Mountain climber getting a Colostomy.

My whole life, I have always had a fascination with mountain climbing. I did it a few times when I was a young teen with my dad and some of his friends. On one of those trips, I had an accident that changed my life. I told myself after; I would keep pushing and keep climbing mountains. My dad has always encouraged me to keep doing what I love, no matter what the circumstances. I’m glad that he taught me that because if not, I think I would be a lazy person sitting around all day, pitying myself because of my situation. 

My dad was an avid mountain climber. He loved to tell me about the climbs he and his friends would do. Eventually, I told him I wanted to go with him, and that’s when he shared the dangers with me. I had to listen to him very carefully and memorize all that he shared. He told me that the next trip he did, I would get to go with him. I was so ecstatic. When the day came for us to travel to the mountains we were going to climb, I could not contain my excitement. When we finally got to the mountain, we were going to climb. We had to make sure we had all our equipment before the accent. We made sure to double and triple-check as when we begin the climb, there is no going back for at least four days. 

As we began to make our way to the base of the mountain, I got more and more excited. My father looked over at me and told me to settle down as I needed to focus on what I am doing. I shook my head in agreement, and we began to do the climb. At first, it was warm and a gradual incline. After about an hour of walking, the mountain began to get steeper and steeper. At this point, we took a break to tie ourselves together. This is a safety measure to ensure no one falls. The climb went without any problems arising. When we got to the top, I felt like the king of the world. I was thrilled to experience my first climb with my dad. On the way down, things took a turn for the worst. 

As we made our way down, the weather got bad, very bad. I slipped, and the rope holding me to everyone broke; I was sliding down the mountain on my stomach, picking up speed. I acted quick and grabbed my climbing axe to stop myself but not before I went over a very sharp rock that cut my stomach. Part of it broke off in my large intestine. I waited for everyone to get to me, and they called a rescue helicopter. I was airlifted to the nearest hospital, where the doctor told me I needed to get a colostomy as my large intestine was shredded like string cheese. 

Getting an ostomy procedure was not enjoyable. I was devastated, but the doctor told me I could still do my climbing with my father so long as I am careful. I still climb to this day three years later. Following my accident that changed my life really made me take great care of everything I do, especially when I am mountain climbing. 

Reasons for colostomy

A colostomy is a procedure that creates an opening on the abdomen wall and brings either the side or end of the colon to the opening. Getting the end of the colon to the abdomen wall results in an end colostomy. This is because, as it sounds, it is bringing the end of the colon to the front through the abdominal cavity created. Many temporary ostomies bring the side of the colon up to the opening. The need for an ostomy can vary from reason to reason, but mainly they will be needed due to different diseases and defects.

The first defect to look at is a birth defect called the imperforate anus. This is a birth defect in children that does not allow them to have proper bowel movements. The condition can be a result of the anal cavity being too small or in the wrong place, which can cause painful bowel movements or constipation. This condition can also be a result of a missing anal opening altogether. In cases like this, chronic infections occur. Colostomy surgery is the only route to go when this happens. After this surgery, most if not all children who have been affected by this condition are able to gain control of their bowel movements. There is a boot camp for outpatients to help the children become comfortable and confident with their new pouch. 

Rectal or colon cancer is another reason for needing colostomy surgery. Colon cancer is a type of cancer that forms in the large intestine. Colon cancer typically happens to older adults, but it can happen at any age. It usually begins as tiny lumps of cells in the large intestine that eventually form into polyps. These polyps over time can become cancerous, thus leading to colon cancer. When colon cancer develops, bowel movements become more complex, you may even notice a difference in stool structure. A colostomy surgery can be done to help ease the pain people may experience from cancer. 

Another reason someone may need a colostomy surgery is due to an injury or trauma sustained to the colon or rectum. An example of this could be getting a soccer ball kicked into your stomach very hard; this injury could lead to the need for colostomy surgery. This is not the only kind of injury that will cause the need for a colostomy bag. Any type of trauma or significant injury will result in needing this surgery. 

There are more ways that will require an ostomy surgery however these are just a few examples. The reason for the colostomy helps the healthcare provider what kind of colostomy needs to be done, whether that is an end ostomy or just a normal colostomy. In some cases, the colon just needs a break, so a healthcare provider will separate it to make a colostomy. Some colostomy can be temporary, but as mentioned before, the kind of injury, disease, and birth defects. Permanent colostomies are required for more severe or incurable problems such as cancer. This will require an end colostomy as the problem will continue until the cancer is treated and the patient is in the clear. Recently I have been grateful for my good health. I hope I do not need to get an ostomy surgery, but I know people who have them are happy as it saved their life and removed their pain.