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just told another friend!

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Ostomies
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Posted 7/12/2011 4:43 AM (GMT 0)
so my friend called me today, we talk every week, and was telling me she was having a lot of trouble with her stomach, and that she had been searching on internet and was terrifed that she might have to end up with an ostomy bag, and that would be awful! and i laughed and said, you don't know what kind of surgery i had? (she has seen me numerous times, i just thought she knew) she got really quiet and then said, no, then she said, you poop in a bag! I busted out laughing, i said, yeah i thought you knew. she said no i never noticed, do you still poop in a bag? i was still laughing, and i said yep, did you ever know it? she said, OMG no! i said, well then, do you think it's gross, she said, yeah kind of, i said yeah a bit, and she said, but i feel a lot better about it now, in case it comes to that, i know it's not so awful! she said, that's great im so glad to know that, and that we could be gross together if she had to have one. That's not an insult coming from her, we have a special kind of friendship, lol. I thought she knew, and when i found out she didn't i was a little nervous, but she seemed to be ok with, actually happy about it. and i was glad to be able to help someone, in real life. hopefully it won't come to that for her, she doesn't know what she has yet, she's just been having really bad problems, and going to the bathroom everytime she eats, she's really fed up with it, cause like lots of us, she has her life built around bathrooms, and is afraid to go places. so it helped her a lot to know that i had had that same problem for years, and managed to come out of it fine! I don't usually talk about it, not because im ashamed so much as i just don't think anyone wants to hear about my poop, lol. I mean, i dont really want to hear about anyones, but i thought i could be helpful by telling her, and i was glad i could be!
just thought i'd share that
Posted 7/12/2011 10:02 AM (GMT 0)
A good story to share with ALL on this board... You see, people, even close friends, are clueless to being able to SEE the bag!!! :) Or smell it, or hear it! THanks Summer for being brave and talking to her about it and for sharing your story. AWESOME!!!!
Posted 7/12/2011 11:09 AM (GMT 0)
You've made so much difference to her life and how she perceives surgery, well done :) Once you start sharing, it's amazing how many people either know some who has had or will. potentially face ostomy surgery in the future.

Thank you.
Posted 7/12/2011 11:24 AM (GMT 0)
Good for you! I'm in the process of doing a story for a local magazine about my ileostomy because I want people to know I am not ashamed of it and life does go on after surgery, actually life begins after surgery. I am so happy with mine now because my life before was non existant, I have also told my GI that I would be happy to talk with anyone that may be facing this kind of surgery and they were thrilled and are going to take me up on the offer. There's always positives. So nice you have been able to help someone out Summer, take care
Doreen
Posted 7/12/2011 12:32 PM (GMT 0)
That's great, and funny too. I guess people don't see what they don't want to see. Glad you were able to help, and I'm sure this will only make your friendship even stronger.
Posted 7/12/2011 1:57 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks for sharing, Summer!! You've helped *me* with this story, too. :)
Posted 7/12/2011 3:25 PM (GMT 0)
summerstorm, I am scared that some day I will have to have surgery and having you and suebear visit the UC board and tell people how well you're doing has definitely helped to ease my mind. Thanks for being here, you have helped a lot of people.
Posted 7/12/2011 4:58 PM (GMT 0)
Like Doreen, I've talked to my GI as well to say that I'll speak to anyone facing this surgery. He told me that just before I told him that, he had a young woman (maybe 30) actually die from Crohn's or UC (can't remember which) because she refused the surgery. So sad when you think about how happy most of us are with our ostomies.

I tell just about anyone if it comes up as well. Not ashamed! I actually feel like it's a badge of honor, showing what I've gone through and what I'm willing to do to take control of my own life and really live.
Posted 7/12/2011 7:46 PM (GMT 0)
I told all of my close friends when I had an ostomy bag and it was very comforting that we all had a sense of humor about it and it really never came up unless I brought it up and joked about it. Any friend that would think anything negative about you because of an ostomy is not a friend at all
Posted 7/13/2011 2:10 AM (GMT 0)
That's awesome that you could help put your friend's mind at ease. You go, girl! smilewinkgrin
Posted 7/13/2011 3:55 AM (GMT 0)
Nice, you really helped her. Rosemary
Posted 7/13/2011 2:43 PM (GMT 0)
It is surprising how many people know someone with eith Crohn's or UC and I have found from talking to my customers that there are quite a few who have relatives with an IBD. It has been really helpful to them to see me at work, looking well and telling them about my ileo and that having surgery isn't the end.

It is usually older customers who have grandchildren/nieces/nephews with it and they don't want to ask the child or parents too many questions as they are normally very ill having just been diagnosed. So I feel honoured to be able to reduce their fears a bit and tell them that there are plenty of things medicine can do now to help control the symptoms as too often the stuff they read in the papers about IBD or see in medical programmes are the worst case scenerios and this scares them silly.
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