Ritz, you are truly an inspiration to ALLof us! Your outlook on life is really something to share with everyone! I love your attitude about life. ENJOY THOSE ROLLERCOASTERS! After all you have been through in your life, the rest is just gravy. I'm in awe of you! Lucy
1. Dating and relationships
2. Concealing the pouch
3. Foods to eat and avoid
4. Losing or gaining weight
5. Pouch ballooning
Hi Ritz
Thank you for sharing your vent of what you have had to put up with over the years. You are one tough cookie who has been to hell and back. Hopefully you can see a brighter future and put the past behind you. Your time to live and be able to do anything you want to do without a care in the world. Enjoy the ride Ritz XX ❤️
| Ritz wrote: Dylnn....Everyone has a right to bitch and complain,long or short journey ...it's all a journey . So Yes ...bitch and complain , it's ok to do . I must say it feels good too ! My life is still a fast carousel,not knowing what to do or where to turn . But my health is good so that's a plus ! |
Thank you Ritz,
I have a very positive mindset for my new life. I know there will be ups and downs trials and tribulations but I am in a better place from where I was before. So all we can do is go up from here. My mom always used to say "this too will pass." And I hold onto those words as a strong foundation.
Deanna
| Dlynn wrote: Thank you Ritz, I have a very positive mindset for my new life. I know there will be ups and downs trials and tribulations but I am in a better place from where I was before. So all we can do is go up from here. My mom always used to say "this too will pass." And I hold onto those words as a strong foundation. Deanna |
Deanna ... my mom of 94 tells me 'Forget about yesterday...it's a new day of brightness today"
Ritz
| Caz67 wrote: Hi Ritz Thank you for sharing your vent of what you have had to put up with over the years. You are one tough cookie who has been to hell and back. Hopefully you can see a brighter future and put the past behind you. Your time to live and be able to do anything you want to do without a care in the world. Enjoy the ride Ritz XX ❤️ |
Can ... You got that right ! Thanks , Ritz
Hi Ritz, It's Marsha, from NJ.. I've often shared my " story" and history....and I marvel that I'm still here, a walking talking miracle. But then, I also read of other people like you, who have walked/ lived a similar path, and although I'm sad about what they've gone t hrough....I feel like I'm not alone in this world.. I remember thinking as a sick kid, of all the things I wanted to do " if" I ever got well.....and for t he most part I have.. I married, had my miracle children, travelled the world ( my own bucket list) walked the wall in China, swam in the dead s ea, snorkled on the great barrier reef, but the last ten years have been a challenge... I now have more medical conditions than ever before, see 10 specialists, and seem to have on emergency after another... It's like re living the worst years of my childhood....all over again ( this time with an ostomy). Thank you for sharing your story, of hope and survival, and the enduring will to go on.. There's a prayer in Jewish service that begins ( Modim Anachnu Lach) which is Let us give thanks... and these days, every morning I open m y eyes, and I find that I'm alive.... Life is good. 8 long time dear friends of mine died this year, from diseases, dementia, covid, and one..... who just died in her sleep at 72.. I met Tara when she and I w ere both ill, with UC, and had our surgeries t he same year. She was in Pa, and I was in Brooklyn NY.. Despite my ongoing medical issues....I'm still out there, trying to meet/ and date...an d now that covid restrictions have been liftred somewhat, I'm getting on with that social life, and " modified " bucket list... To all the other ostomates out there, Hang in, and conquer whatever deamons haunt you.. Howe ver restricted , life is worth living.....and that's something I need to remem ber every day. Thank you to all who have shared your stories.... B est regards Marsha
Hi Ritz. Thank you for sharing your story. You are a true warrior. Best wishes and good health to you.
| Ritz wrote: Deanna ... my mom of 94 tells me 'Forget about yesterday...it's a new day of brightness today" Ritz |
Give your Mom a hug for me ....she is a ✨🎆 Star ☘. Sounds like my Mom , we lost Mom at 89 another Star .
| Mellie wrote: Hi Ritz. Thank you for sharing your story. You are a true warrior. Best wishes and good health to you. |
Luckily I am now in perfect health and happy with my life
People sometimes complain or freak out over the most littlest of things. Some people melt down over spotty internet connections, long lines at grocery stores, stubbing their toes, or loosing their car keys. Some people have actually jumped off bridges for getting fired from their job. And then I read stories like yours.
