I’ve settled into a nice routine where I change my wafer just twice a week – Wednesday morning, and either Saturday or Sunday morning – so I’m wearing my wafer three or fours days (the longest I’ve ever gone is five days when on vacation). I always change first thing in the morning when I have almost no output and can take my time. I suppose the detail I take in setting up my supplies is more than some people would take, but I like having it all organized so I don’t get flustered. Starting from the left in this photo:

Hollister New Image convex wafer and pouch
Scissors
Hollister Cera-Plus thin ring (which I cut in half and flatten against the edge of the wafer before applying)
Zabsorb AF anti-fungal powder (I use this on the outer adhesive area of my wafer in the summer due to a wicked heat rash I developed last year)
Hollister Skin Barrier Wipe
Huggies Natural wipes
Smith and Nelson Remover Wipes
Karaya 5 powder (which is another version of Stomahesive powder)
Sensi-Care Removal Spray
Mirror
Paper towels, torn into squares
Standard kitchen garbage bag lining the sink
Attiva Seal-N-Toss ostomy disposal bag, in the garbage bag in the sink

Whew! Now that I type that out I realize it’s a lot! And I didn’t have room to show my hair dryer on the left that I use to blow off the Karaya 5 powder and dry the barrier wipe when I’m crusting. This whole process, from pulling out of my supply cabinet, to new appliance application, to cleaning up, takes about 15-20 minutes. To be honest, this routine hasn’t changed much since right after I got home from surgery. I switch out wafers sometimes (I love to experiment with new products) and I now use half a ring since I developed a dip at 9:00 a few months ago. I still crust my stoma with one layer, even tho I think it’s often not so necessary, but it gives me a little piece of mind. For me, I’ve learned that rushing doesn’t help, and knowing all my supplies are in order makes sure I don’t forget anything. A small price to pay if it helps avoid leaks!