I am an American and this might play differently abroad, but this is my view and my mission and that is to change the stigma associated with being an ostomate. And it begins with the word BAG.........Bag has and is easy to attach a negative or foul word with.........ie............bag of crap, bag of shit, he looks like a bag man (homeless), bag of doo doo etc...........It is a word that doesn't conjure up thoughts of sweet smelling roses or good positive thoughts as well....It starts in a negative space and we need to change that.
My thought is we all start using the word Pouch and this is why I say this...........I was at a client's house who did not know I was an ostomate and when I explained that I had a pouch (I did not say bag, for if I did say bag, their next line would be "I am so sorry to hear that"), His next line was.........."Oh, you are marsupial and we all started to laugh.....I said I guess you are right...........It led to immediate understanding and laughter and to me that was and is a good place to start..............Let's all start using the word Pouch. It will help us in our acceptance as well as the rest of mankind's immediate word association to a good place and not a bad or negative place..................Love to you all............Your fellow Marsupial..........Michael
Who doesn't smile when thinking about Kangaroos?...........We all smile............