Tag Archives: wilderness travel with ostomy

How to select ostomy pouch styles for the outdoors

Posted on May 16, 2013 by

Last weekend I was reminded why I love using closed-end ostomy pouches on hikes and climbs. I was up on a long ridge between between Loveland Pass and Mt. Sniktau in Colorado. Though it was a gorgeous 75-degree day down … Continue reading →

Posted in Hiking and backpacking, Products, Tips and Tricks | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Back in the wilds!

Posted on April 22, 2013 by

Heart pounding, quads burning and lungs barely able to keep up — I could not believe I was standing at 13,000 feet again. Yet there I was! Doug and I spent the weekend in Breckenridge with his parents. Our rental … Continue reading →

Posted in Avascular Necrosis, Exercise, Hiking and backpacking, Nature and recovery | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 10 Comments

Reaching out (feat. new video)

Posted on March 4, 2013 by

Last Tuesday evening, I left work in a gorgeous swirl of falling snow but promptly got stuck in standstill traffic due to slippery road conditions. I half-thought of exiting the freeway and heading home, but the destination was too important … Continue reading →

Posted in Emotional Health, Friends, Hiking and backpacking, Video | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

Mt. Rainier next summer!

Posted on October 22, 2012 by

I have a brand new goal to work toward for next summer: a climb of Mt. Rainier (14,411 feet) in Washington’s Cascade Range. Ever since Doug and I backpacked on the lower forested flanks of Mt. Rainier on the Wonderland … Continue reading →

Posted in Climbing, Travel | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

The One Pass Ostomy Draining Device: a great product for the outdoors

Posted on July 8, 2012 by

Usually it is the big flashy things like climbing ropes, packs or tents that become my most coveted outdoor gear. Lately however, a much simpler and unassuming piece of gear has become one of my favorites. A couple of months … Continue reading →

Posted in Hiking and backpacking, Products | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 9 Comments

A winter ostomy adventure (feat. new video)

Posted on December 29, 2011 by

After a whirlwind summer of camping, hiking and backpacking just about every weekend, outdoor adventures slowed down for the two of us. Snow and cold returned to the high country and the ski areas weren’t open yet. Once they did … Continue reading →

Posted in Hiking and backpacking, Video | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

A dot marks the spot

Posted on October 30, 2011 by

It was a gorgeously sunny October day last year when I packed up my harness and backpack and headed out the door. No, I wasn’t going on a hike or climb. In fact, the place I was traveling to wasn’t … Continue reading →

Posted in Climbing, Hiking and backpacking, My favorite posts, Stoma, Surgery decisions | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 8 Comments

The long haul (feat. new video)

Posted on October 7, 2011 by

When I first got out of the hospital around Thanksgiving in 2010, I was overwhelmed with my ostomy appliance. I remember calling Doug on the phone in tears the first time I tried to change it on my own. Output … Continue reading →

Posted in Hiking and backpacking, Surgery recovery, Video | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Memories of harder times

Posted on September 15, 2011 by

Last year at this time, I was just beginning my downward spiral into my final severe Ulcerative Colitis flare. Each day of the next few months will be an anniversary of something UC-related, and the flashbacks to those harder times … Continue reading →

Posted in Surgery recovery | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 8 Comments

Dealing with Output on the Trail (feat. new video)

Posted on September 3, 2011 by

Many new ostomates wonder how to deal with their output on hikes, as we usually have to empty our appliances every 4-6 hours. The answer is to dig a “cathole.” This is the term commonly used by backpackers for a … Continue reading →

Posted in Hiking and backpacking, Video | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 12 Comments