“This ileostomy is how I survived Vietnam.” If I said that, it would be true, but misleading, for I never got to ‘Nam. The Leon Uris novel Battle Cry, about a platoon of Marines in the south Pacific during W.W. II, had captured my imagination and I went to the local Marine Corps recruiter to see what I could find out. They gave me a standard test and I went home to decide. Then I got sick. After a total of five months in the hospital, ending with the surgery, I was 4-F. No Semper Fi for me. So, the ostomy became the way in which I survived that war. Otherwise, I am convinced, my name would have been on that heart-breaking black granite wall in D.C. I ended up protesting it rather than fighting it. My good sense, and my bad health luck, overcame my earlier gung-ho esprit de corps. Now I’m 77 and counting. Peace!

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As you recover from surgery, you may feel tired and not interested in exercising much, if at all. But it's important for your health and well-being to start moving around.
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We brought kids and ostomates together to learn about stomas for the first time. While what kids ask can sometimes be surprising, their sincerity can brighten your day!