This topic is about someone who is dealing with the challenges of having two stomas and a large parastomal hernia, along with the anxiety of attending a family reunion after many years. Here are some helpful insights and advice shared by others:

1. Emotional Support & Perspective
- Remember your strength: managing COPD, two stomas, and a hernia makes you incredibly resilient.
- Your family is likely more interested in reconnecting with you than focusing on your appearance.
- It's okay to feel emotional; let yourself cry, then try to move forward. Often, the anticipation is more daunting than the actual event.
- Use humor, music, or faith to uplift your spirits. Songs like Jamie Anderson’s “A Much Better View Of The Moon” can be comforting.

2. Clothing Strategies
- Consider wearing empire-waist or mini dresses, flowy tunics, and high- or low-waist leggings to comfortably disguise any bulges.
- Experiment with different clothing silhouettes instead of just opting for larger sizes.

3. Hernia Belts & Support Garments
- Custom double-opening belts can be found at:
- StealthBelt (stealthbelt.com) for specific stoma spacing and hernia support.
- NU-Hope for double-ostomy/hernia belts.
- OstomyBagHolder.com for custom two-bag belts with hernia support.
- You can modify off-the-shelf binders from Amazon by having an ostomy nurse or local seamstress cut a second hole or combine two single belts.
- If you’re handy, you can cut an extra hole yourself, but make sure to reinforce the edges to prevent fraying.

4. Odor Control
- Use a deodorizer in your pouch and carry extra with you, such as liquid drops or packets, for added peace of mind.

5. General Coping Tips
- Wear an outfit you love and focus on enjoying the moment; staying engaged and social can help reduce overthinking.
- After the event, take time to acknowledge what went well to build confidence for future outings.
- Consider seeking professional help: ostomy nurses can assist with custom belts, and therapists can offer strategies to manage social anxiety.