Hi, I’m Charlotte!
I’m on a mission to help ostomates (and the world) recognize that life doesn’t have to be limited by an ostomy!
I grew up in New Hampshire as the youngest of three sisters. I had a pretty normal childhood, and was raised by a wonderfully supportive family who fostered in me a sense of independence and love of adventure. In 2007, at the age of 17, I was diagnosed with a form of Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) called Ulcerative Colitis. That diagnosis later changed to Crohn’s Disease, and it changed my life forever.
My IBD progressed rather quickly and about 9 months after my original diagnosis, I had my colon removed and a j-pouch created. I lived with my j-pouch for 5 years, and those were some of the toughest years of my life. Despite a failing jpouch, pooping my pants every day, and a variety of other debilitating symptoms, I was determined to continue living MY life. I was able to graduate from high school, bike across the country while in college, and complete my academic coursework as an Occupational Therapy student on time (despite dropping out of college in my Sophomore year because of my Crohn’s Disease). I was not going to let Crohn’s get in my way.
In 2013 after agonizing over the thought of ostomy surgery (I had been adamant for years that I would not have an ostomy), I finally told my surgeon I was ready, and underwent surgery for a permanent ileostomy. My ostomy changed my life again, and this time for the better. I’ve had 3 stoma revisions and my Crohn’s does pop up every now and then, but I have so much more freedom in my life with my ostomy.
In 2014, after graduating with my Master’s in Occupational Therapy, I was able to move to Alaska to take my life back and pursue a life of outdoor adventure (and work). I’m a passionate OT working in Anchorage. I enjoy running, biking, skiing, climbing, hiking, backpacking, camping, and spending any time outdoors. My family, boyfriend, and friends are my greatest sources of support, and they inspire me to live my life fully.
In addition to my passion for the outdoors and exercise, I enjoy empowering others to learn more about themselves, to learn more about others, and to become educated on subjects that are challenging to talk about, such as bowel and bladder management. Through rehabing myself from 6 major abdominal surgeries, I have learned what it takes to pick myself up after each setback, and continue on my life journey. For me, a collaborative educated team has been what’s helped the most. Through a lot of research and hard work, I’ve been able to cultivate my rehab team which includes my friends and family, boyfriend, colorectal surgeon, GI doc, physical therapist, and myself as a patient and OT. All of these individuals have been impactful in my surgery recovery and encouraging me to live my best life.
I created Backcountry Ostomy as a platform to demonstrate how patient empowerment, creative strategies, and a supportive rehabilitation team can help improve the lives of individuals with bowel and bladder conditions. So please take a look around, educate yourself, and email me if you have any questions!
I also run a small business called Restorative Ostomy Solutions where I offer educational tools on physical recovery from ostomy surgery. Check it out if you’re interested in learning more: www.restorativeostomysolutions.com