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Top 10 List of Benefits to Having an Ostomy

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Posted 8/11/2007 11:14 PM (GMT 0)
Hi everyone,

There are a lot of people out there with Crohn's, Ulcerative Colitis, and other IBD's who are scared when their doctor says that they need to have surgery and a permanent ostomy.

Let's share our Top 10+ List of benefits to having one. I'll start with #10...

I'm not sick anymore!!! yeah
Posted 8/12/2007 2:42 AM (GMT 0)
i can eat and drink without worrying where the bathrooms are!
Posted 8/13/2007 12:43 AM (GMT 0)
I can have loose stool and not have to worry about getting a sore bottom.
Posted 8/13/2007 1:39 AM (GMT 0)
This happened to me today...
I went shopping for hours and didn't even care where the bathroom was! tongue
Posted 8/13/2007 6:13 PM (GMT 0)
I can eat a lot of different foods that used to make me sick.
Posted 8/13/2007 6:16 PM (GMT 0)
I can eat Mexican food and other favorites without getting sick.

Sandy B
Posted 8/13/2007 6:19 PM (GMT 0)
Yeah - bring on the chips and salsa!
Posted 8/13/2007 7:39 PM (GMT 0)
yep i ate nachos at the movies the other night (which there is one in and of itself, going to a movie!)
Posted 8/13/2007 8:14 PM (GMT 0)
Here's another one...
Sleeping through the night without having to get up once to go to the bathroom! :-)
Posted 8/15/2007 4:41 AM (GMT 0)
Just last week my wife and I went out and shortly thereafter had to rush home because she was going through cramps and desperately had to use a bathroom....fast. Her colon is normal. She actually turned to me and said "you're lucky, you don't have to go through this anymore!" Imagine that, someone actually thinks I'm lucky because I have an ostomy!!!
Posted 8/15/2007 9:56 PM (GMT 0)
Last week, my workplace was without water for several hours, so we couldn't use the bathrooms. I just sat back and smiled while everyone else scrambled!
Posted 8/19/2007 5:58 AM (GMT 0)
Not having the feeling of pooping razorblades.
The best part was the day I gathered all my huge bottles of Asacol, and enemas, and prednisone, and, suppositories and donated them to a freind.
Not having to look at my husband sit next to my bed and cry because he couldn't do anything to help me.
Not having poop all over in my panties everyday. Not having the low iron, and racing heart due to dehydration. Ok I still can get dehydrated, but I watch myself, and do pretty good on keeping that in check.
Being able to go back to church, shopping, movies, shopping, vacations, gardening, babysitting with my grandson.
Staying out of the doctors offices.
Not wondering how soon colon cancer would come.
Not worrying about toxic megacolon, because I had pancolitis.
Feeling free to do what ever I want to do in this life.
Hopeso
Posted 8/22/2007 6:22 PM (GMT 0)
I can poop standing up like men pee.
Since I am sewed shut, NO MORE DOCTOR PROBING!
Went on my first vacation with my partner!
Posted 8/22/2007 11:03 PM (GMT 0)
I threw out all of my pooping agents today..no more creams, suppositories, laxatives, medications, stool softeners or enemas! I still do not like my bag, but being pain free is pretty darn sweet!
Posted 8/22/2007 11:15 PM (GMT 0)
Drinking gin and tonics without worry....or regret.

Riding my cruiser wihout having to visit gas stations, the library, random friends, to use the restrooms in a hurry.

Wearing thongs.

Leaving the house without a change of underwear/clothes in my car.....so glad those days are over.

Pretty much just having the worry gone.  I am in control.

Posted 8/22/2007 11:29 PM (GMT 0)
Cheers Crohned! Gin and Tonics are my favorites although I think I had one too many on vacation.... clink!
Posted 8/23/2007 1:25 AM (GMT 0)
Crohned,

I can't help but chuckle at the thought of you in a quiet library bathroom with explosive diarrhea!

Oh, how I do not miss those days....
Posted 8/28/2007 2:45 PM (GMT 0)
This is a great idea to think of the positives!!!

Not having to 'live' in the bathroom! And no on in the family wants to go to 'that' bathroom. Not having to clean the mess made by those 'explosive loose stools'! All the reading stuff in there... Having to go so bad so fast and a little while later going through the same thing again. Not having to carry the extra clothes in the car! Emergency stops at restaurants to go!

Now the law comes out in some states saying we have the right to go to any bathroom! Boy did I need that before the bag...can be useful now also!

Laura Beth
Posted 8/29/2007 5:45 AM (GMT 0)

I live in a tourist community and when asked where the nearest public washroom is, I no longer grab their hand and say "follow me" instead I relish the moment and point!  

 

But without a doubt, peace of mind is the greatest benefit for both myself and the husband!

 

No more side effects from the steroids or erythema nodosum, no more worries, stress, emergencies, hospital stays, treatments, pain, embarassment etc, etc! You know what I mean!

 

God Bless you all!

 

kathleen

Posted 8/29/2007 7:44 AM (GMT 0)
Oh man I forgot about the erythema nodosum!  I still have a few scars from the biopsies they did to diagnose them way back when.  Thanks for reminding me of one more reason why I am thankful for my "O".

How 'bout this - no need to shop and compare what the softest tissue is for the hiney.  Less trips to the bathroom = Less expense as well.

Thanks everyone for the reminders!  They are so true.

Posted 8/29/2007 2:21 PM (GMT 0)
Wow, i hadn't really thought about it before but i know i basically stopped going to the movies because i'd end up missing most of it running to the bathroom.
I took my oldest son to see the Transformers. Sat through the 2 1/2 hour long movie and didn't miss any of it.
Posted 8/30/2007 3:02 PM (GMT 0)
Being able to eat whatever I want, and not suffer in pain afterwards. :-)

Going for long walks on the beach far away from the bathroom. cool
Not having to use all of my vacation days as sick days! yeah
Posted 8/30/2007 10:30 PM (GMT 0)
Peggy113-i went to Sam's (it's a big warehouse store) and i bought this HUGE box of toilet paper, i think there were like 45 rolls and it is the kind that you get in public bathrooms, and it was so cheap, lol.
Another one i thought of yesterday was, and this goes along with my using it as a weapon plan, a nasty man would not quit following me around in a store (i have lost my wedding ring, shh don't tell!) so he wouldnt' believe that i was married, anyway, i kept ignoring him and he kept following me and i was just fixing to turn around and pull the bag out of my shorts and show it to him, and see if that made him leave, but luckily, he got the hint right about that time!
Posted 8/30/2007 11:49 PM (GMT 0)
OMG Summerstorm ----   using it as a weapon -- just flip it right out there!!!!  I am still chuckling at that one.  I could have used that during one of my roadtrips recently.  I had on a short denim jumper since it was so hot out.  Comfy to travel in.  Anyway 2 different truckers started beeping at me during that 6 hr trip.  At first I thought something was wrong with my car!!!!  That was a good one!!!  Thanks for the laugh. tongue tongue

 

Posted 8/31/2007 2:54 AM (GMT 0)
yeah i had said earlier that if you were ever walking in a parkign lot or something and some guy came up and started trying to take your purse or kidnap you or something, i would just reach in and unattach that bag and fling it at him!
glad to make you laugh!
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