Instead of choosing to bury your head in the sand and give up on yourself, you’ve chosen to embrace your reality, chosen to make the best with what you’ve got, and chosen to move forward and evolve. I find it inspiring whenever people like yourself go through literal hell and still emerge from the fire strong, resilient, and determined. Thank you for sharing your story Ritz.
| RedZenDjinn wrote: People sometimes complain or freak out over the most littlest of things. Some people melt down over spotty internet connections, long lines at grocery stores, stubbing their toes, or loosing their car keys. Some people have actually jumped off bridges for getting fired from their job. And then I read stories like yours. Instead of choosing to bury your head in the sand and give up on yourself, you’ve chosen to embrace your reality, chosen to make the best with what you’ve got, and chosen to move forward and evolve. I find it inspiring whenever people like yourself go through literal hell and still emerge from the fire strong, resilient, and determined. Thank you for sharing your story Ritz.
|
Red ... thanks for reading my reality . I'm a strong believer in living .stay well
Just when y ou think that you've got a handle on the different aspects of life, one is thrown a " curve" Hi Fellow Ostomates....most of y ou have read my story...,,more thana 55 years wih an ileostomy done when I was 1 5 for Ulcerative colitis.. I accepted it well, wen t on with my life, went to high school, to college for a few years, socialized , dated, got engaged, drooped out of school, got married, went to work, to earn enough money for us to buy a house.... which we did. Along came baby number on, and then baby number 2... when they were ready for school, I went back to complete my education.... However, with all the good, sadly my marriage started to deteriorate, and by the time I graduated,, and my boys went off to college I was filing for divorce... But I was still ok, and started my career as a teacher... I also began to travel first aroundthe US< Mexico, Canada.....cruised the carib, and then toured Europe with friends, . When the more exotic called I was of f to China, Japa n, Israel, South Africa, and even Australia, to visit my son and his family who live there.. Something in my mind said.." Use t his time to do what y ou want, because good times don't last forever... Another way of saying seize the moment... How glad I did.. In the following years, I started developing medical issues stemming from all the t reatments I had as a child... First came eratic liver enzymes.....adn later found o ut that I had a diseased liver, and Hep C... ( Treated 2x.....first year long treatment didnt work)... Later came diabetes, orthopedic/ arthritic issues., healing issues from steroids, circulation issue sin my legs.... and the list goes on . I see 10 different specialists, and am on a myriad of medications. Two years ago, basic foods started to bother me..... after more t han 50 yearas of eating w hat I wanted to....I was having IBS symptoms ( without a large intesting) and had frequent bouts of " the runs".... My diet ( fodmap) became very restrictive....which was very depressing... One day a food w ould a gree with me, another not.. It's difficult to be grateful, when you feel like y ou're revising the worst ( childhood) years of y our life.. Last week, I was up early for a gyn dr. appointment/ procedure... came home, had lunch, and then took a nap. I woke up two hours later wretching and losing fluid ( about a pint a n hour . Lon g story short....I ended up in the hospital....acute gastric issues.....introvenous, on a st retcher in the emergency room f or two days. It was a madhouse, with overcrowding and the lack of staff and materials... I finally got a room also in the emerency room, but no real care or attention, until I got a room on an upstaairs floor.. In t he end, they never diagnosed what I had.. preliminary diagnosis was a urninary tract infection, but t hat doesn't cause pea green clear liquid pooh... Sigh.. And somewhere along the way, I had lost my phone, so my family had no idea where I was. I finally realized t hat the hospiital had contact info for my sister and son.....so t hey were called. but visitors were not allowed so I was still alone... The infectious disease doctor suggested that I'd be safer at home, so that's what I did/ I've been home, alone, sleeping aaround the clock, eating soup or cereal, and drinking fluids to get hydrated... I know others are suffering more.....from covid or other life threatening conditions, but in my case I felt like it was my childhood illness revisiting me......and there I was alone again in the hospital... Angst? yest... Sadness? yes, Fear? yes.. Graditude....defin itely yes.. I'm still here, to do battle again, if I need to do it... Have faith and courage my fellow ostomates.. WE're often stronger than we think we aare.. Best of luck and a better start for a healthier 2022... Marsha
