Hi! I’m 47 and a colorectal survivor 5 weeks in. Surgery was a lot harder than expected but recovering well.
I live in Wichita Falls, Texas and a happily married teacher with one son. Looking to connect with others who understand and appreciate all I’ve been through because of cancer. God’s grace💜🙏
You’ll be back to normal, your new version of it anyway, in no time. Remember, the sky is always blue and the sun is always shining even if there’s a cloud blocking the view. Life’s too short to be miserable like some on here. Let yourself heal at your pace and enjoy life.
MeetAnOstoMate is a remarkable community of 41,407 members.
“Every morning with my coffee, I read here and feel wrapped in warmth - I hardly post, but it still feels like family.”
“Our oncologist literally wrote down the link; they said more patients need this website.”
“This place pulled me out of the dark. I went from lurking to living again.”
“At 3am, someone’s awake somewhere in the world. I’m never alone here.”
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
Hello Kirsten
Won't be long and you will be on your way to your new self, just let your health come to you, rushing it won't help.
Welcome to the site Kristen. This is a good place to connect with others.
Welcome aboard Kristen, every day will be better than the day before. Good luck and keep us up to date. Regards, Iggie
Hi KB, welcome to the site. I would suggest getting a hernia belt, as colostomies tend to allow hernias to happen after a sneeze or cough, not to mention lifting something too heavy.
Welcome welcome! Lots of info on here should you run into any questions. My best advice for the immediate moment is to take each day at a time.
Welcome. I'm at the 2 year mark with my colostomy. Yes. You should wear a good support belt now. No one told me at the hospital. At 4 months, developed a parastomal hernia. I didn't lift anything, cough or sneeze. It just happens to some of us.
Just returned from Las Vegas. Soon as I was home.... discovered I caught a nasty cold. Took off my regular hernia belt, and put on my mombo, girdle style support belt before I began coughing and sneezing my head off. I've had it on 5 straight days. My cold is subsiding. Tomorrow I change my wafer. Hope my hernia is not worse.
Normally I wear a 3 inch wide Nu-Hope Corp belt all the time.