Compressed not Stressed - How to avoid being without your stoma essentials on holiday

I kickstart my holiday preparation by packing my essential stoma supplies and accessories in my hand luggage.

Ensuring I’ve got enough stoma kit for my trip plus a few days extra just in case there is a delay in returning home. Those trusty essentials, neatly bagged in my hand luggage, share space with a spare pair of compression underwear and a set of clothes, just for that extra piece of mind and my stoma pouch covers.

And of course, I don’t forget my compact changing kit, complete with my trusty sunflower lanyard and radar key – essentials that make my journey smoother and easy to access. I pack my adhesive remover sprays into a clear bag ready for security inside my carry on.

 On our recent hiking holiday, fate decided to test our holiday resolve. On the outbound journey, one of our suitcases went missing. Panic mode, right? Well, not quite. You, see my husband and I split our clothing between our bags. Luckily, the suitcase that contained our hiking boots and toiletries arrived, so we weren’t stranded without the basics.

 However, the unexpected twist came when we started to discuss what was in the missing case. I realised that half of my precious compression underwear, an essential part of managing my stoma life was now lost in the missing suitcase.

 These aren’t your run of the mill undies – they’re medical grade and available on prescription items. Replacing them isn’t as simple as visiting the local shops; my preferred chosen brand and size are available online only, often they are out of stock and sometimes I’ve waited months for them to be available.

 Not an ideal situation when you rely on them every day, especially on an active holiday.

So, there I was kicking myself for not thinking ahead and wishing I’d packed those essential items in my hand luggage. Lesson learned the hard way.

 Thankfully, our lost case eventually found its way back to us, and I was reunited with my precious compression underwear. Crisis averted, and a valuable lesson in travel preparedness etched into my memory. On the return journey, I made sure those precious pieces of fabric were safely stowed in my carry-on.