Leaks, Laughs & Life with a Urostomy

DLK, LLC

Leaks, Laughs & Life with a Urostomy is a real-life podcast about living with a urostomy after bladder removal surgery. Hosted by Dawn, this show shares honest, lived experience from her own journey with a urostomy, along with her husband Alex’s journey with a neobladder. Together, they offer a perspective that goes beyond the clinical side of recovery and into what day-to-day life actually looks like. From nighttime routines and daily management to emotional adjustment, confidence, and the unexpected moments along the way, this podcast creates space for real conversations that are often left out of the medical discussion. Dawn is also the author of Leaks, Laughs & Life with a Urostomy: The Handbook, a practical guide built from real-world experience, and the creator of My Plot Twist Journal, designed to support the emotional side of healing and identity after surgery. This is not medical advice. It is real life, shared with honesty, humor, and heart. If you are living with a urostomy, supporting someone who is, or navigating life after bladder removal, you are not alone here.

  1. 1d ago

    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.

    9 min
  2. Mind the Gap: What Doctors Don’t Always See

    May 28

    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.

    8 min
  3. Travel Tips with a Urostomy Tips with a Urostomy

    May 23

    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.

    9 min
  4. Food and Hydration After Bladder Removal Surgery

    May 10

    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.

    11 min
  5. The Complications I Didn’t See Coming

    May 3

    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.

    12 min
  6. Mental Health After Bladder Removal

    Apr 26

    Mental Health After Bladder Removal

    Mental health after bladder removal is something many people experience, but few fully understand until they are living it. In this episode, I share the emotional side of recovery. The anxiety, grief, body image shifts, and the quiet moments where everything feels heavier than expected. I talk about what it felt like to navigate those early days without the support I needed, and the isolation that came with trying to figure it all out in real time. This is not about the physical side of recovery. This is about the part that happens internally. The moments where you feel disconnected, exhausted, and unsure how to move forward. I also share what helped me begin to shift out of that space, including recognizing the signs of depression, allowing myself to meet myself where I was, and finding small ways to move forward without pressure. If you are preparing for surgery, newly navigating life with a urostomy, or finding yourself in that quiet, heavy space, this episode is for you. You can also find Leaks, Laughs & Life with a Urostomy: The Handbook and The Plot Twist Journal on Amazon. Together, they support those preparing for or living with a urostomy, as well as those supporting them.

    15 min
  7. Nighttime Bags = Sleep, Glorious Sleep!

    Apr 19

    Nighttime Bags = Sleep, Glorious Sleep!

    Nighttime with a urostomy is its own learning curve. In this episode, we talk honestly about nighttime bags, leg bags, tubing, setup struggles, and the little things no one really explains when you first come home from surgery. From leg bags that feel like a necessary evil, to choosing between Bard and Coloplast nighttime systems, to figuring out what actually helps you sleep without constant worry, this episode is all about real-life experience and practical tips. We also talk about gas and the “morning surprise” ballooning effect in nighttime bags, how diet can play a role, and simple adjustments that can make nights more comfortable. If you have ever wondered if you are doing it right at night, or just want to feel more confident and less alone in the process, this one is for you. Because better nights really do lead to better days.

    18 min
  8. My New Normal: One Year later

    Apr 12

    My New Normal: One Year later

    Life after bladder removal…what does that actually look like one year later? In this episode of Leaks, Laughs & Life with a Urostomy, I share a real and honest look at my first year living with a urostomy. From the chaos of surgery day to unexpected complications, from frustrating early recovery moments to small but powerful milestones, this episode walks through the full journey, including the “oops” moments we all experience. I talk about what recovery really looked like in those first few months, the milestones that made the biggest impact, how my mindset shifted over time, what my “new normal” actually means, and how I ultimately got my life back. Whether you are at the beginning of your journey, in the messy middle, or further along, this episode is a reminder that progress happens, confidence builds, and life can feel full again. Leaks, Laughs & Life with a Urostomy: The Handbook and My Plot Twist Journal are available on Amazon, with links in the show notes. And if you have a story to share, I would love to hear it. Your experience may be featured in an upcoming episode.

    14 min
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About

Leaks, Laughs & Life with a Urostomy is a real-life podcast about living with a urostomy after bladder removal surgery. Hosted by Dawn, this show shares honest, lived experience from her own journey with a urostomy, along with her husband Alex’s journey with a neobladder. Together, they offer a perspective that goes beyond the clinical side of recovery and into what day-to-day life actually looks like. From nighttime routines and daily management to emotional adjustment, confidence, and the unexpected moments along the way, this podcast creates space for real conversations that are often left out of the medical discussion. Dawn is also the author of Leaks, Laughs & Life with a Urostomy: The Handbook, a practical guide built from real-world experience, and the creator of My Plot Twist Journal, designed to support the emotional side of healing and identity after surgery. This is not medical advice. It is real life, shared with honesty, humor, and heart. If you are living with a urostomy, supporting someone who is, or navigating life after bladder removal, you are not alone here.

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