THIS IS LIVING ON THE EDGE. Notwithstanding my ileostomy, I just demolished an entire bag of BOOM CHICKA POP (“sweet & salty kettle corn”) in one sitting. Needless to say, I threw all caution to the wind, and the exhilaration which I felt was similar to what I imagine it must be like to jump out of an airplane. Maybe I’ll do that next, who knows? Life is all about risk, after all. I’ve known that since I called my high school math teacher a heartless numbers cruncher who can’t read real words. We all know that, in today’s technological society, just leaving the house increases the chance of injury or death by doing such seemingly innocuous things as crossing the street, breathing the air, or – perish forbid – looking a stranger in the eye. It’s enough to take my mind off my ostomy, which I suppose is a good thing. That thing has been affixed to my belly for so long now (since 1964) that I worry less about it than my more common old man’s maladies. Like being old …

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Hollister
Ostomy surgery is stressful both for the patient and the caregiver, and creates a major life change for both people in a relationship.
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Learn how to care for your loved one, while still taking care of yourself.
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Hollister
We sat down with two influential people in the ostomy community, to find out how they cope during challenging times.
Read what they had to say.
Read what they had to say.