Do any of you also get help on bag change day? Cooper likes to pretend he’s getting one too. 😁 Fat dog won’t move over so I can lay down. 🤦‍♂️ When he does, it’s almost like I’m bothering him, wtf? 😂

Yes, I know it’s a bit weird, but I just felt like writing this down 💩 💩. Back in September/October 2013, I had a very severe flare up of what I was then diagnosed with: ulcerative colitis. Only a few days after this, 2nd November 2013, I ha...

20 seconds to find the cat in the picture..

How long will it take Sally to find the cat in the picture? Yes, there is one…..

Just want to say that, as a confirmed bachelor in his 50s at the time of my ostomy in 2009, I was doubtful I'd find the love I'd always wanted. Well I did, at the young age of 62, and we've been married for 6 years now. She'd only ever met one person before, a co-worker, with an ostomy, and was apprehensive. But we hit it off, and have a wonderful life together, and yes the intimacy is very goo...

Ok..I just remembered what someone told.me two days ago and I just had to ask. Someone told me that there is a fetish for people with stomas. Like a Pornographic sub genre out there.  I told them that while I know that there is some crazy 💩 out there ..that that couldnt possibly be true. There is no way in God's green earth that I am even going to think of looking that up. But has anyone eve...

IT HAS TAKEN A GREAT AMOUNT OF EFFORT to simplify my life.  Since back in the day, when Janis Joplin told us that freedom is having ‘nothin’ left to lose,’ I have been busy doing my best in my profession, accumulating both responsibility and the ever-available ‘stuff’ that somehow is attracted to you like metal shards to a magnet.  I don’t really know if I was happy, but I certainly was satisfi...

Some of you know that in 2018 I left my abusive spouse after 15 long years trying to make things work. I moved into my own apartment, got a job and worked very hard to become debt free. During this time, I gave my then spouse two years to get counseling and work on the issues. After realizing that he had done nothing, I divorced him in 2020.  A year later in April 2021, I moved out of the apart...

Hi Friends!      I have surgery coming up on April 14th to repair a recto vaginal fistula at the point of anastomosis. (Where my sweet ileostomy started) If the surrounding tissue looks good my surgeon may reverse my ileostomy. (I know, shock and disappointment..) 🤦🏼‍♀️ I'm also in need of a having my midline incision taken down, reinforced, and repaired. I have a few questions I hop...

No, i’m not talking about our bags. I’m talking about how we see our lives and our futures. Our sense of purpose and contentment. And our sense of accomplishments we’ve all made over the years. Do you see yourself, your life, or your future as half empty or half full? Why do you see things the way you see them? What make you smile? What makes you cry? And by now you’re probably wondering…why ...

well im divorced due to the ostomy.  she couldn't handle my medical problems so she walked away. i feel like trash, like im not worth anything anymore. she was having a affair while i was in the hospital almost dead the witch. sorry. bad day in court. custody hearing was today not good day.

We saw some pretty cute dogs on here recently so I thought it might be fun to show our pets. 😍🐕🐈🐎🐖🐑🦙🐐🐇🐁🦜🐠

To all women, A sincere happy International Women's Day... Thought this might be the appropriate day to voice the disturbing, yet not surprising, frequency of women's experiences with dating (with an ostomy) compared to that of men's. It's more than unfortunate that almost exclusively women have faced the "oh you have an ostomy?.... is that what I think it.... umm... ok, i'll call you... maybe...

Simple question, answer as specifically as you want. 😁 what do women like more? 1) clean shaven 2) stubbly 3) beard

WEDDINGS DEPRESS ME MORE THAN FUNERALS. Knowing how ill-prepared most people are for the challenging realities of married life, and knowing that current statistics reflect that 45 % of marriages are terminated by divorce, I find it difficult to get excited about the commencement of a relationship which is as apt to fail as not. The divorce rate is actually down 5 % from the 50 % mark in the Eig...

I am integrating myself back into society after a very long pause. I dont want to go back to the bank where I worked in a call center in a high stress dept. I'm curious what everyone does for work? I'm hoping for ideas :) Also any woman my age need a friend to chat with. I could use a chat buddy these days. It would be nice to chat with someone who understands the assignment. 

A man wakes up in the hospital bandaged from head to foot.The doctor comes in and says, "Ah, I see you've regained consciousness. Now you probably won't remember, but you were in a huge pile-up on the motorway. You're going to be okay, you'll be able to walk again and sustain a reasonably normal life, however your penis was severed in the accident and they couldn't find it."The man groans, but ...

I know this topic has been posted many times...but does anybody have any terrible dating stories about trying to date with a ostomy? I have read about the ones where people don't mind etc..but I feel like those are few any far between. I just wanna know that I am not alone in feeling like I will never meet anyone.  I had numerous hospitalizations over the years and have not dated due to my illn...

