Change in plumbing
By Land Line staff
Ray Kasicki is an OOIDA life member from Port Clinton, OH. Ray’s a cancer survivor and, despite some challenges, still trucking. Seven years ago, he had a colostomy.
“When you hear the word ‘ostomy’ it’s not the end of the world,” says Ray. “There are many reasons for an ostomy, primarily being Crohn’s Disease, cancer or bladder problems.”
A colostomy, which is the ostomy procedure Ray had, is a surgical procedure that involves suturing a part of the colon onto the stomach wall and connecting it to an opening on the patient’s side called a stoma. After a colostomy, your “number two” goes out the stoma into a disposable pouch. It’s a little plastic bag that tapes to your body.
The change in plumbing presented some obstacles, but Ray says it would take a lot more than that to keep him from over-the-road trucking.
“We have a lot of drivers on the road who have handicaps,” says Ray. “Some of them can’t be seen by looking at them. One such handicap could be a colostomy, ileostomy or urostomy. A driver may have any of these and if he or she wears loose fitting clothing, you may never know.”
For instance, many NFL football fans don’t know that the famous kicker Rolf Benirschke – now retired – wears such a pouch. So does President Bush’s youngest brother, Marvin.
Ray says when people hear the word colostomy, you get one of three reactions: “What is that?” “Wow, that’s too bad” or “You can’t have one of them and drive a truck, can you?”
Other common misperceptions are that if you have one, you must be confined to a bed or at least confined to your house.
“The truth is people with ostomies can do most things everyone else can do,” Ray says. “They may have to make some lifestyle changes, but with a little ingenuity you can do almost anything.”
Ray still drives over the road, pulling a covered wagon.
“I secure my loads just like everyone else,” he says. “I also ride Jet Skis, motorcycles and have taken up golf. I have some limitations, but nothing that most people would know by looking at me.”
Ostomy is not a word that needs to be whispered, but people are curious about the change in your plumbing. It means you have to learn to do things differently and can bring about different challenges.
Ray says there are some challenges that are difficult to overcome and some you have to learn to live with.
“In my case, I have a colostomy and the appliance, at times, will make some noise and sound like flatulence,” he says. “For me, a simple ‘excuse me’ works. You may notice a bulge under my shirt, but that is the only way anyone would know I have an ostomy.”
Ray says occasionally he meets other drivers on the road and they exchange “war stories.”
“To those of us who have ostomies, it’s not a dirty word. In many cases, it has been a miraculous answer to major health problems and for some people it has improved their quality of life,” he says.
“In my case, I had a battle with cancer and with most battles I was left with some scars and an ostomy.
“With help from my family and friends, I won that battle and can do all things that I love, including trucking.”
Editor’s note: Ray Kasicki and his wife, Joan, are both longtime members of OOIDA and have been active in the organization since the early ’90s. Ray is a member of the OOIDA Board of Directors and chairman of the Publications Committee.
