This topic is about preparing for life with a permanent ostomy, focusing on support, products, activity concerns, and reassurance. If you're facing a similar situation, here are some helpful insights and advice:

1. **Local and National Support**
- In Portland, OR, you can contact a local ostomy group through Caroline Uphill at 503-644-5331, as listed in Phoenix Magazine.
- The United Ostomy Associations of America (UOAA) offers a support-group locator at http://www.ostomy.org/Find_a_Support_Group.html, which lists four groups in or near Portland.
- Phoenix Magazine and the MAO “CONTENT → Collections” section have many how-to articles and personal stories that can be very helpful.

2. **Professional Help**
- It's beneficial to establish a relationship with an ostomy nurse (ET/WOC) before and after surgery. They can provide pamphlets, teach you about pouching, help adjust products, and be a long-term resource.
- Some insurance plans may assign a post-surgery case manager to guide you through coverage and supply issues, so it's worth asking about this.

3. **Appliances, Samples, and Brands**
- Major manufacturers to start with include Hollister and Coloplast.
- Expect to receive a box of samples (pouches, wafers, powders, pastes, barrier sprays) in the hospital, and you can request more directly from the companies.
- Popular deodorants and odor-control drops include M9, Safe and Simple, and Na’Scent.
- Pouches with charcoal filters can help reduce ballooning, but filters usually clog after a day, so plan for venting or "burping."
- If hot weather or sweating loosens wafers, try different skin-prep or barrier wipes. Some people find relief from itching by switching brands.

4. **Activity, Exercise, and Hernias**
- Many people with ileostomies or colostomies report engaging in activities like hunting, ATV riding, swimming, air travel, motorcycling, biking, and daily workouts without restrictions.
- Be cautious with heavy lifting immediately after surgery. Gradually and patiently strengthening abdominal muscles can lower the risk of hernias.
- Hernias can still occur later, so some people avoid very heavy loads or wear support belts.
- Profuse sweating can weaken adhesion, so consider using extra tape strips, flange extenders, or changing the appliance sooner after exercise.

5. **Everyday Management Tips**
- Accidents, leaks, gas build-up, and occasional blockages happen less often with experience. Learn to "burp" the pouch and chew food well.
- Keep wipes, tissues, and spare supplies handy to prevent most public mishaps.
- Mental and emotional adjustment often takes longer than physical healing. The first month is the hardest, and the first year is a learning curve.
- Humor, asking questions, online forums, and accepting the ostomy as "life-giving, not life-limiting" are key coping strategies.

6. **Reassurance and Testimonials**
- Many people wish they had the surgery sooner, as life becomes "immeasurably better," pain-free, and no longer ruled by bathroom emergencies.
- One person with a 30-year ileostomy mentions that the only real limitation is very heavy lifting; otherwise, they travel, swim, hunt, and ride 4-wheelers.
- Another person regained full mobility after a colostomy and now walks, bikes, exercises, and attends water parks and weddings without worry.
- Confidence, patience, and a positive attitude are emphasized as being more important for success than the pouch itself.