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What's in your every day carry/emergency kit?

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Posted 5/30/2013 6:50 PM (GMT 0)
Hello.

I am curious about what you all carry with you everyday.

I am carrying 1 one-piece bag(2 bags if I have the space), 1 barrier ring, 2 barrier wipes, 2 no sting wipes, scissors, 1" micropore tape, meds(immodium, tylenol, etc.), few flange extenders (in case I have a minor leak and am 30-60 minutes away from my stash).

So far I only had to do 1 "real" change in field. I had no scissors and my wafer wasn't cut; I noticed it only when I had no clothes on and my bag was already off. The look on my face...

Anyway I would love to see the list of your kits.

Regards
Posted 5/30/2013 7:11 PM (GMT 0)
Hey buddy! I think I would cry if I realized I needed to change and didn't have scissors... I know you are like MacGyver so you probably figured it out!!

My emergency change kit:
1 wafer
1 pair of scissors
1 barrier ring
1 pouch
1 mini garbage bag (I've never had to do an emergency appliance change, BUT my friend got sick and had to throw up on a train, so this came in very handy!!)
2 no sting wipes
A small stack of soft paper towels cut into 1/4 size
A tiny compact mirror

I also carry Imodium with me but I take them every day on a schedule due to my loop ileo, so I don't consider it part of the 'emergency' pack. In addition I usually have travel tissues (just had to give away mine to a girl on the subway who was crying, I need to restock!), travel baby wipes, band-aids, TUMS, lip balm, hand sanitizer, and eye drops.

But I'm a girl so I'm "expected" to carry a pharmacy in my purse wink
Posted 5/30/2013 7:51 PM (GMT 0)

Pluot said...
Hey buddy! I think I would cry if I realized I needed to change and didn't have scissors... I know you are like MacGyver so you probably figured it out!!

Thanks for the compliment! :D
For a second there I felt like I would break. I was afraid that I would have to get clothed back, stack a million handtowels underneath of my shirt and go buy some scissors.

I took the risk and tried stretching out the hole at first, when that failed I tried ripping out the hole with my fingers. That worked quite well; however if the wafer had broken I would have been doomed.

Pluot said...
In addition I usually have travel tissues (just had to give away mine to a girl on the subway who was crying, I need to restock!)

I tend to give away pain meds to ppl in need. Sucks for me when I need them and am out LOL.
Posted 5/30/2013 7:53 PM (GMT 0)

All the standard items as mentioned above, needed for a complete change--if necessary.  However, I would much rather patch-up and contain a leak, if possible, so my kit is highly geared for that.  So far, I have never had to change away from home.

With my standard change items, I also carry in my kit:

A small empty spray bottle to be able to fill it up at the sink and have a water source in a bathroom stall.

Two regular feminine napkins [longs] which can be placed around or on either side of the leaking wafer to sop up and help contain a leak.  If needed, the adhesive will sick to underwear to hold the pad in place.

Waterproof tape.

A small spray mouthwash or breath freshener to cover odor.

A pen-sized hand sanitizer spray.

A few round make-up removal pads which I use in place of pieces of toilet paper.

Posted 5/30/2013 8:02 PM (GMT 0)
Any particular kind of waterproof tape?
Posted 5/30/2013 8:20 PM (GMT 0)
I kept more or less the same as you, and always enough for two changes. Plus, extra underwear in case I had to do a change and things got messy.
There was also a small can of spray water for cleaning, and the disposal bags.
Posted 5/30/2013 8:35 PM (GMT 0)

Wrikisli said...
Any particular kind of waterproof tape?


I actually have 3 kinds of waterproof tape in my "stash".

The "pink" tape is made by Hy-Tape and Nexcare has one, too.  Both seem to be pretty popular with

ostomates.

Johnson & Johnson's white waterproof tape can be purchased most anywhere.

My favorite is Opsite Flexi-Fix which is made of the same material as "Sure Seals."   For use in a kit, it would work best to pre-cut into sections and store it flat, maybe inside a fold of light cardboard.   It comes in 2" & 4" and is a little tricky, but works very well.

Posted 5/30/2013 8:36 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks for starting this! It's giving me some good ideas.

Right now I have two garbage bags, 8 paper towels, moist towelettes, small mirror (it came with my free Convatec bag), adhesive wipes, scissors, one-pre cut flange, one uncut flange, two bags...and I think that's it. If I know I'm going to be rather far from home, I also have a complete change of clothing. It's usually just underwear, yoga pants, and a tshirt. For the most part my work/school have always been five to ten minutes from my house, so while I've had leaks I've always been able to go home and deal with it.

I'm curious, what's a flange extender?
Posted 5/30/2013 8:38 PM (GMT 0)
2 bags
2 seals
Adhesive remover
Few gauzes
Few wipes
Disposal bag
Posted 5/30/2013 8:38 PM (GMT 0)
And I can't believe you managed to tear a flange hole. Wow!!!

Does anybody have a good idea on a type of skin friendly soapy wipes? The kinds that won't leave a film on your skin and mess with the adhesive?
Posted 5/30/2013 8:41 PM (GMT 0)
My emergency kit thus far consists of.... Nothing. Mind you, I have only been local since returning from surgery, but reading this reminds me that I really should prepare for the worst, though, just in case, however unlikely it seems. Will start carrying at least one change kit tomorrow.
Posted 5/30/2013 8:47 PM (GMT 0)
I use Hy-Tape fore waterproofing as well.

