Just to lighten things up a bit, are there any love stories out there? A couple that met via ostomy?

What a great question! How fun!! I can't wait to see what others might post in here... hope we have some happy love stories. I know there is at least one... I do recall reading about one in here... they met and fell totally in love
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Hope they post something here! Much love to everybody from your WD muah!

Well, I know about at least one: https://www.meetanostomate.org/index.php?page=blog&action=viewdetailed&view_id=1834&id=95


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Hi guys.....I think I might come under that category...You see, just after I got home from the hospital...I realized I wanted to help others who were getting an ostomy. If I had had someone come up to me in the hospital and let me know it wasn't always going to be so bad, I would have healed faster. If I had had someone to talk to, my head wouldn't have done mickey flips on me. So, I did all the word-of-mouth part to start up a support group. And I knew I'd need a computer for it to go any further. Plus, I could read up easier on my disease. Thank God for word of mouth. I was given a P.C. It was a good feeling to know someone cared enough to help...as I had been getting put into the too hard basket for weeks (Support for the support group). While I was getting used to the PC, I thought it would be a bit of fun...and practice (telling people I have an ostomy). If I went on a dating site...So, I picked Lava. Within a few weeks, I met Craig......we both ended up closing that dating site account about 2 weeks after meeting...and have been inseparable ever since, more so since we met. We are both pretty sure we have loved each other in previous lives. We just got lost in this one, but now all is good.....we will be together for the rest of this life. And well, I wouldn't have met him if I never got this ostomy when I did.....So I'm grateful to something I don't like...Stanley the stoma....Ain't life bloody funny?!!..Thanks for listening..Tara
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These two stories just sent shivers up my spine. Tarababy, what a great story. And I completely missed that story of the young Brit couple. How romantic is that?! I'm so happy for all of you and glad you shared your experiences. Still, I have to commend you for your courage and spirit. Physical drawbacks or not, opening yourself up for love is always a risk, but you guys show that it's well worth the price of risking a bruised ego now and again. Good for you! GOOD FOR YOU ALL!

Living with Your Ostomy | Hollister

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Difficult to meet someone as they won't let you give out any personal info. We tried to get some info (not to meet them) but so that we could mail ostomy products that we aren't using, and the administrator removed our email addresses.
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There must be more out there. Some of us have to live vicariously through others. How about those out there who just started dating through the site? Thanks for your responses, and like the man said, how do you manage to make contact if it gets deleted like he mentioned?

Hi Everyone,

Just thought it necessary to jump in here and clarify.

Of course
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we allow the exchange of emails and phone numbers (this is the purpose of our website), as long as they are not published in a way that makes them visible to everyone. This has always been our policy.

You can exchange personal information by:

• sending messages to other members
• using the one-to-one chat with other online members (Instant Chat)

We do not allow personal information to be published in the following public areas:

• forum
• profile
• blogs

Best regards,

Admin

I have had two, maybe three, maybe four, "relationships" that came through this site. The first was about 2 1/2 years ago and was with a nurse in Boston. We chatted back and forth, on and off the site, and had long phone conversations for several months, exchanged photos, and grew to like each other very much. She found out I was going to have to spend Thanksgiving '06 alone at my ranch as my youngest son was to be with his mother. She totally surprised me by jumping on a plane and flying to Houston. She only let me know she was coming the day before her flight. She got into Houston the night before Thanksgiving. We spent that night at my house in Houston and drove up to the ranch the next morning. As it turned out, some of my neighbors who live nearby the ranch invited us to have the Thanksgiving meal with them. She was quite a hit with all the people as everyone wanted to hear her talk. Most had never heard a Boston accent. We spent the next few days enjoying the ranch, taking walks in the forest, and skipping flat rocks across the lake. Our relationship intensified, and she tearfully returned to her life in Boston. We continued to correspond and talk for hours on the phone, but a couple of events caused the relationship to simmer, then slowly die. She developed myasthenia gravis. I also learned that she was still legally married but estranged from her husband. I think the progression of her new disease may have caused her to reconcile with her husband. At any rate, it was great while it lasted, and I will always have very sweet memories of her.

