In my home town there certainly are a whole lot of things that simply have to happen. I grew up in the Midwest United States. Now for some, that means I grew up around corn, politeness, and the bible belt. What it means to most of the people in sports is that I grew up in basketball country. This was more than just a suggestion. It was a lifestyle. Myself, I come from the Hoosier state and that means everyone plays basketball. It is a natural sport that everyone knows how to play. I spent days, weeks, and literally months of my life playing basketball. I found it kept me healthy and gave me many life lessons. Winning, losing, and working with a team of different people teaches lots of lessons. It was more than basketball it was how to learn how to be in a team and how to lose and win well. Now I find myself playing basketball a little less and with a little more ostomy supplies.
It is true and something that I live with. Yes, I have a stoma and I still play basketball. Never for a minute did I think I would stop having fun just because I have to take a bag around with me on my abdomen. So I wanted to share a few tips on things I have noticed help the most when I lace up my basketball shoes and get to hooping.
There are some tips that I would always suggest. Make sure you are wearing the right clothing. So does this mean I need to wear armor when I am on the basketball court? No not at all. Instead just wear loose clothing, like most people do when they play basketball. I prefer moisture wicking t-shirts and regular elastic basketball shorts. Now I will try to purchase all my ostomy supplies in materials to match. If my ostomy bag is not moisture-wicking then it will get very sweaty and leave a huge sweat stain on my shirt. So it is worth getting the right stuff and not being that oddball out. That is just a little weird and people will play the game differently when they are around you. They won’t guard you as hard and its just annoying and everyone will make a fuss about it.
It is not fun to be that weird guy on the court and I try very hard not to be him. Now all my friends would never play me any differently, but new people are new and will always hesitate to guard a guy who may be carrying a bag of poo with him. Honestly, I don’t blame anyone and I keep my spirits up and most people laughing. Because hey, life and why not. But I still like to avoid that situation and just play ball like normal and lose fitting moisture-wicking clothes help a lot. I also add a belt to my attire. No not a dress belt or anything but it’s basically a body band that goes around my abdomen to keep everything in place. Find a good one and you will be able to run around just like normal. Just make sure all your gear attaches well and has great lockups on your stoma. Now go outside and play some basketball!
Ostomy Health Blog 