I've had the stoma nurse effortlessly slide a whole index finger inside the stoma, showing me how it all works. In the early days, I nearly fainted at the sight of it 🤣 but it was as easy as that.
Axl
May 27, 2025 10:01 pm
infinitycastle52777
May 28, 2025 3:03 pm
I can't eat corn. At all. I don't want a blockage. I understand the cravings, though. It seems like being told you can't have something makes you want it all the more.
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Posted by: Primeboy
Hi Mike and all. I am not sure how panoramic my perspective really is as my peripheral vision shrinks with each passing year. I can tell you that when I came to this website six years ago I was truly ;impressed by the positive attitudes of so many members, especially the younger folks who refused to let their ostomies define who they were or what they would become. I also came to appreciate that having an ostomy is not the same thing as having a disease. Pardon ;my pun now, but ostomies and cancer don't belong in the same bag. One is a solution, the other is a problem. Celebrating National Ostomy Day ;is also well outside my comfort zone. That's like celebrating National Wheel Chair Day. Come on!
I think there is a ;need for improved ;public awareness of ostomies, but I am not sure how that's best done. There ;remains ;some social stigma attached to our situation, and it's acutely felt among our young. We need to get out of the dark ages on this issue, but not by going 'in your face' to everyone else. I think Bill and NDY are 'spot-on' when it comes to telegraphing the right message to friends and family. People will know how to react when they ;see ;how we accept the cards we were dealt. I also appreciate the contribution some people here are making to this effort through their publications.
On a personal note, my son has been suffering from ulcerative colitis for years just like I did. I am very concerned because people with UC are at a higher risk for colon cancer. Years ago my GI told me to get annual colonoscopies to be on the safe side. I am glad I did because he eventually found pre-cancerous cells which led to several surgeries and my becoming an ostomate. Since then I have always ;conveyed a positive attitude to ;my son about wearing a bag because it has kept me alive to enjoy many more years with my loved ones. I think he got the message. We both go to the same gastroenterologist in NYC and get scoped on the same day. Father and Son moments!
Someone once wrote that our children are the letters we write to the future.
PB
sqsh
May 31, 2025 12:48 am
I was extremely cautious at first with foods that are often mentioned in relation to blockages, but over the couple of years since my ileostomy operation, I've been gradually adding more and more in, and I now eat sweet corn as well as other things like nuts (very regularly! I often eat them multiple times a week), mushrooms, popcorn, coconut, salad, things with skins and seeds, etc., and have had zero problems. I try to make sure I chew carefully, of course, but apart from that, I don't really worry about blockages anymore as I haven't even had an inkling of one! The first few times I ate sweet corn, I chopped it up a bit so there were no whole kernels, but I haven't bothered to do that in a while; I just chew well.
I think everyone is different, though, so you have to judge it on a case-by-case basis and take it slowly if you do try anything. It seems like adhesions are a common problem that can increase the risk of blockages, but I assume I must not have any, or at least not to a degree that causes any issues. I'm guessing also that the size and flexibility of the stoma hole will vary from one person to the next; presumably, mine must be on the larger side. I've had occasional slightly larger lumps of undigested stuff (maybe a bit bigger than half a corn kernel size) in my bag, so clearly, things can get through OK! Obviously, I can't say whether this will also be true for you, but you can only really know if you try. As I said, start slow with small amounts and chew well; if that goes well, try a bit more, but don't get too laid back about chewing as it's not worth the risk even if you're one of the luckier ones like me who isn't prone to blockages; you can never say never.
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Uncle David
Aug 11, 2025 11:22 pm
I've had my ileostomy for almost 20 years and have had corn on the cob from the BBQ. I do, as suggested by many, eat a smaller cob, drink fluids, and chew as much as you can.
I would suggest starting small. I did that with a lot of vegetables and found I have no issues if I'm careful, but again, it's personal preference.
Happy eating 😊
IGGIE
Aug 12, 2025 8:09 am
G-Day sqsh,
A lot of people on here don't think about blockages until they get one. Let me tell you, you will get a big shock when you get your first.
IGGIE
My Ostomy Journey: Ryan | Hollister
