Police officer with an ostomy

I am a Police officer, and I had to get a colostomy procedure following a workplace accident. I am happy to have my life today, especially after the injury that occurred while on the job. I will tell you about it in a moment; I just want to tell you to be happy with life and be sure to take in as much as you can today; it could all be gone tomorrow. During what seemed like a typical day at work, I received a call for dispatch that would end up changing my life. 

It was another day at work. I was on patrol when I received a call from dispatch saying there was a domestic disturbance that needed to be dealt with. I responded that I was on my way. Little did I know that this call would change my life. When I arrived on the scene, I saw the cause of the disturbance. A husband and his wife were out in the front yard of their home yelling at one another. I approached the couple to try and see what was going on and if I could defuse the situation without bringing anyone in. When the husband saw me, he pulled a gun and shot without a second thought. I got hit in my lower right abdomen. I did not know if it was caught by my vest or if it went through my body. I did my best to block it out, called in shots fired, and within thirty seconds, I had another few officers on scene. At this point, the husband had his wife as a hostage. We did our best to talk him down, so it did not have to end badly, but unfortunately, he was not going to come in quietly. Things escalated, and what we all did not want to happen happened. The wife was saved, but at what cost...

It was not until one of my co-workers said something that I was bleeding from my lower right abdomen. They called in an ambulance for me, and I was rushed to the hospital. On the way, the ambulance doctors unclothed my torso to get a better look at what was going on. The bullet had indeed snuck past my vest and went through me. They did their best to stop the bleeding; at this point, I was feeling a bit dizzy from the amount of blood I was losing. 

When I got to the hospital, the doctor rushed an x-ray and saw that the bullet had hit my large intestine and tore it open. He told me they needed to perform a colostomy procedure immediately. I was devastated but knew I needed it if I wanted to have proper bowel movements and digestive movements. Once the procedure was done, I did not feel much better or different. I had to stay for a few days so they could monitor me and teach me all I needed to know about my new situation. 

I am glad to be alive today. Without that surgery, I don’t think I would be if it were not for that. My life is not that much different now, but there are a few things that I cant do easily because of my ostomy bag. There is not much I cant do; I prefer to do everything myself if I am able to do so. I have learned to accept people’s help when they offer it because of my new situation. 

Swimming Lake Michigan With A Stoma

This year I had the privilege to go to Lake Michigan with my family.  We went on a nice vacation to the beach and we were able to enjoy some privacy and great social time out mostly alone. Now many people get afraid instantly when I mention beach and stoma's but in reality lots of people have them and enjoy going outside and enjoying the water just like everyone else.  In fact I suggest people with a stoma to go out and enjoy the beach.  Yes there are some things extra that you need to do and you also need to make sure its the right time if you are wearing a stoma cap, but go out and have some fun. 

This year we were able to do some sailing.  This was my first time actually being able to control the sale and even dock the boat.  It was great because normally my brother in law takes care of the sailing, but it was fun to learn.  Being forced to watch the wind and the tails on the sail was a bunch of fun.  Guiding us while gliding along the water really is a cool experience and I suggest everyone give it a try.  I personally enjoyed tacking.  This is where you jump from one side of the boat to the other when the sail switches. It was a blast and I was careful not to smack my stoma on anything and all went just well.  No seals got loose on this trip. 

Another day we just hit the beach itself. I went swimming and luckily without salt water it sure was nice.  Salt in a wound is not a thing in Lake Michigan because there is no salt water.  This keeps your stoma safe and I surely enjoy that.  So for me I like to play frisbee and toss a football around in the water.  I will say it is a good amount of extra abb work so be careful not to injure yourself.  I ended up having a blast in the waves and was able to enjoy the time with my family floating around and just having a good time. 

When it comes to being outside in the sun though I do take extra precautions.  I wear a shirt to cover my stoma and to keep me from getting sunburnt.  The last thing you want is that and that is why I make sure my clothing is uv protected. Otherwise the sun gets right through anyway and it's all for nothing. So for me I take a little extra care and put lots of sunscreen on and make sure my skin is nice and moist.  It is also important for me to bring some extra ostomy gear along with me.

Just in case I keep my gear in a waterproof container.  Otterbox is a really good brand and it seals out water and sand really well.  I still put my gear in a bag inside the box and put water, hand sanitizer and a towel in there as well. I want to keep things clean and this is a good way for me to do it. It may not work for everybody but it does for me and that is enough.  So go out and enjoy the beach this year even if you have a stoma. Take a few extra steps to stay safe and have fun!

Going to the Gym With a Ostomy Bag

The year is now 2020 and that is just to reference what a crazy time it is.   That means that masks are usually required and people are always looking nervus and yet people still give me a crazy look when I tell them that I have a stoma. People literally lose their minds and cannot believe that I am working out with an ostomy bag and it absolutely cracks me up. It cracks me up because I am in pretty good shape.  No I am not a supermodel nor do I think I ever could be, but I do work out on a regular basis and have a pretty healthy diet.  This all goes into keeping my stoma happy and my general ostomy care healthy. So why does it matter that I like to work out?

 

Well this all goes to stereotypes that have told people that if something is different it is to be laughed at ridiculed or feared. I don't think ostomies bring about much fear but they do bring about a lot of laughter and ridicule, especially from children.  Guess what, that is OK.  We were all kids and most of us laugh at that type of situation, but it is really not ok to have an issue with it as an adult.  People all have different struggles and health issues and anyone could end up with a ostomy.  Now that the emotional things are over with I just like to let people know that we have feelings too and most of us who have a stoma are used to dealing with wild questions but we really don't want to. We live a normal life and for the most part not much changes from our daily lives except a stoma routine.

 

So when we go to the gym I have a few things that I like to do and let knew stoma comers to know about.  First thing is to not jump right into an old routine.  If you just had surgery, guess what you just had surgery.  Even if it is rather minor you are now more prone to hernias and abdominal injuries. So to me this means take it slow.  Now always see your own healthcare provider for medical questions and advice. But I like to tell people to lift a quarter of the amount they used to just to make sure things are ok.  Maybe start lower.  It is ok to waste time by not lifitng to your full potential for a few months if it keeps you from a major injury. That will knock you out for much longer so stay safe and stay healthy.  Once you have that down and are working your way back up to jogging, running, lifting, or swimming then you can get into the gear side.

 

Get good ostomy gear.  That really is key to having a great workout and being able to get back in shape.  Not worrying about a leak or a smell is worth more than gold in my mind. I just want to be normal and not worry about these things. So investing in good gear allows me to lift happy and simply have a happier and healthier life. I hope this helps your ostomy journey. Stay safe and live happy!