I can certainly feel it. The air is cooling down and the leaves are starting to change. For me, this means that it is time to enjoy my favorite time of the year with a vacation. Even though it is 2020 and the COVID-19 pandemic is still going on, a vacation is important and necessary. This year beyond all I know that I need a break. I plan on enjoying a great time with my family and also making sure I am staying nice and safe. Having a stoma means that I also have to keep some extra things in mind when I am traveling. Not that my life is drastically different than anyone else's, but I may have to do a little more planning and carry some extra gear along. So when it comes to vacation I want to go over a few things and tips that have helped me with my ostomy.
I know that you probably already know what you use every day, but some people don't. I am a gear and planning nut. That means I know all the stuff I use, and how many of this and that every single day, week, and month. But if you don't, that is OK. Before you go on vacation, get a notepad or a note section in your phone and track a days worth of ostomy gear. How many pouches, skin barriers, and other types of ostomy gear did you use in one day. Now keep track for a week and see what you end up using. That is important because you will know what to pack on your trip. Some people overpack and just take a ton of everything, but that may get expensive for many reasons. If you lose your gear on the trip, then you just lost a whole lot of money, but you may also be flying and that could get heavy and costly. So just work out what you need for the amount of time you will be spending away from home and pack accordingly.
I know that you probably already know what you use every day, but some people don't. I am a gear and planning nut. That means I know all the stuff I use, and how many of this and that every single day, week, and month. But if you don't, that is OK. Before you go on vacation, get a notepad or a note section in your phone and track a days worth of ostomy gear. How many pouches, skin barriers, and other types of ostomy gear did you use in one day. Now keep track for a week and see what you end up using. That is important because you will know what to pack on your trip. Some people overpack and just take a ton of everything, but that may get expensive for many reasons. If you lose your gear on the trip, then you just lost a whole lot of money, but you may also be flying and that could get heavy and costly. So just work out what you need for the amount of time you will be spending away from home and pack accordingly.
Now if you are anything like me on trips I am a little overprepared. In the United States I am pretty safe in that I can get replacements almost anywhere. But you may be traveling abroad or in a remote location. So I like to pack twice and put my gear in two separate locations. I know, I just talked about overkill and packing too much. But I am also paranoid so I carry my gear twice. If I am flying one set goes with me on my carry-on and another set goes into my packed luggage.
I also know it sounds silly, but vacation can be much more complicated with an upset stomach. This is the time that I like to go out and enjoy all the drinks and food that I miss or want to expereince. But when you are actually traveling on the road or in the air hold off on those delights. It may not be worth it to have a terrible flight or car ride when you could simply have waited a day and enjoyed it all once you got to your location. You now have a little more to think about with your ostomy gear so, be careful. I hope these tips help you on your next vacation!
I also know it sounds silly, but vacation can be much more complicated with an upset stomach. This is the time that I like to go out and enjoy all the drinks and food that I miss or want to expereince. But when you are actually traveling on the road or in the air hold off on those delights. It may not be worth it to have a terrible flight or car ride when you could simply have waited a day and enjoyed it all once you got to your location. You now have a little more to think about with your ostomy gear so, be careful. I hope these tips help you on your next vacation!