DOES ANYONE ACTUALLY WEAR PAJAMAS ANY MORE?  Especially with an ostomy, I don’t want any potential obstructions, like a waistline, while I’m sleeping.  I wear night shirts.  I have some flannel for winter, and some light cotton for summer.  Even after I’ve discarded that, once I’ve made my way into my day, I will often shun pants in favor of a kaftan, which I will frequently wear throughout the...

OK, so here we go: Apparently I’m Grey Brain The Mercenary Of Hope!

Hello to everbody! I haven't been to this site in many years. I've been meaning to sign up again, but I have been busy living life and never quite got around to it. For any longtime members, I am the person who started the "Ostomy Tips" thread way back when. I'm looking forward to getting re-aquainted with you all, as well as meeting new members!   Paul

I’ve been to the hospital a lot as we all have. My question is this, if you have a roommate when you watch television do you wear headphones or keep it at a low volume so as not to disturb your neighbor? I do or don’t watch tv. On the GI surgical floor those are the rules, printed and everything. I’m on what’s called the medical floor and it has just opened up, it’s not new or swanky it’s jus...

I am 28 and gay with an ostomy bag. I feel like the only one, even though I know there must be others, I don't know any. I am concerned that I won't be able to find anyone who will date me because I have a bag. The possibility of ending up alone scares and depresses me. I truly want a partner and family one day and I just feel that people may discount what I have to offer simply because of my o...

Just need to vent a little: Going to hear some music down by a river town, which I love. Earlier, at home getting ready, I was just kind of thinking out loud, something along the lines of, “I hope our friends are staking a spot near the bathrooms.” My husband said, “Well, I don’t know, ask them to move. What’s the big deal?” It really is so NOT a big deal, just one of those times when I realize...

  A little boy goes to his father and asks, “Daddy, how was I born?”The father answers,“Well, son, I guess one day you will need to find out anyway! Your mom and I first got together in a chat room on Yahoo. Then I set up a date via e-mail with your mom and we met at a cyber-cafe. We sneaked into a secluded room, and googled each other. There your mother agreed to a download from my hard drive...

JUST BECAUSE WE NEEDED TO DO SOMETHING that felt good, we went out to dinner Saturday night. We usually save that sort of extravagance for special occasions but, I guess, we just decided to manufacture a special occasion. So off we went to our favorite mom & pop Italian restaurant. “We won’t need those menus,” I told the waitress. We always get the same thing. Why experiment when you know what ...

Hi everyone😃❤ I was just curious what everyone's plans for turkey day were? Anybody doing any travel? (Be safe). I am just having a quiet (or should I say loud 😛) dinner with my family.  What is your fave thanksgiving day staple food? Mine is definitely the stuffing🤗. Momma makes it every year. The recipe has been passed down for years through my family. No stovetop for us (although...

I KNOW SMART PEOPLE who never experienced so-called higher education.  Maybe they just couldn’t afford it; maybe they didn’t have the opportunity; or, perhaps, they simply decided that it wasn’t for them.  On the other hand, some of the dumbest people I know have advanced degrees.  The obvious irony doesn’t speak too highly for formal education.  I may know what a non sequitur is, but I can’t r...

Good morning my fellow ostomates 😊 I know socializing in our society/culture is all about food... we meet for coffee, we go out to lunch, we go out to dinner, etc. But as a new ostomate I'm uncomfortable doing that with new people (coffee is ok I guess). So when someone asks me to lunch or dinner, how can I say politely that I don't want to and what can I suggest as an alternative event? An...

This isn't really IBD related per say, but has anyone here ever been cheated on by their spouse? I have been in my relationship since 2002 and married since 2008. I have had Crohn's since 1994. My CD almost killed me a few times and the biggest memory of almost dying my husband was by my side rushing me to the hospital. He helped me through my darkest days. Unfortunately our sex life was none e...

I’m turning off phone and computers for the weekend, see you Monday, having a “for the love of all things holy can you please just leave me alone for a couple days?” with the family they have increased contact as a result, so this is the only way ...

Hello Friends,      I’m sitting in the calm of a sleeping house all prepped and ready for surgery. It’s currently 1am here in Washington state. We’re a tad behind the rest of the world. 😉      I’m not sure if a bowel prep is better with or without an ostomy. I had the grand pleasure of putting 2 Liters of soapy (go figure 🤷🏼‍♀️) water into my stoma. I have a loop ileostomy, so th...

Hey Friends!      Help me tell a story?? I’ve been focused on healing lately, and what’s better for the soul than a good laugh? (Maybe great friends, and a huge hug? I’m sending you all one now. 🥰) Without further ado, I’m going to start a story. Then y’all can add on. (I’m so excited! 😂) Just a couple rules.. don’t let the story end, and make sure the person above you is added to the sto...

