What to Pack when your on vacation with an Ostomy

The time has come. The weather is changing and vacation time is about to become a use it or lose it ordeal at work. The Stay at Home Orders across the nation have ended and life is getting back to normal.  You just packed your swimsuit and are thinking about, you guessed it Vacation.  Vacation is to some the best time of year.  It is the reason to keep working so hard and exploring new and fun or just old soothing places is relaxing.  So did your anxiety level just spike? How do you vacation with an Ostomy? So many questions come up and many wonder do I order extra from Convatec Ostomy Supplies before the trip? Well in short, that is not a bad Idea to have extras.

So take the time to get your preparations in place.  It can be a daunting thought to plan all your normal vacation and ostomy extras too. But it is not too bad to plan ahead and worth it every time.  So count out your pouches and skin barriers and make sure you have enough for the trip.  Remember if you are flying to add a few days in your carry on just incase your suitcase doesn't land when you do. You don’t want to be caught empty handed and even worse it can be time consuming and expensive to replace your ostomy supplies. Especially when you are used to say using a specific brand.  So order up some extra Ostomy Supplies before you go. 

Remember to stay hydrated.  Wow does this seem over simple, but it is really important to stay hydrated and drink enough water.  It is a step that always gets passed up when you are at the airport or driving and doing nothing but drinking truck stop coffee!

If you are traveling to a foreign country or  a country that has a second language that is not english.  It couldn’t hurt to write down some phrases that are necessary.  Like where is the bathroom! It is also a good idea to have some kind of translation device with you as well. Most people will simply use their phone and google translate is a big help these days. Just think about what you would like to have happen to you if someone came up to you with an ostomy and didn’t speak english and needed help. What would you want in their situation. Now there you go, just do that! Don’t worry too much, but be prepared and have a great vacation!

What to Expect with an Ostomy

The fear of the unknown is real.  Hearing for the first time that you are going to need an Ostomy is scary.  It's worse when you don’t know what it is and they start to explain it to you. Its truly disheartening and scary.  I truly feel that knowledge is power and some companies that are involved in ostomy care, really care for their patients.  For instance, ConvaTec OstomySupplies gives a wealth of knowledge on all aspects of before surgery and after.

They will walk you through the first steps which is pre-surgery.  It doesn’t matter why you are having the surgery.  It is prevalent in sme cancer cases or when the individual has digestive issues.  The best part of ostomy Supplies is they walk you through all the aspects.  They have an entire section that states the pre surgery sections should be lead first and foremost by the surgeon.  They will discuss which type of stoma is best and rather it's going to be long term or short term.  They also let you know that the ostomy nurse is going to be your best friend. It is extremely important to get to know your ostomy nurse and learn as much as you can.  The nurse and surgeon will be walking you through the basics and hard parts of having an ostomy and dealing with your future stoma. 

If you can meet your nurse beforehand that would be optimal.  They can inform you of all the important parts of your life to come and how to keep it as normal as possible.  You can walk through where the stoma should be placed on your body. This should be done with the surgeon and nurse because they can walk through, your body type, reach and skin folds that should be avoided.

Just so you have peace of mind make sure to ask lots of questions.  Ask questions like, will the pouch leak and will it smell. What do I do to prevent this? Ask about the obvious questions, like how it will affect your sex life.  You will want to be prepared and ready to take on life in all its ways. Ask about working and any changes they think you should make based on your job. Don’t also be afraid to get into how you are able to travel and what differences you should make or if any to accommodate.