Traveling

[karen11g]

Hi all, New to colostomies, new to board. My husband just completed a grueling 9-month treatment protocol for rectal cancer and has a colostomy that is likely permanent. He has adjusted extremely well to it, though because of COVID, we're still very much at home.

We had planned an Antarctica cruise before cancer and COVID hit. It's my husband's top bucket list trip.

I Googled "traveling to Antarctica with a colostomy" and came up with nothing. The January 2022 cruise we're looking at will include one landing per day, maybe three hours on land without facilities? (Some more ambitious ones do two or even three landings, so are much more intensely active and bathroom free.)

Are we nuts to think about doing an expedition cruise with a colostomy? Any thoughts that more experienced ostomites can share will be appreciated.

[ot dave]

I have had my colostomy for over 10 years now. I too had rectal cancer, and my colostomy is permanent. My opinion is to take the trip! Make the memories and have a good time. I spent 10 days at about 9500 ft elk hunting in Colorado about 18 months after my surgery... and there were no facilities there either! I have gone on a live aboard dive boat for a week...without making any stops on land. There were facilities there, but not ideal.
All that said, I do irrigate each day, which helps to keep me from having bowel movements throughout the day. I typically go all 24 hours between irrigations without having any movements. With some immodium and diet choices, I can go 48 hours between irrigations without any bowel movements. If he gets interested in irrigation, have him check out the irrigation forum, he can get all of his questions answered there.
If he's not interested in irrigating, there are many things you can do to make the trip feasible. Don't eat while on the excursion. Make sure he's had plenty of time to have a bowel movement after a meal before you go. Pouching systems can offer different scenarios/options.
A lot will depend on how his individual system works and what he is comfortable with doing in atypical locations. I've even made an entire appliance change on the side of the highway on one fateful night!
Hope that helps some.

David

[karen11g]

Thanks David - that's really encouraging! And your trips sound amazing.

I sent him a link to these boards, so hope he'll get on soon and avail himself of the great information and community. We don't know much at all about irrigation, but sounds like something to look into.

Crossing fingers that all of us will be able to travel again soon!

Karen

[Catscab56]

Hi Karen, I agree with Dave. I have had a urostomy and colostomy for a little over 2 years. Of course at the beginning it’s hard because you have to figure out which product and set up works best for you. But once you have it figured that out and are comfortable with everything you will feel comfortable traveling. Don’t let you ostomy run your life. Sometimes hard to do but you can do it. A suggestion might be to try a few small trips, if you haven’t already, before your dream trip to Antarctica!! The best to you and your husband and enjoy your dream trip!! Cathy