Good morning/evening So it's that time of the year where were being forced to spend extraordinary amounts of money on gifts. I know Christmas is supposed to be about spending time with family and loved ones. So to have a bit of fun what did someone buy you for Christmas that you hated or was funny. For me I would have to say the worst gift I received was bath salts that I couldn't use due to f...

My weekend was incredible. Never felt more "normal!" (Had a seven year hiatus) The Massage: I chose 50 min Aromatherapy. I lay on my stomach and back, did nothing different w/ my bag. For the comfort of the very accepting young masseuse (I offered, she didn't care), I put a small towel under and over my bag, on my stomach, then on my back. I have a bad back, curvy spine, but she was light on i...

So Henry had the Diva list for great singers of years gone by. So who would you have for your top five male solo singer's? Mine would go something like this. 1 George Michael, 2 Bob Marley, 3 Elvis,4 Ed Sheeran,5 Tom Jones. XX

ONE SUMMER WE WERE DRIVING in the Appalachians, enjoying the rural atmosphere and the beauty of the curvy roads through green hills, when we ended up behind a medium-sized flatbed truck loaded with cages, all strapped down and secured.  The cages were filled with live chickens and the speed of the truck was enough to cause thousands of white feathers to come flying out of the cages, filling the...

When Covid first started I thought it would be worse than what it has been. It has been bad and it's likely to be with us forever but controlled. I thought ( at first) is this the end of the world as we know it? I wondered what would happen if 50 % of the world died? I thought if I survived how would people like us manage if we couldn't get pouches/bags? Before I had time to think of an answer ...

SECOND-GUESSING CAN BE A PAINFUL EXERCISE.  You can’t go through life saying “what if?” without bringing unnecessary grief upon yourself.  Maybe I shoulda, coulda, might’ve, whatever.  This kind of self-flagellation is never healthy or helpful.  Of course, when mentally unwinding our past, there are two ways to suffer:  over stuff we did, or stuff we wish we did.  “Regret for the things we did ...

So seeing as quite a few people want another icebreaker-type game, I thought long and hard … ok, maybe I just typed icebreaker questions into Google and scrolled and clicked on links until I found something and then thought, “duh? Why didn’t I think of this ages ago?” Anyway, how about something like a game of kiss, marry, kill. Let’s make it so that we have more than one gender in the options ...

While in recovery a while ago I got my knitting needles out. So enjoyed creating these little toys.

     I’ve been missing you all because life has been big. I have lots of stories we can laugh (or cry) together through. I’m going to post a list of stories. Tell me a story that’s happened recently in your “perfect” life. Then pick a story you want me to tell. This should be an amusing, fun, and humbling experience. I can’t wait to spill all the tea. We can be human together. 🤗 -A bad hair...

THERE WAS A DAY WHEN houses had mailboxes mounted next to the front door, and the mail delivery person walked up and plopped it right in there.  Today, notwithstanding that I live in a residential neighborhood in the middle of a fair-sized city, we have to have what used to be referred to as ‘rural mailboxes’ planted out at the road and the mail carrier putters up in a small specialty vehicle a...

Hello I will be flying for the first time with my pouch. I usually carry a bag with emergency changing supplies when I leave home. Of course this bag includes small curved scissors. Will it be allowed on a plane and if it’s not do you just pre-cut a pouch and pray it’s the right size. My stoma size fluctuates, so if guys have suggestions, they are welcomed and appreciated. I know a lot more th...

THE THINGS THAT WEALTHY PEOPLE DO with their money astound me. Some go in for flashy jewelry, rings and Rolex watches and lots of gold. Some spend money on expensive cars, big boats, and houses much bigger than what they need to actually live in. Others hire nannies to care for their children, maids to clean their homes, cooks to make their meals, gardeners to tend their yards, and a variety of...

Hi Everyone and I’m just trying to figure how to get a club of all good people to enjoy 😊 being nice and friends and text and then talk and keep in touch to make sure everyone is ok and any questions and us answer any questions that anyone has ...

IN THE LATE SIXTIES, I joined an organization called ZPG, which stood for Zero Population Growth. It was founded by biologist Paul Ehrlich who wrote the best seller ‘The Population Bomb.’ Since 2002, it is known as Population Connection. Simply put, if two adults have two children, they have replaced themselves and have not added to population growth. Way back in the late 18th Century, an econo...

I would say some pretty good advice. 💛💚❤️💙🧡💜

So my wife is currently experimenting with the fetish scene! Thanks to 50 shades lol! So is there anyone out there with a stoma that's I to or has been into the fetish scene ie clubs etc? Can you give some advice and or share so experience?  Cheers michael

 Browsing movie titles on Netflix and Amazon - some of them remind me of my old stoma such as: Scarface The Texas Chainsaw Massacre Dirty Harry The Creature from the Black Lagoon There Will Be Blood What Lies Beneath A River Runs Through It Children of the Corn The Thing The Punisher Lord of the Flies Gone With the Wind Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory Crimson Tide It Hellr...