Hi Debby,
Thank you. I am a survivor like all of us here, with just a bit more experience than most people...that gave me time to experience more disasters!
What is a hook up kit? I start with a large makeup bag and add a free mini tubes of lube, 2 or 3 different sizes of tube (24, 30 and 32 plus a folley Cath), a guide wire (a stiff semi rigid wire that you can place inside of your Cath to help push it past twists or turns in your valve... and once in you can pull it out) , transparent or other tape, a catheter plug ( they are usually green but you can use the "tip cover" of a 60cc syringe too), gauze, colloidal patches and a leg bag.
I keep 2 kits in the house, easily accessible and ready to go. I throw 1 into my suitcase whenever I travel during difficult times to make sure that if I have access problems I can just hook up.
I insert the tube with the plug or legbag already attached and taped down for extra security. I then tape it into place securly on my abdomen or place a colloidal patch across the whole stoma area with a keyhole cut just large enough for the tube to fit through. Once the tube comfortably inserted and pointing in the right direction, I cover it with a 2nd colloidal patch and sandwich it down.
That means that my skin is protected with 1 patch and the other is holding the tube flat against my abdomen.
I leave space for some gauze at the base of the tube/stoma and wrap it with gauze to collect the mucus.
I have lived hooked up this way for months when needed and found it to be the safest and most secure way to run around hooked up.
I even went to work by subway for 3 months like this.
I hope that you never need it but in an emergency it is nice to have it ready.
Sharon