Ostomy Awareness Day: How Are You Celebrating?

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infinitycastle52777

So it is Ostomy Awareness Day. Was wondering what you all are doing to celebrate? I made several public blog posts about ostomies and posted some ostomy resources.

Rene

Wow. Did not know that. Thanks for the intel. I just know that this month is my 2-year anniversary with an Ileostomy.

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Bill

Our local stoma nurses organised a coffee morning to celebrate stoma awareness day and it was very well attended with people having to stand. There were speakers from three relevant firm amd one of the nurses gave us updates on the state of the NHS and their efforts to cut back on spending. (Apparently, people with stomas cost them a lot of money!)
Nonetheless, it was a very interesting meeting.

Best wishes to you all.

Bill 

Ben38

It's the first time in about 20 years I haven't been to an ostomy awareness event. My health's not good this year, so just celebrating at home knowing I would have been dead over 30 years ago without my ileostomy.

In the UK this year, the Colostomy Association and most of the bag manufacturers are calling all of October Ostomy Awareness Month.

    

gentlejohn

Doing a UOAA 5K in Arkansas.

 
How to Manage Ostomy Leaks with LeeAnne Hayden | Hollister
AlexT

It's ostomy awareness day every day for me. 🤷‍♂️

Ostomy4life_22

I had no idea that this was a thing. I'm glad that more and more people are being aware of people like us who have ostomies.

infinitycastle52777
Reply to Rene

Rene,

Congrats for making it 2 years. The 30th of last month was "Marvin's" 6-month birthday, but I have had my ileostomy since Jan 1, 2022. (Had it relocated 6 months ago) and it was like being born again. I could finally wear a bag after a year and a half of not being able to wear a bag.

Lee

infinitycastle52777
Reply to Bill

Bill,

That sounds so interesting. Wish I could have come. I don't even have a local support group to go to. The nearest one is an hour away and it isn't practical to travel there in the evening. Yes, I am sure that with all the supplies needed to maintain an ostomy, it gets expensive. On my insurance, I can only get a certain number of items each month that they will cover. Sometimes I have to buy something extra like M9 drops.

Lee

infinitycastle52777
Reply to Ben38

Ben38,

Sorry to hear you have not been well. It is good that you can celebrate just at home and hey posting on here counts!!

Lee

infinitycastle52777
Reply to gentlejohn

Gentlejohn,

Oh wow. How did that turn out? Did you do the whole 5k? I would not be in good enough shape, I don't think, plus I am still recovering from an ankle sprain from back in early June, that still has not healed. (In PT now trying to fix it without surgery).

Lee

infinitycastle52777
Reply to AlexT

AlexT,

It was certainly an eventful awareness day for me, as I had a bag leak in the middle of the afternoon. Haven't had one of those in a few months. But I don't blame my ostomy this time because it leaked from a hole in the bag that I didn't even know was there. That is the second bag I have found a hole in.

Lee

infinitycastle52777
Reply to Ostomy4life_22

Ostomy4life_22,

I didn't really know it was a thing either till I joined UOAA and they sent me e-mails about things from time to time. So I was alerted to it.

Lee