Hi.. My name is Sandy.. I'm 58, was diagnosed with rectal cancer on Feb 4..... I did the chemo, that was the easy part.... Then the radiation... Whew... Nobody told me about all the PAIN.... And so now, I'm looking at surgery on Friday, July 17, to reconstruct and to add a colostomy bag... Which will be with me the rest of my life.... And I don't mind saying, I'M SCARED.... I worry about what to eat, how to dress, will it smell? Will it stay attached? Soooooo many questions.... Until now, I have been a very active grandma... But lately, I just want to curl up in bed and never get up.... Or just run far far away..... I really don't want Friday to EVER get here!! I guess I'm not really looking for answers here... Just a little sympathy and comfort.............

MeetAnOstoMate is a pretty cool site with 40,088 members.
There are people here from all walks of life - musicians, firefighters, academics, artists, photographers, paramedics, police officers, teachers, mechanics, entrepreneurs, surfers ... and they all have a stoma.
The main thing is - here, everybody understands what you're going through. And that feels good.
Many come for advice, others stay for the friendships. Some have even found love!
And it's not all about ostomy - we talk about everything.
🔒 Privacy is very important - your profile is not visible to the outside world.
Advertisement
Hollister
Are you wondering what you should and shouldn't eat after ostomy surgery?
Learn what you need to know to help you recover fast, and avoid some common food issues.
Learn what you need to know to help you recover fast, and avoid some common food issues.
Advertisement
Collin shares his top 3 tips on how to stay hydrated while living with an ostomy.
For more tips and resources, check out our Ostomy Learning Center.
For more tips and resources, check out our Ostomy Learning Center.