This topic is about a 51-year-old woman who has been through a lot in her life, including having an ileostomy, which she affectionately calls "Strawberry." This procedure was necessary to save her life and has brought relief from the pain and urgency caused by Crohn’s disease. She has achieved some of her dreams, like traveling and buying a farm with space for horses and a greenhouse. However, she still feels a deep sense of loneliness and a longing for romantic love, which she has never experienced. Her past is marked by childhood abuse, parental rejection, and the loss or addiction of siblings, leaving her with emotional scars. Although she appears strong and capable, she is afraid of intimacy and feels physically unwell when men show interest. She worries that her ostomy bag makes it even harder to find love. Her usual mantra of "Be strong" is becoming exhausting, and she struggles with the idea of living a self-reliant life while feeling heartbroken and like a failure.

Here are some pieces of advice and insights that might help:

1. You are not alone. Many people who have experienced traumatic childhoods or have ostomies face similar emotional challenges.

2. Consider seeking professional counseling or confiding in someone you trust. While talking won’t erase the trauma, it can help you manage it better.

3. Sharing your feelings openly, in a way that feels genuine and soulful, can be therapeutic and is healthier than keeping everything bottled up inside.

4. Recognize your resilience. Surviving severe illness, multiple surgeries, and other life challenges shows a strength that others admire and respect.

5. The ostomy community is like an "army of survivors." Members understand, accept, and love you just as you are.

6. Find comfort in small supportive gestures, like virtual hugs, and know that expressing vulnerability is welcomed and accepted here.