Many people are most fearful of injury when they are away from the general public.  When you have a medical condition and in my case a stoma you need to be on top of any issues that may happen.  If you find yourself all alone and no one is around for miles then being prepared is important.  I really enjoy being far away from the general public and being safe outside in the woods that I love.

Now it was not overnight that I found out I was going to be able to enjoy all of my alone time in the woods. In fact, when I first found out I was slated for an ostomy surgery I believed my time all alone outside was done.  I believed that my life was basically over for a few weeks and it really put me into a kind of depression.  But I want to let you know that it is simply not necessary. The more you know and learn can help you overcome ignorance and fear.  I was filled with both and it temporarily hurt my life.  So I want to let you know taht there is hope, and there is a great fantastic full life with a stoma.  So let's get into being safe with your stoma in the woods.

Just like any other area, it is important to keep safety first.  This can be so many things and when it comes to going out into the woods, mountains, or the wild for hiking, fishing or hunting, there are a few rules to follow.  The first thing in my book is that other people know where I am and where I am going.  If I am going to be all alone miles away from the help it doesn't matter that I have a stoma, I want my health to be taken care of in case a bad thing happens. 

It could be as simple as a sprained ankle or a broken leg from a silly fall. I want to know that if I am hurt outside, that help, knows where to find me. It can be as simple as leaving a note, a text to your spouse or a friend.  Those things are key to most big safety issues. If I tear a muscle or my phone gets broken, I want there to be a general idea of where I am.  there are amazing services that provide GPS and Satalight contact but they do cost a good amount.  They come in super-secure devices meant to withstand falling off a mountain. So that is step one.

The next thing for me is to make sure I have a backup of ostomy gear and enough water when I am out being active away from people.  Things break, seals have issues, and problems can happen. I like to have sanitary supplies and extra gear in case things go wrong.  It doesn't take much weight, and it so much nicer to have it and not need it then need it and not have it.  What this does is keeps me and my wife from worrying. If I have extra gear then I know all will be ok.

So those are just a few things that I like to keep in mind for safety.  So have fun and enjoy the great outdoors!