Can You Still Enjoy The Outdoors With a Stoma?

One of my biggest hobbies is enjoying the outdoors. I’m no stranger to extreme sports, hiking, camping, rock climbing - you name it. I absolutely love the outdoors and it has always been a huge part of my life. Growing up in rural west Michigan has given me plenty of opportunities to get outdoors and enjoy the great wonder of nature. Long summers spent with my grandparents in northwest Michigan will always be great memories in my heart and have fueled years of excitement well into my adulthood about getting out to the woods or the beach. A few months ago I underwent surgery due to some unfortunate circumstances that left me with a whole new development in my life. That’s right; I’m talking about a colostomy. Not a lot of people understand what a colostomy is, and that’s okay - it’s not something that I hope very many people have to experience in their lifetime. My ostomy left me with a whole in my lower abdomen called a stoma, in which the waste in my body will basically filter into a pouch that’s connected to the outside of my stoma.

Now there are a lot of changes that happened in my life after getting a stoma. I had to take a couple months off work to get through the whole ordeal of surgery and recovering from the ostomy, and I can tell you right up front that it was not at all a pleasant experience. To make things worse, I was super afraid that my stoma will affect my love for going outdoors. Not only does a stoma limit you because you need to have ostomy supplies and gear on hand in the event of an emergency, but you also need to be wary of any movements that could cause complications for your stoma. I talked with the doctors a lot about what I would be allowed and not allowed to do as far as exercise; I told them with tears in my eyes that I absolutely love exploring the outdoors and that I need it to continue to be a big part of my life.

Fortunately, I felt a lot better about my situation after talking with the doctors. They explained that I would need to rest for a while after my stoma was put in and that it is not great to go running around outdoors after an ostomy. But after the recovery process, I was free to return to my normal activities for the most part! There are still a few things that I don’t feel completely comfortable with doing with my stoma, like swimming, but for the most part I am able to completely continue my hobbies outdoors. 

This summer, I have been super into kayaking and canoeing. It’s always a good time to stroll lazily down a river or lake and stand as a witness to the beauty of nature. I also have spent a lot of time cycling; I even found stoma pouches online that are more form fitting and allow for more comfortability during sports or athletics. This has been a game-changer for me when I’m going on hikes or runs outdoors. Overall, I want you to know that your ostomy won’t ruin your life; in fact, your life will continue to basically be how it was before your ostomy in a lot of ways. Don’t be discouraged, you will get through this!