It happened at the ballgame.

 I have been lucky not to have had a bag accident these last several months since my colectomy. However, last night I had an experience at the ballgame watching my adorable little grandson play baseball. You all know the panic feeling when you feel wetness. I jumped up and told my husband, "Oops I spilled the coke." In the bathroom I found out it was my wafer unloose at the bottom.OMG I hadn't seen my grandson come up to bat yet. So I snapped the sucker back and took a blanket and placed it on my lap.--Watched the whole game. They won 16-4!!. The point of the story is this. In the past I would have been totally embarrassed because it would have looked like I had pooped. But with a bag it really did look like I had spilled coke on the front of my jeans. 

Jennie

No, he was too much into the game. He didn't know I had had a leak until we got into the truck, and I told him. He doesn't get too excited about anything. Guess that is my department. I'm so glad I have you guys to talk to about bags and such.

you handled that really well! one of the things i thought would be good would be that if you did have a leak, noone will think it's poo on the front of your pants!
so we should jsut always carry around a coke!
it must have been wonderful to be able to watch the game feeling good!

Thanks so much! I had a dream last night that I had the surgery. It was probably a result of reading the Little Things thread. Today's been horrible and with my third Tysabri infusion tomorrow it's sort of last chance. At this point I just want to be done with it. I've wondered that, since I am indeterminate/large intestine only, if it would pretty much take the disease away (no guarantees, I know, but likelihood thing). I find myself getting excited about the ostomy and the opportunities it would allow. Imagine I could sleep until 20 minutes before I had to leave! I'm a 2- hour person now who is still scared to take her daughter to school after 2 hours! This can't be easier or better or healthier or whatever than an ostomy! Geez! it's just a different way to pass waste!

Someone else on here said that they've had others respond to the possibility of an ostomy as if it were an amputation. That's the way my friends/mother have been. I am starting to see through my own eyes and let their fears not influence me. One more month of Tysabri time and then I make the choice! I've fought about all I have to fight!

Thanks again!

sr5599,
You are exactly right... it is just another way to pass waste. In fact, if people knew how wonderful it is to never have to hurriedly run to the bathroom again, they'd all want one!

It's completely hidden under your clothes, so nobody would even know you have one. I recently started wearing a two piece bathing suit with a skirt! You should check out our photobucket.com page. It has pictures of us on there, and you can't tell that any of us have ostomies. The user name is crohnsdisease and the password is 6mp3asa. Feel free to post a photo of yourself, too.

The first thing I noticed after my surgery was that I was able to sleep through the night uninterrupted, because I hadn't had a good night's sleep in years. I also found an excellent extended wear wafer from Coloplast that stays on for a week, and that's after exercising and showering every day. It is truly no fuss at all!

I had Crohn's in the rectum, too, so I had to urge to go to the bathroom all the time. Now, I never have that urge, and I love it! During 7 years with active Crohn's, I went to the bathroom enough for one lifetime!

People who are healthy don't understand what we've been through, so you have to take their opinions about surgery with a grain of salt. My dad and brother both called me the night before my proctocolectomy and asked me if I thought I was doing the right thing, and they are BOTH DOCTORS!! Go figure!

You have to do what's right for you, and in the end, your friends and family be thrilled to see you healthy again. Good luck with your Tysabri infusion, and keep us posted on how you're doing.

Cecilia

Oh, btw, I spend a lot of time with my daughter swimming in the summer (laps and play). Bathing suits are one of my biggest (silliest?) fears. I know I could wear a one-piece, but yesterday I got the idea of board shorts with a top! That would work, wouldn't it?

Board shorts with a bikini top would work, as long as they aren't too low waisted. My bathing suit has bikini top with a skirt bottom that covers everything, including my big butt! he he he LOL I have gained some weight since surgery, but that's because I'm not sick anymore. I see the extra weight as me finally being healthy.

sr5599,
Welcome to the Ostomies forum! There is a ton of information here in this forum. Summer and Cece have covered everything pretty well. I too had CD and have been in remission since my ileostomy in 1984. It was located in my rectum, colon and small intestine. I have not had to alter much in my life at all.... in fact, knowing the location of every bathroom in the city is the least of my worries. Now, I know which drive thru restaurants have the least traffic over the lunch hour!!!! (jk)

As you know, no question is too stupid to ask, so Ask Away!