RV-Style Camping for Anyone (Like Me) with Ulcerative Colitis and Sciatic Nerve Problems

When I was a child, my mother and stepfather would take us camping a lot, mostly in tents. I love to be in the great outdoors. Unfortunately, for many years I could not indulge in my love for camping because of my ulcerative colitis and sciatic nerve problems caused by a broken tail bone.

Because of my sciatic nerve, I cannot lay on the ground in a tent with only a sleeping bag. If I camp in a tent, I have to bring an air mattress. There is another problem with my sciatic nerve. I have to have heat via a heating pad at night to relieve the pain.

My ulcerative colitis means that I need a bathroom near me at all times. It also means that I can only eat certain foods when we are camping so that I can avoid a bad flare-up.

As an adult, I have discovered ways to cope with my disability while camping. The best way that I have done this is to rent a recreational vehicle to travel to the campsite and camp in instead of a tent.

Sure, this has its disadvantages. I can only camp where there is room for the RV. We have the convenience of electricity, running water and a real stove. I guess some people would consider that a good thing. I like the campfire experience without electricity and running water.

When camping with an RV, we usually forego the stove and cook strictly on a campfire or barbecue grill. I have to admit that we do use the running water and electricity. It seems like I cannot seem to resist the temptation to use them.

We do sleep in the recreational vehicle. I use the electricity every night for my heating pad. I also enjoy a nice warm shower. Because of my ulcerative colitis, the bathroom is like a dream. I like the convenience of being able to tell everyone to leave the RV so I can take care of business. I can close the door to the RV and the bathroom door and enjoy complete privacy.

I have camped in cabins and enjoyed it. The trip to the campsite is usually a roll of the dice because of my ulcerative colitis. Plus, having to sit up for a long time in the car makes my sciatic nerve start to hurt. With an RV, I can lay down and move around some.

I guess the real lesson is to find a way to do what you enjoy doing no matter what your disability. In almost every case, there is a way to overcome the perceived limitations of having a disability. My advice is to talk to your doctor to find out what you can work with and what you absolutely must avoid. Once you do that, all that is required is a little creative thinking.