I apologize, friends. I have not been very diligent on this page; I just completed a move. I have 108 responses since I last poked my head in, so I wanted to ask if any of y'all have a specific question for me. Please feel free to message me. I will do a post for everyone if you like; just request it, but I'm getting lost amidst all of the many posts trying to keep up.
Ostomate & woundr
Jun 11, 2023 6:08 pm
CrappyColon
Jun 11, 2023 11:23 pm
A lot of people have been asking about skin issues around their stomas.
eileenharding34
Jun 18, 2023 10:20 am
I'm new to ostomy care. I had my surgery on April 28, 2023. I have a colostomy. I have a rash, and I don't know how to get rid of it. I would really appreciate it if you could please help me get rid of it. Thank you.
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Posted by: iMacG5
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