PS-mine was an 'innie' for a while, in a depression within the upside down cracked bowl i mentioned above, now it is about a 1/2 or so 'out', which is not long enough to be optimum but improving-my surgeon said it can come out more over the 1st year, so I have 6 more months to 'grow'

cover incisions with ab pads and then gauze as you progress to keep them clean

E

My stoma's not an inny, but tilts downward and sometimes retracts to the skin level at the bottom. Then waste collects there and can leak if I'm not really careful about applying the wafer. Now I use only a Convatek wafer with a coloplast bag, same set-up as Shell's. No longer need Eakins or other strips to tilt the wafer up more at the bottom, and feel they interfere with a good seal at this point. My ostomy nurse could always get things to stick when I couldn't. Part of dealing with a tough stoma for me had to do with being less successful when I'm standing, but not wanting to lie down rather than standing at the sink. I finally figured out that I can apply the wafer with one hand while I pull the belly skin up and out with the other, stretching it all a bit so the stoma points more straight out rather than downward. Of course my belly is kinda saggy now, so I have good luck with this new method - nothing like the trim look I once had, but then I'm flourishing again, too! Good luck. It seems impossible at first, but things will settle down and become easier.

Barbara