feeling lucky

Wow, that is wonderful for you isn't it? Just the sheer fact that a boss understands makes all the difference in the world. Sometimes I tend to freak out about the what ifs and run into trouble because I'm stressing out too much about my gut. When if I force myself to relax it really does help. Of course not in the middle of D, I have to allow that to play itself out but usually when people tell me - "do what you have to do" - I can feel my insides relaxing. When I was interviewed for my piddly part time job, right after I was offered the job and before I accepted it, I told my supervisor my past cancer history and my colon resection. I gave her a brief summary and said I occasionally have bad days. She said and I quote - "that's what sick days are for. I appreciate you being honest with me. Most people are not that honest."

And do you know I've never missed work for my IBS woes? Oh the flu a few times but never my gut problems.

Go figure.

Let's hope this is just the attitude you need at work! Hoping so for your sake Johnny!

Johnny - we all have to find what works for each of us, and over time. Like you I've been at this for a long, long time. In my case my troubles started after my colon resection. I didn't have any IBS issues prior to surgery. So when I was struggling, rushing to bathrooms, etc. people constantly, constantly said to me - are you STILL having trouble? As if I'd go back to normal! Yes some people can go back to normal after a bowel resection but since my resection was extremely low, I now experience multiple bm's, for life.

I tries several approaches quite honestly:

1. Hoping I would go back to normal (1 or 2 bm's a day).
2. Drastically alternating my diet but still having multiple bm's. Educating people, etc. Not hiding my situation.
3. Finally realizing it is what it is.
4. I stopped educating people and even bothering to explain any of what I go thru.
5. Now, IF they ask, I'm happy to oblige and give a brief description of why I spend so much time in the bathroom.
6. But at this point, I just go about my business and let people think whatever the heck they want to think!

There will probably be a 7th and 8th entry to that list above but for now, my acceptance and what could be described as denial, absolutely works for me!

In fact, my new attitude about it all far greatly reduces any stress. I also noticed the more I tried to explain my situation, the more I lost someone else's ability to even understand 1/10th of what all go thru.

This is why I don't even bother with them.