It's been a year since I left my colon at the hospital and have been blessed with overall good health. I am very active with hiking, biking, skiing, and embarking on a 3-week trip to meet my son in Nepal for a few weeks of trekking!
I currently use a stealth belt for my activities but wanted to get any other advice on what had worked well for others and travel tips. I have never taken 3 weeks off work and want to be prepared!
I thank you all—this community is such a blessing.
Gratitude! Scot
No suggestions, but I just wanted to say how much I admire you. Posts like this inspire me to keep fighting to get my health back.
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About seven years ago, just about every aspect of my life was ostomy related. From the moment I was told an ostomy might be needed until some months down the road I existed as a person afflicted with a colostomy. I feared someone other than my immediate family might find out I had a bag. Ugh! What could be worse? Suppose it filled real fast when I was out with no place to hide and take care of myself. God forbid should it leak in church! Suppose I roll over on it in bed. I was a lesser creature, destined to a life of emotional anguish and physical routines different from most of the rest of the world. I felt like a freak. Then I found folks like you guys here, read your stuff, really “listened” to what you had to say and I began looking at things differently. We know perception is everything and I began to understand how good things were relative to what they could’ve been. So many folks had it so much worse than I did. That didn’t make my discomfort go away but it exposed how fortunate I was to be dealing with my stuff and not their’s. I felt a little guilt, maybe selfishness but quickly forgave myself by understanding I just wasn’t smart enough to fix my feelings. Then, I wonder what smarts have to do with feelings. My perception was warped so my perspective toward my existence was warped.
I learned over the last few years with the help of lots of folks right here at MAO that I could be better at living just by accepting some facts. It is what it is and so what? It’s not the worst thing to happen to a person.
I think everything is, in some way, related to everything else. I just put the ostomy thing in the back seat and drive forward.
Respectfully,
Mike
Make sure to carry plenty of water with you when hiking.
Sports drinks are great too, or a drop in of electrolytes that you can put in your water.
G-Day Sruch,
I would recommend you look up where the closest hospital is to where you're going just in case of a blockage or other needs. And take with you more of your ostomy products than you might need. Also, give your son a crash course in how to change your bag for you just in case.
Regards, IGGIE
H2ORS is my go-to for dehydration. I always bring extra when traveling. Also, I prefer wraps by Ostomy Secrets over Stealth Belt.
Enjoy and safe travels 🌈
Get a minor check-up before you leave, and if you take any drugs, take a picture of the prescription container and take allergy meds just in case you are allergic to anything in the new environment. Enjoy your trip!
Also, anti-diarrhea meds and Tylenol too.
Wishing you a marvelous trip - Nepal and Tibet are on my 'must visit' agenda ......
Please post pics so we may share.
TY
Go safely and have a great time.
BW
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Jayne ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Wow! What great advice from all of these wonderful people who have some of the same questions.
Good luck, Sruch! Have the best time with your son!
On kayak trips, my packing always includes sachets of hydration salts to add to water, loperamide in case something upsets my ileo and sends it into overdrive (which can leave me exhausted and dehydrated too). Plenty of supplies, and a few 'doggy' bags with some toilet paper and absorption sachets added, ready in case I need to do a discreet 'empty' and then dispose of it later.
As mentioned, masking sure someone knows your routine is also useful. My son asked me years ago to teach him - fortunately, he has never needed to do so, although he did have to help me empty when I had my arm in a sling!
I'm jealous. Went to Japan in October. Wanted to hit Nepal and Egypt and circle the globe. Too weak for that much. Love Stealth Belt and have three. I suggest carrying two sets of stoma gear, one in checked luggage and the other in carry-on. 747 and Airbus toilets are tiny. Tried kneeling. Jet bounces and hit my head on the overhang. Splashed poop, yuck! Sat high on the seat and emptied down. No food six hours before the flight. Go six to seven hours without emptying. Twelve-hour flight? Empty twice. Kōun o and Yoki kokai wo
