Things I Wish I Would Have Known Before Surgery

Episode 3: Things I Wish I Would Have Known Before Surgery In this episode, Dawn shares the things she wishes someone had told her before bladder removal surgery. Not the pamphlet version. The real life version. From recovery timelines and emotional surprises to stoma placement, weight restrictions, supplies, wardrobe changes, and the mental toll no one prepares you for, this episode walks through what urostomy life actually looks like in the weeks and months after surgery. Dawn talks honestly about complications, fatigue, grief, adaptation, and learning to trust your body again, all with humor and heart. Whether you are preparing for surgery, newly living with a urostomy, supporting someone you love, or simply trying to understand what life after bladder removal involves, this episode offers practical insight, reassurance, and lived experience from someone who has walked it. This is not about fear. It is about information, patience, resilience, and knowing you are not alone as you find your new normal. Leaks happen. Laugh often.