The holidays are fast approaching and I, like many of you, have travel plans! I belong to a number of online support groups and see a lot of anxiety about flying with an ostomy so I thought maybe I could ease some of your concerns. Here’s my collection of tips for flying with an ostomy. PACKING Bring extra ostomy supplies. … Read More
It’s Not: “Hi, I’m Karin and I Have an Ostomy”
I’ll admit it. I enjoy talking about myself. I like telling my story. I like hearing people tell me how strong I am and how much they admire what I’m doing. Who wouldn’t like that extra push of encouragement, especially on a less than perfect day. That said – I don’t want to be the one to start the conversation all … Read More
45 Things I’ve Done with my Ostomy
Part of what makes people nervous about having an ostomy is the worry that their life will be “over” and they’ll never get to do “normal” things again from eating out to enjoying intimacy. I’d like to settle your nerves. I’ve had my ostomy two years (today is my stomaversary!) and in those two years, even in just the first year, I … Read More
Traveling – Worry for nothing
Here’s a post I found recently that I wrote just before my surgery last year. It appears that it slipped through the cracks before I got around to posting it – oops! Up until recently, the vacations I’ve taken since I’ve had my ostomy have either been to familiar places or for 2-3 days in a place unfamiliar to me, … Read More
Stress: The Common Denominator
When we’re sick, sometimes it’s accompanied by stress. And when we’re stressed, sometimes (read: all the time?) it makes us feel even more sick. When we have surgery coming up, no matter how prepared we think we are, there’s always fear, anger, and stress about the situation hiding in our minds. And when we’re recovering from surgery, every extra, new … Read More
Redirecting to Happy Thoughts
“Some of the worst things in my life never even happened” – Mark Twain Whenever I’m stressing about the future, I remember those wise words. With my surgery for a completion protecting just under a month away, you can imagine I’m a a little nervous. I keep cycling through different emotions and realizations about the surgery and my recovery. For the … Read More
Change-Day in Real Life & Vacation
From the start, changing my bag made me really anxious. I’ve been adamant about doing it myself, as I feel that it is an important skill to have to maintain my independence. I realize now that the act of changing my bag on my own served as a way for me to take ownership of my new situation. Though a … Read More
Cartwheel with an Ostomy. Yep, you can!
Before the flare that resulted in my ostomy, I practiced an Afro-Brazilian martial art called Capoeira. Capoeira is a beautiful art form comprised of martial arts, dance, gymnastics, music, culture, tradition, and so much more. I used to be able to judge how bad of a flare I was in based on which movements I could do without too much … Read More
Coltrane for life. Why I decided to make my ostomy permanent.
When the surgeon and I were talking about my colectomy in the hospital, she mentioned leaving a couple inches of rectum partially because it was so inflamed she wasn’t comfortable operating, but also so that I’d have the possibility to have my ostomy reversed and go the j-pouch route. I told her I wouldn’t be doing that but she didn’t … Read More
Just Dance, With an Ostomy
Since I’m still relatively new to the ostomy world, I haven’t had a lot of courage to dance or work out like I used to. Before surgery I was really active and had just started learning samba and afro-carribean dance. I went to zumba class and played capoeira (an afro-brazilian martial art) almost every day. Getting sick really knocked … Read More
Almond Meal is Not My Friend
The other day I met Coltrane’s evil twin for the first time. He’s much bigger than Coltrane and he caused me a lot of pain. I remember him every time I feel guilty for being totally overkill with my diet and not wanting to expand my food horizons. Who would have thought almond meal/flour pancakes would be a problem? The … Read More
Healing is a Bumpy Road
Today was seven weeks post-colectomy and my body celebrated by not having nearly as much energy as it had had in the days leading up but after a morning nap I didn’t let that stop me. There is nothing like being able to recognize progress and that is what I have been so lucky to do over the last few … Read More