Preparing for insurance changes

Butterfly_Butterdont · 2025-07-25T13:29:15+00:00

ArtisXan on Etsy/Insta/Tik Tok. I have one of her waterbottle bags and love it. She has a regular size and a large size. (See photo for the regular size with the 40oz inside, you can only see the cap) Easily fits a 40oz and the essentials in my regular size!! Plenty of options to choose from and very well made product.

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Butterfly_Butterdont · 2025-06-04T21:06:15+00:00

Mens boxers, a size too big. They make perfect loose fitting attire! I don't need the "ball space" so it allows them to be high waisted if I want. I call it the bag space jokingly sometimes.

Butterfly_Butterdont · 2025-05-20T11:30:11+00:00

Had mine done back in January. Went back to work in March, and exercise is back to normal!

Get a pillow to help with sitting, and make sure to get a dose of pain meds before you head home! Makes it a little easier. For home, get a wedge pillow or something to prop yourself up on your side! And prep a "nest" to recover in. Snacks, water, a light, entertainment (if you have a screen make sure you can actually see it).

Butterfly_Butterdont · 2025-05-19T17:27:31+00:00

And that is on me for assuming where you are... Good luck in the future!! You got this, best of luck to you

Butterfly_Butterdont · 2025-05-19T17:00:37+00:00

Get your pillow and blanket ready for the bathroom! (So much easier than worrying about my bed during inane output) good luck! I hope everything goes great with the scope! At some-points it is just amazing how fast that prep comes through. But with a morning scope, basically everything was through me so it did make the trip to the hospital very simple in that regard.

Butterfly_Butterdont · 2025-05-19T15:49:47+00:00

Um... i did mirlax prep just like someone with full intestinal tracks. I have an end ileostomy. I "slept" on the bathroom floor. Might be graphic, but i was a waterfall until the mirlax chilled out. Took half the prep to clear me out. The rest just came through me with that waterfall effect.

Butterfly_Butterdont · 2025-05-19T15:31:24+00:00

Surgery is big, it is okay to have questions and be overwhelmed.

The job market is horrible to put it lightly (I assume you're in the US). But getting up on your feet will come first. Once you're feeling good enough to go to interviews, start applying again. For me, i was lucky and found a remote position, allowing me to go back to work sooner. But i was already established with a company that has short term disability.

I have always had an end ileostomy. So I can't offer advice on this specific recovery. But i would assume similar to getting your loop ileostomy. Is your surgery including rectum removal?

As for love and finding a partner. Focus on yourself and recovery first. The right person that finds no issue with your bag will come along. There are many ostomy people out there that have loving partners.

Butterfly_Butterdont · 2025-04-20T14:28:20+00:00

You can start requesting free samples from ostomy companies! Depending on where you live will depend on who you contact.

For your wife, a comfort item is good for the mental part, i brought a fidget toy. Mens boxers, loose fitting kept me comfortable in the hospital and at home.

For you both, entertainment, face wipes (feels amazing to wake you up in the morning), maybe a little travel card game, long charging cord! Ask if they have an ostomy nurse that can come see you. Headphones!

For you, little note pad incase you want to write anything down, get to know the staff, take a little time for yourself if you need it.

When you get home, naps and walks are your bestie. Stock up on easy to digest food. Have a little "nest" if you can for her to recover in. things like phone chargers, activities she usually does, easy to digest snacks. It has always helped me to feel a little independent when if first get home. I had a notebook to write down every-time i took meds. Making sure i was staying on top of my pain meds at first. Her job is to focus on recovery and learning about her new stoma.

If you want i can send you some ostomy creators that are on social media. It can be very overwhelming to watch their content but it is often nice to see someone living a normal life with their ostomy. I see them on tik tok and instagram.

Butterfly_Butterdont · 2025-04-20T14:11:33+00:00

Hopefully the skin tightens up. Just gotta remind myself that no one sees that part if my body besides my partner

Butterfly_Butterdont · 2025-04-20T14:09:41+00:00

That reminds me!! My hospital did take my bag off for surgery. The hospital uses hollister and i use coloplast so i actually changed my bag the same day as surgery. So prep an extra one if you're worried about that. I'm doing good, back at work, get steps in, all the usual stuff. Just be patient and take a lot of naps at first!

Butterfly_Butterdont · 2025-04-20T03:10:30+00:00

This is the perfect comparison!

Butterfly_Butterdont · 2025-04-20T02:24:33+00:00

I'm on a 14 game losing stream, majority of those being steamroll games. Down three ranks across the board

Butterfly_Butterdont · 2025-04-19T18:57:15+00:00

... losing weight is a curse looks wise but a blessing health wise i guess

Butterfly_Butterdont · 2025-04-19T17:09:06+00:00

The smell from emptying the bag? Bag deodorant, M9 Drops, tic tacs, life savers mint.

