HockeyGear: StomaGuard

I had traded Rectal Cancer for a Resection and Permanent Colostomy, and 4 months later I was back playing hockey.  I was naturally concerned about herniating, and about stoma-damage by rubbing or impacts.

Hockey is a rough game.  The best hockey players are big, strong, fast, aggressive, and mean.  I only have the ‘fast’, and some players are double my weight.  I have always worn the best protective equipment to avoid injuries.  And that was before I had a colostomy and stoma. 

I first tried playing with just an unprotected pouch. As my stoma was on-line with my hockey pants belt, the rubbing was an obvious problem. I was feeling unsupported and insecure about herniating, and certainly nervous about impacts.  So I quit this experiment after 1 game.

I then tried playing with the Convatec Stoma Cap Cover and a Nu-Hope Ostomy Girdle.   I used this setup for most of 2 years, and it gave me moderate impact protection, and good hernia support.  But the girdle cost some flexibility of movement, and there was slippage of both the Stoma Cap Cover and the girdle, which stressed my flange adhesive.

I wanted superior impact protection, similar hernia support, with better flexibility.  I talked with Bob Zurowski from Stomaplex and got the answer.  

Freedom-Guard's outer shield is strong enough to take hockey impacts, but can be bent to fit the abdominal contour. The belt is comfortable on my skin, and gives good hernia protection without restricting flexibility or mobility.  The U-shaped padding holds the appliance in place, while protecting the stoma.  I wanted extreme protection for hockey, so Bob built the neoprene padding out to 5/8 inch.  I was pleasantly surprised that the Freedom-Guard stays in place, with no shifting or sliding, even with the hockey-belt right on the Freedom-Guard, and the hockey pants moving as I stretch, bend, and rotate.

With the Freedom-Guard, I feel confident the appliance will stay secure. 

I feel supported for hernia protection, and I know I am safe from impacts.

Now the real game-day testimonials. It has been mentioned that I play bigger than my size (‘he’s only 150 pounds, but plays like he’s 190). I think that is intended to be complimentary, but that style is hard on my body.  In 55 years of hockey I made a quick count of 3 concussions requiring hospitalization, 12 broken bones, 3 shoulder separations, and 1 torn knee.  A colostomy hasn’t changed that style. I have taken hits, crashed into the boards, fallen on the ice, blocked shots, and been speared with sticks.  

Sometimes I hurt.  But my stoma has never been hurt. 

It is a real testament to StomaPlex that I can continue to play that style with warranted confidence.

Read Prior posts on

My Comeback to Hockey

HockeyGear:Cup&Girdle

I receive NO financial benefit for sharing this experience and product review

Greg Doesn’t Golf anymore

Greg was the spark that started this Living Bigger With Colostomy blog. 

Greg golfed 6 days a week for 30 summers, then was diagnosed with T3 colon cancer, which resulted in surgery for a colostomy, as well as chemo and radiation.  

Greg quit golfing, fearing the embarrassment of changing a pouch while his golf-buddies waited, or the horrors of a pouch explosion.

Greg also quit driving and riding in a car, for fear of the seatbelt rubbing on his stoma.

Greg declined to lift grocery bags, for fear of a hernia.

Greg stayed in his house, intentionally remaining inactive, and gained enough weight that his pants didn’t fit.  So he started wearing his pouch outside his pants.  With this new humiliation, he refused to leave his house … so both Greg and his wife became reclusive.  This soon dragged both of them into a depression which brought apathy, and lowered confidence and motivation.  Soon Greg’s wife was changing his appliances for him, and they spiraled down together.

Greg and I talked a lot.  Cautiously, I shared many of my positive and active experiences living a normal life with a colostomy – wanting to show that he and his wife could live bigger, yet not wanting to intimidate with my adventures that would be unbelievable and unrealistic for him.  We had a few successes:

• Seatbelts – I drive, and carried a backpack with a hipbelt for 40 days.  Its OK for Greg to drive and ride.
• Pouch on the Outside – Buy pants 2 inches bigger, wear suspenders, and get the pouch back inside your pants!
• Pouch Explosions Golfing – I have golfed for 2 years and played over 100 hockey games (taking hits and blocking shots) and have never had an explosion. Greg is safe to golf ... and no reason to be embarrassed changing pouches on the golf-course, being much more environmentally sensitive than his buddies that relieve beer-overloads in the bushes.

