper in the bowl and I'm in the standing position and then empty the pouch like a Boss. Hihi. Bless you Karah.
That’s it Marlene!!! 😄💪🏻 🥰 👏🏻 WOOO HOOO!! I was feeling empowered that I mastered the auto-flush toilet - like a boss 🤣 And we all can master that toilet time where it’s not going to be everything we think about - even though it may be for a while post op. This too shall pass. We can get back to the business of living, sharing & caring 💜
Having a list of clean bathrooms is a great idea. I am a new ostomate (4 weeks) and I am learning so much thank you!
Yes indeed!! Welcome Erin!! If you’re on Facebook, there’s a great (and private) ladies group of ostomates (mostly colostomy and Ileostomy) but we are all from different countries, have different reasons for having ostomies, but there’s a lot of support there too so I try to share that often here as well 🙂.
facebook.com/groups/1693184820935348/?ref=share
Thank you for the toilet paper idea, I never would have thought of that (though I have encountered a mad flushing toilet unfortunately). My doctor is over 3 hours away, so I've learned all the rest areas and gas stations along the route with good bathrooms and good faucets - I prefer the faucets that aren't motion activated and have a stream instead of 3 or 4 jets, in case I need to refill my rinse bottle. Also my "go bag" is a NISHEL 4 Sections Hanging Travel Toiletry Bag Organizer (large) that I got off the internet...that thing has enough room for 3 full bag change supplies, a water rinse bottle, and a vanity type mirror with suction cups on the back to stick to a door or wall to see what I'm doing - plus I can fit a pair of leggings, underpants, and a shirt in it for those really bad accidents. My 4 year old granddaughter calls it my Stanley bag...cuz, Stanley the Stoma...the bonus is it looks like a large purse, has a large exterior pocket for my wallet/phone, and does not look like a medical supply bag so I don't feel self-conscience carrying into the stores.
Question - have you gone on any long road trips, if so how do you manage the long period in the car? My stoma (2nd) is high on my belly, but my first one was low and the seat belt was a nightmare...even now I have to be aware of not compressing my bag into a mini-pouch. Many Blessings.
Oh my goodness Charmin!! You do have a great routine down and I do love that your granddaughter - how adorable - named your supply satchel the Stanley bag!! 😄🥰
Way to be prepared too!! 👏🏻 💯
Three hours?!?!? I will not murmur about my 2 hour trips!! Bless your heart!!
What a great point about the sensor faucets! I didn’t even think about that! Awesome, awesome point!! It sure is a pain trying to navigate where the sensor is to to keep the water streaming!!
It’s funny that you ask about what I do on long trips. I was going to actually put that in this video but I wanted to stay focused on public bathrooms as much as I could LOL! So, I thought that I would create a video just for camping and road trips.
We did actually take a 12 Hour Drive (in one direction) that was supposed to go longer (last May) but our dog had been recently diagnosed with Cushing’s and she wasn’t riding well so we stopped about 600 miles short of our first destination.
What I actually do is collect these plastic containers from Dollar Tree that have screwtop‘s (less likely to leak if they tip). They have a wide opening and it easily catches urine if I need to pee in the car as well as emptying my bag.
I put a little bit of soap and water in the bottom - that way there’s always some kind of cleaner in it to help neutralize whatever goes into it. I’ll bring them home, flush the contents, bleach them out, and use them again.
It worked so great on the trip that I decided I was going to keep them in the car all the time and they have come in handy - especially during the heights of the pandemic when I was a little leery about using public bathrooms. The vehicle I have is a minivan with seats that stow away so I have a huge space in between the back and the driver seat. Mainly it’s reserved for our big dog but there is still plenty of room for me to use the space if I need to.
It’s also equipped to be a camping vehicle, with covers for the windows etc. I have complete privacy to do what I need to do.
I also make sure I keep camping toilet paper in the van because I flush all contents down the toilet and we have a septic system so we need to be careful about the type of toilet paper that’s flushed.
As for the seatbelt, I have captains chairs and will actually wrap the seatbelt around the arm first then click it. That can give me some extra space. I’ll also use a small pillow right over my stoma so the seatbelt presses against the pillow and not my ostomy.
How ironic that your question actually crosses over into one of my other channel’s focus’ (KarahVan Chronicles) 🤣 I sure do love that minivan 🤷🏻♀️
I hope that helps! 💜 I’m not sure what your vehicle is but those small containers really come in handy for me! When I do the video, I’ll of course post pictures of what I use 🙂.
Blessings!!
Great video and thank you for the shout out at the end! I am getting things ready and counting the days.
Absolutely!!
Do you ever empty your bag standing up? It's easier for me to empty it standing up so I place toilet paper on top of the water so that it doesn't splash when I empty my bag.
Yes Carolyn! I had to when I was initially home post op. I wasn't able to walk without a full leg brace & walker - which made emptying while sitting not too convenient so for several months, I emptied at the sink, with a large bowl. I then emptied the bowl into the toilet.
Whatever makes it easy is what works! The toilet paper in the toilet first tip is a great one! I've seen folks also lay tp half into the bowl and on the seat, covering the sides too. That's where most of my output tends to go so I will do that if it's not fully liquid.
Try to avoid them… I have made myself a small list of suitable places (surprisingly, Repsol petrol stations have very good restrooms)
I know what you mean!! It certainly helps to know the good ones for when you gotta!!
Dear Karah. Thanks for your video. I don't quite know what you mean
Like a Boss. What comes to my mind. (Forgive me). When I'm in a hurry for emptying my pouch i place some toilet paper in the bowl and I'm in the standing position and then empty the pouch like a Boss. Hihi. Bless you Karah.
That’s it Marlene!!! 😄💪🏻 🥰 👏🏻 WOOO HOOO!! I was feeling empowered that I mastered the auto-flush toilet - like a boss 🤣 And we all can master that toilet time where it’s not going to be everything we think about - even though it may be for a while post op. This too shall pass. We can get back to the business of living, sharing & caring 💜
Thanks Karah.
Thank you!! Blessings!!