This topic is about someone who had emergency ostomy surgery back in 2006 and has been facing several challenges since then. They are dealing with ongoing hernias, persistent skin issues, and delays in receiving medical supplies due to Medicare requirements. Here are some pieces of advice and insights that might help:

1. Seek higher-quality medical care:
- Find a top gastroenterologist, colorectal surgeon, or stoma specialist. Better follow-up care might help with the hernias and skin problems.
- Consider a surgical stoma revision if the stoma is causing leaks due to being flush or retracted.

2. Secure emergency supplies while sorting out Medicare issues:
- Contact your current supplier immediately and request a partial shipment.
- Reach out to manufacturers like Hollister or Coloplast, and distributors such as Edgepark, for free sample boxes. Some have provided overnight samples in similar situations.
- Get in touch with local wound-ostomy nurses or stomal therapy nurses for temporary supplies.
- Accept spare supplies from other ostomates if offered.

3. Improve wafer adherence and protect your skin:
- Re-measure your stoma and try different products like shallow base plates or larger wafers to cover more area and prevent blow-outs.
- Use stoma powder on irritated skin before applying the appliance.
- One setup suggestion: use a Coloplast base plate with liquid adhesive, then the wafer, and finish with waterproof tape. This setup can be obtained through Edgepark.
- Another suggestion is to use stoma powder with a shallow base plate to help manage ulcers and skin breakdown.

4. Patient rights and advocacy:
- Remember, you or your insurer are paying the doctor, so switch providers if you are not satisfied with the care.
- Do not let suppliers or insurers leave you without essential appliances. Escalate the issue, document everything, and push for an immediate resolution.