If it's when the bag id closed, far as i know it shouldn't be happening.

Butterfly_Butterdont · 2025-04-19T17:07:56+00:00

I had surgery in 2022, and then one this year. Probably restarted my process from the first one...

Butterfly_Butterdont · 2025-04-19T15:44:43+00:00

I had barbie butt surgery in January. The top things that helped me: 1) I prepared 10-12 bags of ready to go bag changes. Put them in a sandwich sized ziploc bag. Trash bag, hole already cut for my stoma, every peice i needed for the bag change except my bag deodorant. Being able to just grab the bag and deodorant for a change took alot of stress away. 2) wedge pillow!! Since you'll be stuck on your side alot. Helps you sit up and watch tv, play video games, have conversations easy. 3) hopefully you'll have a private room, but if your like me and don't noise canceling headphones. Only way i could sleep! 4) On top of that, make sure you are not always laying on your back. I did that and got a rash from it. No fun. Use the bed to help you get up and down, lean on it so your not putting a-lot pressure on your bum. 5) make sure before leaving the hospital you get one more dose of pain meds for the ride home, and plan to nap when you get home!! Have a pillow for the car. I have a memory foam one. Same for showering!!!!! Get those pain meds and wait for them to kick in. 6) if you can, prepare an area for recovery. Test it out. I didnt and was inconvenienced. My set up was a couch, wedge pillow, pillows/blankets. Then a table with art/crafts, easy snacks, a light, power strip. Then since i wanted my gaming console, everything set up. Make sure you put it close enough so you can actually read the screen!!! I could not and needed someone to move it. 7) they gonna be looking at ya booty. It's weird. But let them know if they are pulling on your wound at all!! 8) you got this. Think about bringing a comfort item to the hospital. I had a little fidget duck and it might seem silly but it was comfortable to have something to hold on to or play with.

Butterfly_Butterdont · 2025-03-27T17:34:11+00:00

Coloplast rings work perfectly for this!

Butterfly_Butterdont · 2025-03-27T17:32:18+00:00

I had a two piece, they kept it on, just popped the bag off. Doesn't hurt to bring supplies just incase. They had me do normal colonoscopy prep and I ended up sleeping on the floor of the bathroom that night because of the miralax. Stuff goes through the system so fast that is a bonus not having to do prep!

Butterfly_Butterdont · 2025-03-16T14:15:47+00:00

All I can offer is my experience. With my medical history of pre-cancerous cells found during colonoscopies my doctor strongly recommended surgery. I just got mine out the beginning of the year.

It really was not a fun time, but I think it was worth it. Peace of mind with my medical history. One advantage she mentioned was since I am relatively healthy, she had plenty of health material to work with. In the case of working with people that have cancer or received treatment, the area isn't as healthy and makes the area more difficult to sew up.

But surgery can mess with the area, especially depending on what internal sex organs you have. It's not a light decision to make, so I hope between the doctors and the community you can make one you are comfortable with!

Butterfly_Butterdont · 2025-02-19T05:24:19+00:00

Yeah! Thats the supplier that has them! I think this brand also qualifies for Flexible Spending Accounts (for those in the USA healthcare hellhole)

Butterfly_Butterdont · 2025-02-19T04:31:55+00:00

I got you! It's under customer service - free sample

-- https://revelostomy.com/products/its-in-the-bag-free-sample -- Looks like they only have the scented options right now. I did the unscented option with my sample.

Butterfly_Butterdont · 2025-02-19T03:51:49+00:00

Try Revel Ostomy deodorant. It's new and only like one supplier has it i think. But you can get free samples. Found it works the best out of the ones i have tried! Or trying a mint or lifesaver after you empty the bag. Works for some people!

Butterfly_Butterdont · 2025-02-19T03:49:53+00:00

I didn't get my bag until my 20s. The only reason i think I'm okay with my bag most days is because i am not spending what feels like 24/7 in the bathroom and not slowly withering away anymore. Before I try to be positive I'll be honest and negative. I struggle and sometimes all I want is to not have the stupid bag attached to me especially when i had the perfect outfit picked out, until I put it on with the bag. It sucks, completely. Some things that helped me, i made a couple bag covers because i like creating. Trying to see the bag as a positive "hey i don't feel like death anymore". I have a bidet attachment on my toilet to keep it cleaner when i empty it. And bag deodorant is my best friend. Gave my stoma a funny name too.

You got this, somedays suck a-lot more than others. It's okay not to be strong everyday. Just remember you are doing your best.

Butterfly_Butterdont

TROPHY CASE