Saturday October 6th is World Ostomy Day and because of my reversal surgery last Saturday, it looks like I will be celebrating it without an Ostomy! Yes y’all it would seem that the Colitis/Ostomy chapter of my life has closed with the taking down of my Ileostomy. But that doesn’t mean that stops me from being involved and spreading awareness about Colitis/Crohn’s & Living with an Ostomy. The disease and it’s cure made a huge impact on my life. It dictated what kind of woman, producer, partner/girlfriend and mother I could be. There are so many people around you who live with these silent diseases and handicaps and you would never know. Even at my sickest, most people just thought I was not eating and tired because of the baby. My cousin and I always laugh about the looks we get from using scooter carts at the stores or calling into work at the last-minute. We are not outwardly handicapped, so it’s hard for people to understand why such a young person without a limp or cane would need to take so many sitting breaks or the closest seat to the door.
As far as living with an Ostomy, there are moments you will feel embarrassed by the looks you get when people find out or if they catch a glimpse at your pouch. There shouldn’t be anything embarrassing or shameful about making a decision to live pain-free or save your life. Okay so some people poop from their butt and others in a pouch. It isn’t the end of the world…in fact it’s the beginning. Learn more about what it means to live with an Ostomy.
