Sports with an Ostomy

Being born in the midwest comes with some stipulations and requirements. It means that by the time you are able to hold a ball in your hand like a child that you are given a basketball. Honestly, the state that I was born in has been known for being a basketball haven and a place that requires you to be an athlete if you have two legs that work relatively well. The truth is that I have always loved the athleticism and even though I have a stoma I don't let it get in the way of me making my mark on this state. In fact, I love the ability to talk about my athletic feet even though they are not great. It still gives hope to those who are new to having a stoma and allows them to know that they can still be active and have a full life. Now my inspiration does not come from myself but others who have far exceeded anything I could probably ever do in the sports world.

For me, I still enjoy playing basketball. I honestly think more about my ankles then my stoma on the basketball court. I am much more worried about twisting or now I pretty much instantly get sprained ankles if something goes wrong. I am beyond happy to have to worry more about that than my stoma. I use a nice flange, and a small bag when I am doing anything really active. I like to keep it tight to my body with an elastic belt and have a bag that has loops to work perfectly with my belt. I am more than happy to pop this on and head to my local gym or park and join a pickup game.

What helped me get to this point was talking with people who had done this before. I didn't go into trying gear out that was new or untested. Instead, I went online and searched for people who were playing basketball or running marathons with a stoma. I asked them on social media what they used and why they did it and I found that many of those people got back with me and helped me on my journey. I would highly suggest looking to others who have more experience and with the power of the internet and social media that is really possible and easily done.