For years after my ileostomy I stayed out of the pool. I was scared it would come off and that would be just totally embarrassing and how would I ever live that down?!
I decided if I were to go swimming it would be in a swimming pool which the maintenance was kept up on.
I had made the decision not to swim in lakes, rivers, or oceans for my own personal safety. I have my intestine on the outside of my body. There chances everyday for microbes even tiny fish to swim up inside you and cause health issues causing the need to remove them.
(if you do not believe me please Google it)
My first swimming experience was at a bar-b-que my husband's friend and his wife were hosting. I had ordered a swimsuit that would hide and disguise the ileostomy. It worked great, but we never went swimming again.
We have 2 beautiful pools here where we live, and we had never used them until this year. We live so much closer to it, and I don't mind the walk there and back. I normally don't eat or drink much so my bag isn't very active. And for the most part it has very much behaved.
Today I had got out of the water, was lounging and was pretty dry when I did a pat on my ostomy. it had air in. How much I didn't know, but I wasn't going to let anyone see me with one side poofed out. I quickly grabbed my tank top and pulled it over me. Made a mad dash to the bathroom. Was very careful not to get anything anywhere but in the toilet as sometimes I have Mt. St. Helens erupting.
I got back to my lounge chair took tank top off. Decided it was too hot and jumped back in the pool. The German and Irish in me likes to get red, but the Mexican in me turns it brown the next day.
I decided if I were to go swimming it would be in a swimming pool which the maintenance was kept up on.
I had made the decision not to swim in lakes, rivers, or oceans for my own personal safety. I have my intestine on the outside of my body. There chances everyday for microbes even tiny fish to swim up inside you and cause health issues causing the need to remove them.
(if you do not believe me please Google it)
My first swimming experience was at a bar-b-que my husband's friend and his wife were hosting. I had ordered a swimsuit that would hide and disguise the ileostomy. It worked great, but we never went swimming again.
We have 2 beautiful pools here where we live, and we had never used them until this year. We live so much closer to it, and I don't mind the walk there and back. I normally don't eat or drink much so my bag isn't very active. And for the most part it has very much behaved.
Today I had got out of the water, was lounging and was pretty dry when I did a pat on my ostomy. it had air in. How much I didn't know, but I wasn't going to let anyone see me with one side poofed out. I quickly grabbed my tank top and pulled it over me. Made a mad dash to the bathroom. Was very careful not to get anything anywhere but in the toilet as sometimes I have Mt. St. Helens erupting.
I got back to my lounge chair took tank top off. Decided it was too hot and jumped back in the pool. The German and Irish in me likes to get red, but the Mexican in me turns it brown the next day.