It's here: the dreaded cold and flu season. If you're anything like me, you have bottles of hand sanitizer littered throughout your living space in an attempt to avoid getting sick. Now, more than ever, the cold and flu season posses a much greater risk to my health.
Due to the naturally higher fluid loss that I experience with an ostomy, a simple stomach bug can land me in the ER for the night for dehydration. Even over-the-counter decongestants are enough to set me just far enough back that I struggle to maintain my own hydration. When I first received my ostomy, I never expected it to have such a big impact on my life in this sense, but it definitely has. I'm going to share a few of my tips for navigating the cold and flu season with a chronic illness and/or and ostomy.
1) Stock up on the hand-sanitizer. This is a given this time of year, but I cannot stress the importance of making hand sanitzer a regular part of your day. I keep a bottle of hand sanitizer in my purse, my car, my house, and at work so that I am never left without. I also carry disinfecting wipes with me to clean my phone at least once a day. Think about it: what is the point of cleaning your hands if you are putting them right back on a germ-infested phone?
2) Keep up with your vitamins. Vitamins are very personal and should be discussed with your doctor to find the right combination for your body, but it is so important to keep your body running with the vitamins and minerals that it needs.
3) Stay hydrated. Staying hydrated is not only important to your overall health, but it is especially important when you are sick. Several weeks ago, I caught a nasty cold- one of my first in a very long time- and between decongestants, cold medicine, and my overall lack of appetite, I was at high risk for ending up in the ER for dehydration. Thankfully, DripDrop ORS does an incredible job at helping me through these challenging times and avoiding the ER. While I was sick, I drank at least a packet a day of DripDrop ORS to help combat dehydration and give me some much-needed energy.
4) Remember that food is fuel. It is easy to reach for unhealthy snacks when you are feeling under the weather, but it is during these times that your body is relying the most on the healthy foods that you feed to it. Let yourself have a feel-good dessert, but try to feed your body foods that will promote fast healing.
5) Know when you say when. When you live with a chronic illness, sometimes it can be hard to distinguish when it is time to go to the doctor. Just remember: you know your body best. If something does not feel right, do not hesitate to seek medical attention. It will pay off in the long run when you are able to avoid progressing to a worse state.
So there you have it. These are my tops five tips for navigating the cold and flu season with a chronic illness and/or an ostomy. If you are sick, please stay home and make every effort to not contaminate others. For those of us with altered bodies, a simple cold or stomach virus can become dangerous very quickly. Stay healthy!
