This is my favorite time of year when it comes to being outside. Many people would think that I would enjoy the summer or warmer months, but it is the cooler seasons that I enjoy the most. It is simply because I enjoy being outside and doing active things. Being active in the cold is much more enjoyable to me than being active in the summer. I am not a big fan of all the sweat and nastiness that comes along with it. I especially enjoy being outside and being active with my stoma in the winter because I am able to wear super baggy and comfortable clothing and not be judged at all. It is a cool thing that I enjoy doing.
Just last year I was able to do a big canoe trip in Canada. It was a really incredible time to spend in the boundary waters. It was planned to be with about 10 guys which turned out to be 11 in the end. We had to put a third person in a canoe which made things a little interesting. But it was nice to have an extra person for all the portages. But many people thought it was unwise fo me to be able to go with a stoma and all my ostomy gear. It simply baffled me that anyone would think that would stop me from being able to go out and enjoy a full life and a nice fishing vacation.
When you have major plans in life I am not one to simply stop doing things that I love for my stoma. Having an ostomy was not the end of my life, but the ability to enjoy it much more. It is my best advice to anyone who just got an ostomy to instantly to thinking that you may not be able to do something. Instead think of all the things that are a bit wild and crazy and make plans to go and do them. Your stoma will not hold you back if you don’t let it. There really is no reason to not plan on doing what you normally do. I enjoy being outside and fishing and enjoying the great outdoors. Canoeing long distances and portaging is something that is 100% possible with a stoma. I will admit that I probably trained more than any of the people who went on the adventure with me, but that was simply because I didn’t want anything bad to happen because of me. My stoma does make me a little more conscious of being in shape and not getting into hernia issues due to my own weakness.
So if anything my stoma keeps me in better shape than just about everyone I know. It keeps me in the gym working on getting my body into a great physical condition to be able to adventure worry-free. That is my main goal is to get good ostomy gear that keeps me from worrying about my seal or ostomy bag having any issues. So I would suggest finding gear that works really well with your body. Ask pharmacists and doctors about new things that are out that may help your body type. I always try to keep up with gear so I can keep up with my adventures.
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