My name is Doug, and I’m the lucky one who is married to Heidi, the champion of the effort called Ostomy Outdoors.

When Heidi started this blog six months ago, I didn’t imagine that I would be writing in it myself. You see, I’m not an ostomate. But I live with an ostomate, and I’ve become intimately familiar with a whole new world of experiences, vocabulary, and feelings related to ostomies, surgeries, and recoveries.

I found out from Heidi that it’s not just people considering ostomy surgery who are reading this blog and watching the videos. Some readers are people like me: intestinally healthy friends, family, and acquaintances of those who have IBD, Crohn’s, ulcerative colitis, and/or ostomies. So, I figured it was time to diversify the writing a bit on Ostomy Outdoors, and try to provide not only a different perspective for this readership, but possibly serve as a sounding board for the “others” who are in the lives of readership.

After a sort, I’ve been through the sickness and the surgery process too, just from a few feet away and in a different body. I’ve seen the blood and the poop and the sweat and the tears (sometimes my own). I’ve been in the hospital, listened to and waited for the doctors, and asked questions. I have dressed the wounds, removed stitches, and helped change appliances. I’ve seen 6 inches of bright red abdominal wall without the usual covering of skin. But most importantly for me, I’ve been next to Heidi for a long, long time and I’ve had front row seats at some really good “firsts.” First walk after surgery, first climb, first hike, first backpack trip, and even first beer. There are some other good ones in the pipeline, but I won’t give away the surprises for you, dear reader.

I don’t imagine I’ll be as prolific a writer as Heidi, but you’ll see my name on the posts every so often, and I’ll do my best to maintain the standards set by my wife, the toughest person I’ve had the pleasure of meeting. I welcome your comments and questions.