| Immarsh wrote: Just when y ou think that you've got a handle on the different aspects of life, one is thrown a " curve" Hi Fellow Ostomates....most of y ou have read my story...,,more thana 55 years wih an ileostomy done when I was 1 5 for Ulcerative colitis.. I accepted it well, wen t on with my life, went to high school, to college for a few years, socialized , dated, got engaged, drooped out of school, got married, went to work, to earn enough money for us to buy a house.... which we did. Along came baby number on, and then baby number 2... when they were ready for school, I went back to complete my education.... However, with all the good, sadly my marriage started to deteriorate, and by the time I graduated,, and my boys went off to college I was filing for divorce... But I was still ok, and started my career as a teacher... I also began to travel first aroundthe US< Mexico, Canada.....cruised the carib, and then toured Europe with friends, . When the more exotic called I was of f to China, Japa n, Israel, South Africa, and even Australia, to visit my son and his family who live there.. Something in my mind said.." Use t his time to do what y ou want, because good times don't last forever... Another way of saying seize the moment... How glad I did.. In the following years, I started developing medical issues stemming from all the t reatments I had as a child... First came eratic liver enzymes.....adn later found o ut that I had a diseased liver, and Hep C... ( Treated 2x.....first year long treatment didnt work)... Later came diabetes, orthopedic/ arthritic issues., healing issues from steroids, circulation issue sin my legs.... and the list goes on . I see 10 different specialists, and am on a myriad of medications. Two years ago, basic foods started to bother me..... after more t han 50 yearas of eating w hat I wanted to....I was having IBS symptoms ( without a large intesting) and had frequent bouts of " the runs".... My diet ( fodmap) became very restrictive....which was very depressing... One day a food w ould a gree with me, another not.. It's difficult to be grateful, when you feel like y ou're revising the worst ( childhood) years of y our life.. Last week, I was up early for a gyn dr. appointment/ procedure... came home, had lunch, and then took a nap. I woke up two hours later wretching and losing fluid ( about a pint a n hour . Lon g story short....I ended up in the hospital....acute gastric issues.....introvenous, on a st retcher in the emergency room f or two days. It was a madhouse, with overcrowding and the lack of staff and materials... I finally got a room also in the emerency room, but no real care or attention, until I got a room on an upstaairs floor.. In t he end, they never diagnosed what I had.. preliminary diagnosis was a urninary tract infection, but t hat doesn't cause pea green clear liquid pooh... Sigh.. And somewhere along the way, I had lost my phone, so my family had no idea where I was. I finally realized t hat the hospiital had contact info for my sister and son.....so t hey were called. but visitors were not allowed so I was still alone... The infectious disease doctor suggested that I'd be safer at home, so that's what I did/ I've been home, alone, sleeping aaround the clock, eating soup or cereal, and drinking fluids to get hydrated... I know others are suffering more.....from covid or other life threatening conditions, but in my case I felt like it was my childhood illness revisiting me......and there I was alone again in the hospital... Angst? yest... Sadness? yes, Fear? yes.. Graditude....defin itely yes.. I'm still here, to do battle again, if I need to do it... Have faith and courage my fellow ostomates.. WE're often stronger than we think we aare.. Best of luck and a better start for a healthier 2022... Marsha |
Hi Marsha, It really puts things into perspective for me to read what you have been going through, and continue to go through. You are truly amazing to have maintained your positive attitude, and remained hopeful and thankful for what you have. It's a good reminder to all of us to be grateful for what we have. You are so right about being stronger than we think we are. Most of us are never tested to see just how strong we are! You are inspiring, and I just wish the best for you going forward.
Terry
