Fear is a big part of life. When you find out that a ostomy is going to happen and that you are going to have a stoma, fear finds a way in. But with that comes a lot of learning and the understanding that life has a way of working out. And really some things never change. The sun still shines, the wind still blows, and the wind still blows dandelions all over my law. Yes, yard work always needs to be done and if you have a stoma, it still needs to be done. I was worried about being active when I first found out I was going to get an ostomy. Lots of scary situations ran through my mind and believe it or not the thought of a terrible lawn after years of careful grooming frightened me. I needed to be able to still get outside and get my grass mowed and my trees mulched. It does sound a little strange to be worried about the lawn, but it’s an area I take pride in. One major thing newcomers to ostomy’s need to know are that they can still be active and still lead a normal life. Don’t give in to fear.
The first thing I would say is that you should take your yard seriously and the information of your surgeons and ostomy nurses more seriously. They will tell you to take it slow and I wholeheartedly agree. Don’t rush into doing more work than you are able to after ostomy surgery. You have lots of new gear to try out and to get working correctly. I found that testing out new ostomy gear was my favorite way to see what worked and testing for free is truly the best.
So,I found out from a veteran in the stoma that Hollister Ostomy Supplies has free samples. This is really important when starting to work outside because you don’t know what will work for your activity level. You don’t want leakage although I have made many a joke about personal fertilizer that has been very much shunned by my wife. The neighbor still loves them though. It is OK, to joke and to make fun of all parts of life. Don’t lose your sense of humor.
But even though things can be funny be realistic as well. Now you are more prone to hernias than the average person. This is due to having a stoma and the fact that your abdominal muscles are rather weakened due to the surgery. So don’t go full-on landscaping mode right away. Be wise and take the time to work up to taking care of the lawn. If you have a riding mower great, if you have a push mower, start by splitting up the task. What you used to do in an hour break up into 4 days. WHAT? Yes, do a quarter of the yard at a time and see where your body is at. Make sure your ostomy gear is working properly or maybe order a different bag or belt. I also like to put on an ostomy shield when I am out working on the lawn. So many times I have made dumb mistakes and protecting my stoma is a good way for me to feel good about myself and feel confident.
Ostomy Log 