If I ever need to extend the tape around my flange, I use Mefix. I've used it when I have Hollihesive that sticks out the side of the flange. The tape is soft and flexible (not waterproof, which isn't what I'm needing it for anyway).
Posted 5/30/2013 8:50 PM (GMT 0)

ActiveUCer said...

I'm curious, what's a flange extender?


http://www.ostomyland.com/ostomyland/understanding-flange-extenders-inc-four-product-reviews/
That will do a better job explaining it. :-)
Posted 5/30/2013 9:05 PM (GMT 0)

ActiveUCer said...
And I can't believe you managed to tear a flange hole. Wow!!!

Does anybody have a good idea on a type of skin friendly soapy wipes? The kinds that won't leave a film on your skin and mess with the adhesive?

I've heard many great things about AloeVesta by Convatec.
However don't get the foam if you want portability; it's huge.

Edit: Just called Convatec to confirm that they leave no residue. Nice lady on the line told me that they are no rinse product.

To be clear I'm talking about Aloe Vesta® Bathing Cloths

Post Edited (Wrikisli) : 5/30/2013 3:16:20 PM (GMT-6)

Posted 5/30/2013 9:39 PM (GMT 0)

Probiotic said...
My emergency kit thus far consists of.... Nothing. Mind you, I have only been local since returning from surgery, but reading this reminds me that I really should prepare for the worst, though, just in case, however unlikely it seems. Will start carrying at least one change kit tomorrow.

When I had my major leak I was lucky, something had pushed me to take my beta emergency pack with me.
Still my underwear was nasty (pants were weirdly untouched) so I ended up staying commando for the rest of the day tongue

PS. Sorry for posting under my own posts

Post Edited (Wrikisli) : 5/31/2013 3:24:43 AM (GMT-6)

Posted 5/31/2013 12:51 AM (GMT 0)

ActiveUCer said...


Does anybody have a good idea on a type of skin friendly soapy wipes? The kinds that won't leave a film on your skin and mess with the adhesive?

I like the safe n' simple peristoma wipes. The sample size is good to carry in an emergency kit.
Posted 6/1/2013 7:52 PM (GMT 0)
I have found a possibly cool tape in 3M's catalogue. It's called Blenderm, it costs a fraction of what tegaderm costs (though it is less flexible).
I am going to try and order it on monday. It is very rare in my country.

Also, if you guys don't mind, please keep posting what you carry with you, doesn't have to be for emergencies.
I LOVE reading about stuff like that. :D
Posted 6/1/2013 8:53 PM (GMT 0)
Since you asked: Idon't have a stoma anymore, have been living with my jpouch for 14 months. I carry:
a half-liter plastic bottle with a squeeze top so I can fill it with water and rinse myself in whatever toilet I'm using - restaurants, cafes, office, or anywhere, sort of a portable bidet. It's very important, because pouch poos are seldom neat poos, and paper isn't good enough since I've gotten used to using water. Water also soothes.
A tube of calmoseptine,although I very rarely need to use it.
Immodium tablets, one every four hours.
A small jar of psyllium husks for when I eat out or grab a snack anywhere, two tablespoons after every meal in yoghurt or water (or tea).
Pads, which I wear all the time, just in case poo gets too liquidy and a bit comes out.
Underwear, just in case. Never needed them.
Aside from that, a notebook for writing, something to read, lipstick, chapstick, pens, and a disorganized bunch of papers and photocopies for various boring things in life.
A usb stick.
Passport, which I never carried in the States but in Germany the law says you have to be able to identify yourself at all times.
Sometimes a yoghurt and a spoon.
I actually went thruogh my current bag today and also found flyiers for a book week, tax declaration forms, a jar of peanut butter, and a bunch of crumbs.
Posted 6/1/2013 9:07 PM (GMT 0)
Thank you a lot B'Dereh. I am supposed to get J-Pouch in the future. So that also is very helpful to me!
I thought der personalausweis was enough in there; or perhaps you don't have one?
Regards.
Posted 6/1/2013 9:21 PM (GMT 0)
I'm not German, so I don't have a Personalausweis, just an American pprt.
I like my jpouch very much and recommend that you go for it, because unfortunately not everyone can.
The first months are a bit chaotic but by 5-6 months it's starts to get reliable and then at one year it's great. You may even have an easier time with it than I did, because you're younger.
How long will you have kept the stoma, total months, when your jpouch OP and takedown are done as scheduled?
Posted 6/1/2013 9:55 PM (GMT 0)
It's supposed to be 6-8 months before the step 2 depending on my condition. I might postpone it because so far I LOVE my stoma and the ability to live quite a normal life.

If everything went as planned it would take 11 months tops from the 1st surgery untill the 3rd step.

Post Edited (Wrikisli) : 6/1/2013 4:00:26 PM (GMT-6)

Posted 6/1/2013 10:05 PM (GMT 0)
OK, sounds like how my surgeries went too. Just make sure you do the kegels every day, lots of times, because 11 months is a long time for a muscle not to be used.
Posted 6/1/2013 10:15 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks for the reminder.
I will do kegels untill I can crack open wallnuts with my ...! :D

Post Edited (Wrikisli) : 6/1/2013 4:23:33 PM (GMT-6)

Posted 6/2/2013 8:44 AM (GMT 0)
There is a joke about how Germans crack open walnuts, but I am afraid to post for fear of offending anyone.
Posted 6/2/2013 12:10 PM (GMT 0)
You are such a teaser ;(
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