I do think it's a good catheter to have when you can't get in you own catheter, 20 Fr. or 28 Fr. Bard Red Rubber, as it is pointed and stiffer. For emergencies, I will be getting one if I can't find one in different material. Over time the part of the catheter that was in the pouch past the valve, did get softer.

I lived with a tube always inserted for 3 months. I have wondered if it would be possible to have a small tube always in that we can cap where the stoma is and just insert a tube over it when we need to empty the pouch. It would be great to know you can always empty your pouch easily whenever you want. The fear of not being able to insert the catheter or having to go to extreme measures to get it in is a pain to live with.

I have had my catheter in February 2014, then took it out and that is the first time leaving my catheter in for 3 weeks didn't work for inserting my catheter. So I've still got my catheter in and I will probably just keep this way. I cut it down so I can have it long enough to empty and push it in flush and cap it off. I am using my 30 Fr. Marlen....my valve in longer than it used to be probably from the stricture. So I have to have it in for the length of my valve and then about 4-5 inches more to pull out to empty without the catheter going past the end of the valve. That is how I am living with my Kock Pouch now and have to decided to stay this way. My valve still doesn't leak, so I'm not taking a chance on losing my Kock Pouch or ending up with a valve that leaks. Now my main concern is replacing the catheter from time to time and hoping I can get it in on my own. So my catheter has been in for approximately 9 months now. The Marlen 30Fr. catheter gets very hard beyond the valve, and I mean hard! I don't know if anyone else is doing this method or not, but I am because I am allergic to adhesive and will not have a Brooke Ileostomy because I have PTSD from harassment in my x workplace for having an ostomy. They thought I had a Brooke and said terrible things to me for 10 years, to the point that I had a nervous breakdown and am now disabled from harassment, discrimination and then retaliation. I did file charges, but I lost and was up against an International Corporation that is known for bad treatment of their employees. I am proud that I fought them for what was done to me and illegal actions should not be allowed by company or co-workers. I will never recover from what they did to me, it was horrendous! I even had a bird with it's head shot off and feathers all over my driveway. I got threatening phone calls from co-workers because they were not able to get back in to work after a medical leave.....and they blamed me. Very traumatic time in my life....now I'm disabled and neighbors are harassing me for being on disability. It's been HELL!!! It appears my x employer doesn't like paying out disability for what they have done to me. Very sad, but this is how big Corporations work.