The current "relationship" involves a lady who lives in Chicago. She had read some advice I had given another site participant about the ostomy products I use. She had recently gotten an ileostomy and was having a terrible time with leakage and complete failures. She was practically housebound and thought her life was over as she was having to do wafer changes several times a day. She was miserable. She had never received ostomy training and didn't have an ostomy nurse to help her learn about available equipment options. We exchanged some messages on the site, then email addresses, then phone numbers. Over the course of several weeks, I helped her transition to a completely new system of wafers, pouches, and pouch liners. I also helped her learn proper techniques for applying the wafers, etc. She has now gone from multiple leaks and wafer changes every day to going over two weeks between changes, with no leaks. The "relationship" part of this story started on her end, I think due to her gratitude for me "saving" her from her then-current life of desperation. We continue to text, email, and talk on the phone and have talked of actually meeting sometime in either Chicago or Houston. We'll see what happens.

I have also met a very nice, attractive ostomate lady who lives just two hours away. We've emailed, talked on the phone, and met each other once in a neutral place for soft drinks and some good conversation. Maybe this is a preview of a coming attraction.

I met one other girl on the site who lives in the Houston area. Unfortunately, after a couple of "dates," we found that we were pretty much incompatible. Win some, lose some.

I read Bamatex has had what I would describe as spectacular success in meeting female osteo-mates.
I did meet a great lady via the site; however, it kind of died on the vine, so to speak. Which was my fault; she was a smoker, and I can't be directly around people who smoke on a daily basis.
I would love to meet a person on the site. I have contacted a few ladies that I thought were of "interest"; it seems they did not feel the same way. Which is sad; I have a lot to offer, and I can learn a lot from others.
Ladies, if you are out there, here I am, and I am trainable; I even lower the seat!

Rick.....

Pete, good luck to you, buddy. Just be patient, and someday someone will contact you, and then the rest is up to you. On balance, none of mine, so far, have worked out long-term, but they were almost all fun while they lasted.

Don't know how well I will do since I'm so shy. I admit it's really hard to get close to me.... few can. And handing out my phone number or other personal info is a very rare thing; hope that doesn't ever offend anyone; that is never my intent. I cherish my friends here and am so grateful for this site and the connection to everyone. I want to get brave enough to attend Ostomy Conferences and Meetups. I want to be useful and helpful to others in whatever way I can. I hate living alone and even thought perhaps of renting a room or two in this old house of mine, to ostomates.... have our own little private 'support living' arrangement in the country. Just an idea. We shall see, I guess. But I definitely miss having a partner at my side. "Alone" is a word I have come to dislike very much.

Doe, don't let the "lonelys" get you down. Attitude is everything. I'm reminded of the story of a little lady who lived alone...

One day she awoke and looked at herself in the mirror to discover she had only three hairs left on her head. She simply thought, well, I think I'll braid my hair today. She did and went out and had a very nice day.

The next day she awoke and looked at herself in the mirror to discover she had only two hairs left on her head. So she thought, great, I think I'll part my hair today. She did and went out and had a grand day.

The next day she awoke and looked at herself in the mirror to discover she had only one hair left on her head. So she thought, oh good, I think I'll wear my hair in a ponytail today. She did and went out and had a most wonderful day.

So you see, attitude is everything.

Keep a good attitude about all the "slings and arrows of outrageous fortune" and you'll surely be a happier and more fulfilled person. Good luck and good fortune, Doe.
Bamatex

Wow Bamatex, that was really cool. Thank you. I like the story very much; in fact, I think I need to pass that on to my friend Tracy tomorrow, who also needs that influence. ((hug)) You're awesome
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I consider myself lucky, as I have a long-time lady partner, and we have both stuck by each other through all things.

But hey, one of my sayings is: Just because you're on a diet doesn't mean you can't study the menu!

Dear Doe,
I'm sorry, but I left this off the story...


The next day, she awoke and looked at herself in the mirror to discover she had no hair left on her head, not a single one. She thought, "Oh goodie, I don't have to fix my hair today!" Then she went out and had the best day ever.

Sorry for the omission, Doe. Keep that good attitude.

As it turns out, my attitude will soon be tested as I go in on Sept. 30 for a peristomal hernia repair. During that surgery, they are going to "try" to reconnect me. So I'll know when I wake up from the surgery if I've been reconnected or will have a permanent ileostomy. Even if the reconnection can't be done, I have vowed to keep a good attitude about it. I am well blessed either way.
Bamatex