This story is about an ostomate's amusing and somewhat chaotic experience during a trip to Costco. It all starts with her rushing through errands and arriving at the store with an overfilled ostomy pouch. She describes it humorously as resembling a "third Dolly Parton breast." In her haste to empty it, she has a run-in with the greeter, dashes to the restroom, and manages to empty the pouch over an automatic-flush toilet. Unfortunately, her closure clip slips from her fingers and is flushed away. Without a spare clip, she panics and calls the membership desk for help, which leads to some confusion and a bit of a commotion.

An elderly woman, dressed in lavender polyester, overhears the situation and kindly offers a rubber band by sliding it under the stall door. They both leave the restroom to find a small crowd of concerned employees. The older woman, with a sense of humor, explains the situation with a witty remark and then helps the younger woman buy supplies. They share a brief but meaningful connection, with the elder woman, who has lived with a colostomy for over 40 years, offering wisdom about cherishing unexpected friendships, staying prepared, and living life to the fullest.

Here are some helpful tips and insights from the story:

1. Carry emergency closure options:
- Keep a small binder clip on your key chain.
- Wear a rubber band on your wrist or keep extras in your bag. Many people have experienced losing clips in toilets at some point.

2. Consider using closed-end pouches to avoid clip-related issues altogether.

3. For navigating websites (for non-paying members):
- You can reply to blogs by scrolling to the comment box and hitting “submit.”
- Enter “General Chat” by clicking the link; the room is busiest after 9 p.m. and is free for everyone.