 These small incremental successes are positive and encouraging.

Golfing with Greg is now on my bucket list !

Ostomy Gear for BackPacking

Hiking and Trekking can take us to some spectacular places, explore our planet, connect with the natural world, and engage interesting people and cultures.  But BackPacking is hard work. 

BackPacking can be tough on ostomates. 

BackPacking means we carry the gear we need for the duration of the trip (maybe a day, a week, or a month). I keep pack-weight to an absolute minimum, knowing enjoyment is inversely proportional to the weight of my pack. BackPacking for DayHikes means small loads of about 15 pounds.  Trekking requires all the gear needed to be self-contained, and packs can be 40 pounds. 

West Coast Trail - Canada

Mount Everest BaseCamp - Nepal

The most efficient way to carry a pack all day long, is by relying on the HipBelt to move the weight from shoulders to hips. 

Great idea, but the HipBelt rides directly on my stoma, and can peel the flange.  

  

     My experience adapting

Stoma Cup

Spandex Shorts

So ... I use a Stoma Cup to protect my stoma,

and prevent rubbing that could peel the flange. 

Then I keep it all together and avoid

‘the pendulum swing’ with spandex shorts.

 StomaGuard

But the compression, and pressure, and rubbing by the HipBelt was still uncomfortable and a flange-peeling-risk.  So I custom-built a StomaGuard to keep a gap between the HipBelt and my stoma.  It’s a piece of aluminum bar, bent to follow the shape of my abdomen, with a bump-out to avoid my stoma.  Pressure from the pack weight and tightening the belt, is spread over my abs, but leaves a gap over my stoma. 

StomaGuard Top-View

Custom-Built StomaGuard

StomaGuard with 'bump-out' to prevent stoma-rubs

I have been BackPacking for over 60 days. 

Never had any damage to my stoma. 

Never had a leak or explosion.

Never had an ostomy-related problem. 

Never missed an opportunity for a BackPacking trip.

Yes we can.  Ostomates can go Hiking, BackPacking, and Trekking

Snorkel with Colostomy

Maui, February 2012

I have been told that ostomates don't swim and don't snorkel.  Too much risk of leaks, flanges peeling, infections, lumpy bathing suits.

Yes we can.  Ostomates CAN Swim and Snorkel

Here is the ostomy gear I wear for snorkeling.

An Ostomy Girdle to keep the flange secure

The bag snaps on horizontally

Stealthbelt to keep the bag secure

Bathing Suit 

   

Cover up with a T-shirt

Enjoy the Snorkeling 

HockeyGear: Cup & Girdle

Hockey is the coolest game on ice.  Hockey has speed, contact, and violence.

Hockey is a GREAT game for those that love to play.

Hockey can be played by ostomates, with the right attitude and the right gear. 

I wear the best quality protection gear that is worn by all players.  I also wear some ‘specialty’ gear.  

For some protection from hernias, and for full-confidence that the flange stays in place, 

NuHope Ostomy Girdle

To protect my stoma from shots by the puck, or jabs by sticks, or hits by players, 

Stoma Cup by Convatec

Then I cover it all up with Spandex Shorts

I use Convatec Durahesive flanges because I play hockey twice a week, sweat a lot, and shower every day.  I change flanges every 6 days.

I’ve played over 80 games with a colostomy without any damage to my stoma. I have blocked shots, been speared by hockey sticks, taken hits by players and collided into the boards.  Never been hurt   Never had a leak or an explosion.  Never had an ostomy-related  problem.

Yes we can.  Ostomates can play hockey.


Read the full story of  my 
Comeback to Hockey 

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