Hi to all the ostomates out there,
It's been a long trip. Left a month ago for Ft. Polk, LA, with a stop in AK to see an old friend. Saw a wonderful sunrise as I left AR on Highway 71 down to LA. Visited with grandbabies for the day. Then headed off to TX. Was in Killeen, TX for a good 2 weeks or so, visited with some more grandbabies, spent 5 days in San Antonio finishing permanent cosmetic school, then back to Ft. Hood. Lots of sightseeing, great vacation. Was lucky this trip, Herman (ostomy) had no problems, even in the heat everything stayed on (105 to 113 every day), even went swimming with the grandkids. The only thing I could have wished for was maybe a companion to make it all complete, but maybe someday, somewhere, there will be someone who can understand it all, and be accepting of who I am for me... not of Herman!
Putz,
Welcome back to the great state of Iowa!
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Sounds like you had a great trip! I can tell you enjoyed the grandkids! Aren't they fun?
The temp was definitely TX style!
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I had a working trip once in 107 degrees, and it was difficult keeping wafers to stick. Guess I should just decide not to work over 95 degrees. When I go on working trips, I always take the recommended 2-3 times the supplies because they don't last nearly as long.
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Loren
From Iowa
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About seven years ago, just about every aspect of my life was ostomy related. From the moment I was told an ostomy might be needed until some months down the road I existed as a person afflicted with a colostomy. I feared someone other than my immediate family might find out I had a bag. Ugh! What could be worse? Suppose it filled real fast when I was out with no place to hide and take care of myself. God forbid should it leak in church! Suppose I roll over on it in bed. I was a lesser creature, destined to a life of emotional anguish and physical routines different from most of the rest of the world. I felt like a freak. Then I found folks like you guys here, read your stuff, really “listened” to what you had to say and I began looking at things differently. We know perception is everything and I began to understand how good things were relative to what they could’ve been. So many folks had it so much worse than I did. That didn’t make my discomfort go away but it exposed how fortunate I was to be dealing with my stuff and not their’s. I felt a little guilt, maybe selfishness but quickly forgave myself by understanding I just wasn’t smart enough to fix my feelings. Then, I wonder what smarts have to do with feelings. My perception was warped so my perspective toward my existence was warped.
I learned over the last few years with the help of lots of folks right here at MAO that I could be better at living just by accepting some facts. It is what it is and so what? It’s not the worst thing to happen to a person.
I think everything is, in some way, related to everything else. I just put the ostomy thing in the back seat and drive forward.
Respectfully,
Mike