Friday, March 30, 2012

Vacationing with my Ostomy

I admit, I was a bit nervous about the whole Ostomy on Vacation thing.  Before we left, there was a great deal of pondering about how many supplies to bring.  I read a rumor that the pouch would puff up on the plane (false, guys, false, even the pouches with no filter).  I worried that some J-hole would make a big deal at one of the airports. 

Overall, I was very glad to have an ostomy.  No one hassled me at any of the airports.  Completely unwrap and "test" the statue Eric bought?  Yes.  Not one person wanted a peek at the pouch.  They were more concerned with why I had two DVD players.  I emptied before I went through security and again before I got on a plane (as needed).  I had extra supplies (no scissors of course).  It was easy.

In Cambodia, it was no big deal.  The only time anyone even saw it was during a massage, and the woman's main concern was whether it hurt.  Again, I carried extra supplies with me.  Towards the end of the trip, we all got some sort of intestinal thing.  It was super nice not to be tied to a toilet.  Ostomy pouches are so portable!  As long as I could find a bathroom to empty, it was all good.

As far as how many supplies to bring on a trip...I read somewhere to bring three times the amount I would normally need.  That amount of supplies was WAY too much, but I wouldn't have wanted to run short on anything.  I was glad I had plenty of pouches and wafers.

So if you're considering a vacation, don't let an ostomy hold you back!  Vacations rule!!!


Don't miss out on seeing cool stuff like this!!!!  :)

12 comments:

  1. Great to know, Sheri! I'm really glad that you're out there living life and nothing is keeping you tied down!!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Hey Sheri, Thanks for the insights. I've been traveling a fair bit domestically with my ostomy, and have had zero problems, but have been a bit hesitant to do so internationally because of various concerns. Good to hear you had a smooth trip in this regard.

    By the way, nobody has given me problems with scissors as the blades are shorter than whatever TSA allows, but still ... probably best not to risk it.

    Doug

    ReplyDelete
  3. Thank you for this, Sheri. I am a new ostomate, and your experience is helping me. Like you, I have a blog with the purpose of helping others in a similar situation. (www.richard.inpointform.net)

    Just before I was diagnosed with colorectal cancer, I had planned to visit Cambodia and Viet Nam with my son. Once I'm done my chemo, maybe then. For now, I'll just enjoy your photos.

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  12. Thanks for the thoughts. I was looking into ostomy supplies in Vancouver, because my cousin mentioned it. I am glad you got to go on vacation and enjoy yourself.

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