Living with a long-term colostomy can be a unique journey, and one person shares their experience of having a colostomy since they were 12 years old. Now, ten years later, they feel their life is "perfect" just the way it is and have never seriously thought about reversing it. They have kept their ostomy private for the most part, but joining a forum has given them the chance to speak openly and encourage others to see an ostomy not as an end, but as the beginning of an exciting new chapter.

Here are some pieces of advice and insights they offer:

1. Embrace life fully by maintaining a positive and energetic outlook. Think of it as "party hard, eat clean, and train dirty."

2. Be open about your ostomy. Treating it like any other medical condition can help remove stigma and boost your self-confidence.

3. An ostomy can significantly improve your health and well-being. Some people even choose to keep theirs rather than pursue a reversal.

4. Encouragement and mutual support are powerful. Celebrate each other’s strength and resilience.