This is the time of year to enjoy the season. It is the Christmas season and there is so much to do and to enjoy during the holidays. I personally love spending time with my family and definitely my friends. It is also fun to be around the holidays with co-workers and enjoy some great holiday parties. That is simply part of the time of year and it is a social time where we get to catch back up with people we love and know. But for some, it is indeed a time of fear and of being sad at having to go to these parties.
I know many people who hate this time of year and some of them hate it because they simply have medical issues. I know a few people with ostomies that are flat out against all of these holidays and it is because they are afraid. They fear having a stoma issue or that someone may end up making fun of them for having an ostomy bag. They are afraid of smells, and sounds they may actually make that turns into a whole conversation about their ostomy and not about how they have enjoyed the year. I know the fear is real, and for those of us that love Christmas and have a stoma we still feel some of that. So I want to give some reassurance that with the right gear and skill you don’t have to worry.
Fear is truly apart of life and in many ways, we live with it every day. I know and understand the fear of having an ostomy issue in public, but like most things with confidence in your gear and in yourself that fear goes away and is turned into a simple possibility that you are prepared for. I think that knowledge is power and I know that I keep extra gear with me in case the worst thing happens. But I am not afraid that my gear will actually fail me either. That is a big part of living with an ostomy bag is trusting the gear you are using to get you through.
Now I trust what I use because I use it all the time. I am an avid jogger and I really enjoy hiking as well. This means that I test my gear in high-intensity situations where most people will never be. Now if you have kids there is no amount of testing that can prepare you for what may happen, but you get the idea. I know that in hard situations my gear will get me through.
So that is why I post a lot on social media and all over to let people know that they don’t have to be afraid. Christmas parties are much easier to get through with your stoma than hiking up Angels Landing in Zion with a stoma. But I don’t do these things to brag, but to encourage. I want everyone to be active and enjoy getting out and not worrying about their stoma. I show my pack, my plans, and backup plans for things to go wrong. I keep a repair kit and extra gear with me at the office or at a party in the car or in my jacket. I am not unafraid but prepared and that is what it takes to enjoy Christmas.
Gastrointestinal Health 