Tag: ostomate

Check up all done

Everything went well, the nurse isn’t concerned about my tiny bump because it’s not hot or red and it isn’t painful. She said it’s to do with the mucus fistula; it’s normal to get a little bit of mucus from the back passage, so to just go to the toilet if I get the urge to.

She is also happy with how the bag is after two days (so not corroding too much, ect) and how my stoma is looking. She said there’s a little separation around it but it’s nothing to worry about because it’ll heal over time. Once I’m off the steroids, it should heal a lot faster.

Next appointment is in three weeks (they couldn’t do four) which’ll be just before the London Expo Comic Con – which I have every intention of going to – so it’s probably best I get checked before I go, just in case.

Had a good day in Winchester today. Stopped off for lunch at the guildhall cafe then went for a little walk around the park before heading home. I may have overdone it a tiny bit because my stomach is a little achy and I was struggling to walk faster than a snails pace, so I’m relaxing for the rest of the day. 

Short day trip

I had an appointment for Universal Credit this morning and because it was in the middle of town (which isn’t that far from where I live), we decided to do a little shopping. I got a few things for my stoma emergency kit as well as a new pair of shorts. It was a good day, even if I am a little tired from all the walking. I was a little stiff from not doing much yesterday so I think it was good to go out for a bit today.

I had a really nice afternoon today; some friends who I haven’t seen in such a long time came over, and I was able to walk (albeit slowly) to the local coffee shop and back without feeling exhausted or in pain. I think I’ll stay inside though for the next couple of days to give myself a rest; I don’t want to overdo it.

My first day trip… sorta

So, I finally left the flat and went to a public place today for the first time in over a month! The only places I’ve been to since getting out of the hospital were back to the hospital to collect my meds and to my doctors to have stitches removed. It felt good to go outside and be somewhere that wasn’t medical, and where I could feel more normal.

I had a really nice Eggs Benedict (pouched eggs and bacon on an breakfast muffin) with tea, followed by a chocolate muffin. I am so happy to say that I could eat all that! A couple of months ago I wouldn’t have been able to eat any of it for fear of it causing me major pain and several dashes to the bathroom.

Although this whole stoma/surgery thing has been pretty scary and a bit of a steep learning curve (and still is), I am glad I had it done. I’m no longer in pain after eating, I don’t have to dash to the bathroom (making sure to take my phone because I know I’ll be in there for a long time), and I can eat most foods that I couldn’t before. There are, of course, some restrictions on what I can and can’t eat with my stoma, but nowhere near as many as before. 

It’s odd, but this surgery really has given me a new lease on life. I know I’m still recovering and need to take it slow to ensure I don’t overdo it, but I can feel myself improving, if only a little, each day.

thisturtleisneon:

I remember being diagnosed with ulcerative colitis in the fall of my junior year and thinking it was a death sentence. Not immediate, but eventual. I remember also thinking that having a colectomy was the worst thing that could possibly happen to me; that any medicine was better than surgery, no matter the side effects, and that I wouldn’t be a complete person without a colon. Which was stupid because a) it meant I made the decision to undergo multiple hospitalizations and endless drug treatments over two and a half years and b) as Clare put it, “whoever said you needed a colon to kick ass was sorely mistaken.” The ostomy bag isn’t forever, and it took a lot of getting used to, and it still weirds a lot of people out, but I consider it another step in the long list of steps that I’m doing an impressive job of conquering. I’d rather have a bag of 💩hanging from my abdomen than bright red blood in the toilet, excruciating pain, anemia, fatigue, weight loss, hopelessness, colonoscopies, infusions, blood tests, and up to 30 pills a day with fun side effects like immunosuppression, anxiety, moonface, weight gain, hair growth, white blood cell loss, osteoporosis, and more. Hey, it isn’t pretty, but it’s what I’ve dealt with and there’s nothing shameful about anyone’s body or what anyone has to go through to get to happiness. So here’s the colitis patient / ostomate body positivity post that no one asked for but everyone secretly needed. Only two more surgeries to go!

Having just been through my first surgery, this was really good to read. I hope to get used to my bag and be back to “normal” before long so I can continue to live life to the fullest!

Source: thisturtleisneon