Preparation of disasters

Many people may be worried about how ostomy appliances are to be supplied when there is a shortage or how they can spend their life at an evacuation area with other people in the event of a disaster. You may become ill or experience abnormalities with your stool or urine due to the changes of your environment. You should prepare an emergency carry-out bag so that you can spend your days as normally as possible even in the event of a disaster.

> What to put in your emergency carry-out bag
* Appliances that can last for about 10 days
(cut the faceplate on one of them so that it can be used immediately)
* Tissue paper (something that can be flushed with water)
* Garbage bags
* Wet tissue for hand wiping etc.
> Perform regular inspections of emergency items once or twice a year. At that time, replace them with new appliances.
> Make a note of the product name and type of appliance you are using, the name and phone number of the store where you always buy your appliance and the name of the attending doctor at your hospital and put it in your emergency bag.
> It might be even better if you keep your appliances not only at your home but also at your friends' and relatives' homes.
> Those who have urinary stoma tend to drink less water in the event of a disaster. To prevent urinary tract infections caused by decreased urine output, you should store bottled water.
> In the event of a disaster, there may be a shortage of water for irrigation or you may have difficulties securing a place to do this. If you regularly do the irrigation, it is important for you to also learn the natural evacuation of stool just in case. Make sure to pack natural evacuation appliances as well as irrigation set in your emergency bag.