Should you stockpile urostomy-related supplies?

Should you stockpile urostomy-related supplies?

            The relatively brief but widespread power outage that hit the Southwest in September should make us think about being prepared to get along without our usual source of urostomy care supplies like catheters, dressings, pads, tape, lubricant, etc. in the event of a much more prolonged situation.

            The emergency kits that we described in July are designed to get us through a week or two. The folks in tornado-ravaged Joplin, those flooded into isolation in Vermont and refugees from the fires in Texas had to survive without their usual suppliers for a much longer period.

            The kinds of items that we need might not be readily available from FEMA or the Red Cross if we are subjected to an event like those. A weeks-long power outage would make it impossible for your local pharmacy’s cash registers to work. A catastrophic interruption in fuel supplies would prevent restocking from warehouses hundreds of miles away. You could probably re-use catheters – but only if you had a safe water supply.

            The American Red Cross and other agencies provide lists of emergency supplies that every family should have on hand. For those of us who need more than the ordinary first aid supplies, a little extra planning can spare real discomfort, or worse.