One of the things that motivates me every single year is the thought of backpacking. I love being outdoors and the drive to go out and challenge myself to see cool things and experience pain to get there just excites me. I love the idea of seeing things that others won't have a chance to see because they won't go out and push themselves. It makes the views and experience much more special in my mind and that Is why I love backpacking. Now lots of people get scared when I tell them I have an ostomy and go backpacking with a stoma. It freaks them out and they think you are simply not supposed to go out and be adventurous. Instead of getting snarky I like to give tips that help them. If they also have a stoma I like to let them know what I do and use so they can try it later on if they get over their fear. That is my goal is to get people who are afraid to go out and be active to not be afraid anymore. It is not something that you should jump right into after surgery. You are more prone to a hernia and it is hard on your abs, but it can be done. I like to backpack like an ultralight backpacker. It is a whole genre of backpacking that takes things to the extreme. Backpacking with a stoma is extreme and this was right up my ally. I like to work on being as lightweight as possible not only for my ostomy but also for my happiness. I don't like hiking with tons of weight. I like to be comfortable. To be able to do this I have learned to live off of only essentials while backpacking. THis means not taking extra things that are driven by fear or comfort. In a way you find comfort by not bringing things to make you more comfortable. So I like to hammock on my backpacking trips. This allows me to sleep like a baby and be rested when I wake up. Sleeping on the ground never seems to help me feel better and be rested. So having a hammock and sleeping on my side is a wonderful treat. I also carry only super lightweight gear. This means my sleeping bag is actually a quilt. It weighs 1.5 lbs and is made of down. Is so warm and fluffy and still gets very small when packed in my bag. Instead of a regular 6 lb backpack my bag only weighs 1.5 lbs and is made of a ultralight material that is also waterproof. This allows me to lower my weight and carry less. Since I do carry some ostomy gear along and put it in a separate waterproof bag I like to try and cut weight everywhere else. This means I will only be taking one pair of clothing. So for this I make sure my shirt is uv protected so I don't get a sunburn around my stoma. That is really important. Skincare is paramount and so is staying clean so the more you can do to do that the better. I do try my absolute best to be wise in my choices and I suggest that you do as well. So get out and be adventurous even if you have a stoma.
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Last year I went on one wild backpacking trip. It was not in an extravagant location, but it was a very hard hike and yes I also have an ostomy. One of my friends wanted to do a 50 mile hike in 3 days. It was a really adventurous plan and would not be easy because the 5 to 6 thousand feet of elevation that you had to climb each day. This was certainly a hard trail and I wanted to go over a few things to keep you safe just incase you decide to go on a wild backpacking trip and especially if you have an ostomy too. Now I prefer to go on these wild trips that have tons of elevation with a light pack. I mean the full weight of my gear is not to exceed 25lbs even when full of 3 to 4 litres of water. I simply do not want to be walking with lots of weight. Now my ostomy is higher up and I am able to use a waste belt for my main backpack. This is really important because getting the weight on your hips is a great way to keep your body safe and strong for the hike. My ostomy gear sits high enough to stay out of the way. I am lucky in this because I can get that weight on my hips and be able to do those high elevation backpacking trips. One thing that also really helps me is that I use walking sticks. This changed the game for long distance or high elevation hikes. It allows you to take some of the work and put it on your arms and that simply adds miles to your trip. This is something that I wish I knew a long time ago. The extra distance I am able to cover and the less work that comes with it is certainly a blessing. But what happens when it rains. Now I don't like my skin to get wet and then get rubbed raw. So to keep this from happening I use a poncho. Ponchos are great for giving space for air to flow and to still keep the water off. This keeps sweat from building up and it basically feeling likes its raining inside of your rain gear. So get a poncho that can fit over your pack and give lots of space to get air moving. Your feet will still get wet, but the rest of you and your stoma will stay dry. This can mean the ability to keep hiking or have to call someone to pick you up halfway through. No one wants that to happen. So I also like to keep my gear in a protected area for my ostomy supplies. When I am hiking I like lightweight bags for waterproofing my gear. My backpack is waterproof and I also have a poncho, but I still want another layer for my gear. So ziplock bags work great for this application. They are lightweight and also pack down very small while protecting my ostomy bags and gear. So I suggest this method instead of a heavy plastic waterproof case for hiking. If I was in a kayak I would take an otterbox but that is a whole different type of adventure. So stay safe and have fun out there! |
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