My first aid kit
Wherever I go, I take my first aid kit with me. Mentally, I just can’t go out without it. My nurse specialized in ostomy (NSWOC) talked to me about that before I left the hospital. I didn’t understand how important it was until the day I had a big leak at school. Changing your ostomy equipment in a public place is already quite challenging, but not having the necessary equipment with you brings another level of difficulty.
A first aid kit can be used when bad scenarios happen, for example: an ostomy pouch leaks in a public place or away from home, equipment peeling off, defective material, a stool explosion, etc. Well, that kit has us prepared for the worst!
In my first aid kit, we can find:
Two sets of skin barriers and ostomy pouches
Why two? Just to be even more careful. One is good, but two is better! You must be vigilant not to leave them in your car in the summer, because your skin barriers could melt.
Some plastic bags to put your waste in
This element is important to avoid leaving your old soiled equipment uncovered in a public trash can or at your friends or relatives. It’s much more hygienic and respectful this way.
Scissors
However, it’s important to remember to remove them from your kit if you’re flying/travelling and to cut your skin barriers in advance.
Clamps (for pouches with a clamp closure instead of a Velcro one)
Over time, I realized that my clamps were getting loose when worn for too long and it could cause serious damage. For this simple reason, I prefer to have spare clamps.
Adhesive bandage tape
It can be very useful when your skin barrier starts to peel off, but you can’t change all your ostomy equipment at that exact moment. A little piece of tape here and there, and that’s it!
Personal accessories
Personally, I have an ileostomy and sensitive skin, so I have all the products that I normally use to change my ostomy equipment in my kit. This includes a paste ring, cleansing wipes, cortisone lotion and skin protector. Finally, I also use a lubricating deodorant when I want to hide the odors when I empty my bag.
For sure, some points vary from one person to another, depending on the ostomy equipment you use. For travelling, you could check with your supplier or retailer to see if you could get smaller sizes. I would also suggest you bring extra clothes with you if you tend to have frequent leaks.
Well, that’s all I need to survive a disaster and the worst-case ostomy scenarios. What do you need in your first aid kit?