Top 10 List of Benefits to Having an Ostomy

summerstorm,

mentioning the wedding ring reminds me:

Even though I lost 30 lbs pre-diagnosis I gained 60 with the steroids & gave up wearing my wedding rings! 

I admit I've been slacking at getting all that excess off but you've given me great incentive!

 

Oh and I havent stopped laughing at the weapon... my hubby says that I already know how to clear out a room when the kids are driving me nutso... just let a little air escape! lol

 

Thanx, k

I thought I'd bump this topic up, so anyone facing surgery could see that there are a lot of benefits to having an ostomy.

Like everyone else here, before my surgery I spent most of my day in the bathroom. Sitting on the throne, out of extreme boredom, I knew EXACTLY how many tiles I had on my bathroom walls. Now, after my surgery, not only do I forget how many tiles there are.....I don't really care!

about a week to 10 days after my Ileostomy surgery(because of UC) I ate a gia-normous bowl of popcorn every night, for about 3 weeks......LOL.......in the words of Tony the Tiger......It's GREAT!

Life just plain out SUX if you are scared to eat something!

Life is no fun taking pills that make you someone else......you do not want to be.

yes there are other threads like this too and tons of threads with people asking if we are happy.
It's actually kind of conveneint to have an ostomy, my grandma said to me today that i had done so well with my surgery, and then she says, i know it is annoying to you and bothersome but you seem to be dealing with it, and i said, no it's actually not annoying, it makes life easier most of the time, lol. when everyone else is spending 10-15 minutes in the batrhoom taking care of their daily business, i am in there for like 2 minutes!

1. I'm alive.
2. I have been able to enjoy life since 1969.
3. I have been healthy since 1969.
4. I have lived my life fully, completely, and been able to experience great joys and sorrows.
5. I have 2 incredible HEALTHY young adult children who are in the process of becoming independent people.
6. I have been married to my husband for 34 years. He is not the "sensitive" type, but the pouch was "part of the package", and its never been much of a big deal.
7. I have been able to "give back" to the world through the work I do in my profession.
8. I have been able to grow and learn
9. I expect to continue to enjoy many more years of health, love, and laughter
10. Having an ostomy has not prevented me from doing anything I wanted to do (sometimes adjustments are necessary but if I want to do something, having an ostomy has not been a sufficient reason not to try).


To those considering surgery: for many of us, surgery and having an ostomy gives us the hope that things will be better. For some of us, there really wasn't a choice. I could have stayed pissed off and angry about how unfair it is - that would have meant being miserable (and making others miserable) since 1969. I chose to perceive having an ostomy as an asset.

I think for most of us, our lives do improve. There will be challenges in learning new skills and the need to develop coping and support mechanisms. But for many of us - our quality of life and being able to live our lives (outside a bathroom) offsets the problems. Maybe not for all, but I think for most.

Best,