Mind the Gap: What Doctors Don’t Always See

Why is My Pee Purple?!?

Have you ever looked at your pouch and thought, "Well... that's not a color I was expecting today?" This week on Leaks, Laughs & Life with a Urostomy, we're talking about something every urostomate sees every day... urine. More specifically, what the color of your urine might be trying to tell you. From hydration and vitamins to medications, infections, and some surprising causes you may have never heard of, your urine can provide important clues about what's happening inside your body. Join me as we explore the rainbow of colors that can show up in your pouch and why paying attention to them may be one of the easiest ways to monitor your health.

Mind the Gap: What Doctors Don’t Always See

This week on Leaks, Laughs & Life with a Urostomy, we’re talking about the gap between what doctors know medically and what patients learn by actually living with a urostomy every single day. Doctors understand surgery, anatomy, labs, and complications. But patients learn the real-life side of this journey through experience... the leaks, skin irritation, product failures, anxiety before appointments, travel stress, and all the small details that never seem to make it into a chart. In this episode, I share my thoughts on self-advocacy, journaling, communicating with providers, and why lived experience matters in healthcare conversations. I also share a moment with my surgeon after she flipped through my book Leaks, Laughs & Life with a Urostomy: The Handbook and realized there were still things about daily urostomy life she had never considered before. This is not about “patients versus doctors.” It is about bridging the gap between clinical knowledge and real-life experience so patients feel more seen, heard, and understood. You can find my book, journal, podcast episodes, and additional resources at LeaksLaughsLife.com.

Travel Tips with a Urostomy Tips with a Urostomy

I just got back from flying to Houston and spending a week in Galveston, Texas with my best friend. And this trip turned into something so much bigger than travel tips. In this episode, I share what it actually looks like to fly and travel with a urostomy. From booking flights and navigating TSA, to understanding how cabin pressure can affect your pouch, and the small adjustments that make a big difference in comfort along the way. I also talk about practical things like wearing comfortable clothing, bringing an extra layer for your seatbelt, and making sure your pouch is positioned in a way that keeps you comfortable in a very small space with very little privacy. These are the details no one really tells you, but they matter. But what surprised me most came after the logistics. When I was there… I barely thought about having a pouch at all. I wasn’t worrying. I wasn’t overthinking. I was just living. Sitting outside eating fresh seafood while watching dolphins play in the bay. Shopping without stressing about bathrooms. Walking along the beach and feeling the warm Gulf water. Moments that, not long ago, would not have been possible for me. And now they were. This episode is a reminder that life after surgery is not just about learning how to manage things. It is also about realizing how much life is still available to you. If you are navigating travel, recovery, or just trying to find your rhythm again, I hope this encourages you to start stepping back into your life… one moment at a time.

Food and Hydration After Bladder Removal Surgery

What you eat and drink after surgery matters more than you think. Not just for healing, but for how you feel every single day. In this episode, I walk through the day-to-day side of life after surgery. Hydration, food, gas, mucus, and supporting your body in a way that works in real life. Not a list of rules, but what I have learned by living it. We talk about how hydration impacts everything from energy to UTI prevention, how to start recognizing patterns with food instead of avoiding everything, and why gas and mucus are part of the process, not something going wrong. I also share what shifted for me after my UTI experience, how I approach supplements now, and why learning your body takes time. This is about awareness. Small adjustments. And figuring out what works for you. If you are navigating this yourself, or supporting someone who is, this episode will help you feel more grounded in the day-to-day.

The Complications I Didn’t See Coming

There is the version of surgery you are told about… and then there is the version you actually live. In this episode, I share what my recovery really looked like after bladder removal, including the complications no one prepared me for. From unexpected delays due to scar tissue, to an extended hospital stay with an NG tube, to hair loss and a UTI that nearly turned septic, this is the side of recovery that often goes unspoken. This is not about fear. It is about awareness. Because when you understand what can happen, you are better prepared to recognize it, respond to it, and move through it. If you are navigating this yourself, or supporting someone who is, this episode offers a real-life look at what recovery can actually feel like beyond the expected timeline.