Living with your ostomy (whether colostomy/ileostomy or urostomy) creates a unique set of challenges. Aside from the possible health issues, the issue of maintaining your quality of life can come to the forefront. Since you are no longer able to control your body’s waste and gas, the problem of odor control can be paramount.
Once surgery has been performed and you’re ready to return to your daily life, it is important to care for your ostomy. Caring for your ostomy is not only medically necessary, but is important to maintaining your quality of life. Care for your ostomy includes emptying your pouch when necessary, replacing your pouch system as needed, and skin and stoma care.
There is a saying that goes “the only certainty in life is death and taxes.” What’s left out of that statement is our body’s need to expel waste. Our body’s waste can be toxic to us. Certain diseases can affect our bowel or urinary tract system requiring surgery to remove some if not all of our intestines or bladder.
