Life with an Ostomy: Sharing 30 Years of Ups and Downs

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713
Rudy
Feb 23, 2008 4:27 pm
Hello:

I hope that everyone is well. I can't believe that it's been nearly two years since I've been on this site. Meeting new people, especially fellow ostomates, is really neat and interesting for me.

It's also over 30 years for me since having surgery for ulcerative colitis. On December 23, 1976, I went under the knife at North York General Hospital here in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

Sure, things seemed strange and difficult, but it certainly changed my life for the better.

Over the next little while, I'd like to share some of the good and bad times of life with a pouch. A lot of funny stuff has happened, and some scary stuff as well.

For example, when I was down in Mexico on vacation, swimming in the ocean, a wave came along, and the strength of it took the flange and pouch right off! I had to try to place it back and hold it under my swimsuit and got back as quickly as I could to my hotel room. My friend was laughing his head off, but I was so embarrassed.

Well, I'll try to get back later with more "horror" stories.

Everyone, stay safe, and enjoy.
feeling goog
Jul 17, 2008 7:27 pm

That must have been very hard for you at the time. When you look back on it, doesn't it seem that bad because I am sure everything worked out? Feeling good.

Posted by: iMacG5

Hi Crossley. Ya know, I think it’s all about feelings. I don’t mean the pain feelings which could control everything. I mean the feelings inside our heads, our hearts and even our souls. I mean the feelings of who we are now compared to who we were; how we accept our situation or maybe we don’t. My wife asked how I felt and I said, “like crap”. She asked what hurt and I answered, “Nothing hurts, well, everything hurts, I don’t know, It all sucks.” That was a long time ago. You question if your feelings are normal. How normal is it to relocate your butt hole to your belly where it’s usually in the way of your belt and, you know. But that’s where we are and for lots of us we are so much better off than we were before, physically. Emotionally, psychologically, well, that might be a different story. I believe talk therapy is wonderful if we could find a real empathic or sympathetic listener. So guess what! I found MAO and began “talking” with a keyboard with some of the wisest, kindest most sympathetic and compassionate folks on the planet. Regardless of where we’ve been, lots of folks here have been there and worse places and found their way back healthier and happier. We really do help each other.
Keep “talking”,
Mike

jadegenie40
Jan 14, 2009 8:21 am

Hi Rudy, just letting you know that I read your blog and for the first time in months, I actually had a bit of a giggle. Thank you very much and take care of yourself, okay? jadegenie40.