World Ostomy Day

I'm breaking from my normal blogging schedule to celebrate my first ever world ostomy day with an actual ostomy! Me and Ant (yes, I've named my stoma Ant) can officially celebrate world ostomy day as an ostomate and to do so I'm doing an obligatory #GetYourBellyOut picture because it's been quite a while since I posted one.

If you're late to the party and are wondering what the hell an ostomy is, google defines it as an artificial opening in an organ of the body, created during an operation such as a colostomy, ileostomy, or gastrostomy; a stoma.  I have an ileostomy so I've had my colon removed and now part of my ilium (small bowel) is on my stomach but you can read all about how I got my stoma here.

This years theme is #ManyStoriesOneVoice and I think that this is such a great theme as nearly everyone who has an ostomy has a different story but we all have one aim, to be well and be able to live our lives to the fullest!

I've always been really open about my stoma; if someone wanted to ask a question I'd always answer it. I'm not ashamed of my stoma because it saved my life and if people are curious its important to educate them on what it's actually like; the good and the bad.

I'd be lying if I said having a stoma isn't sometime a bag of shit (literally) but if I dwell on the bag leaks and the sore skin and the sometimes feeling so different to my friends, I'm going to get seriously depressed!  I think it's a common misconception that if you have a bag that your life is suddenly going to become rubbish or that stomas are mainly for old people. These stereotypes are so wrong! I didn't realise how many young people have ostomies but they do...this year alone 900 ostomates started university. And as for how you live your life, I've done so much more since having my stoma I actually can't believe it. For the past two years I've been limited in what I could do because of pain and constantly needing the toilet where as now I'm a lot more free to do things. I'm not 100% well yet; I still get tired easily and I get bad joint pains and need to rest but in the grand scheme of things, that's nothing!

I always try (try being the key word there) to keep upbeat about my ostomy because at the end of the day I could be in a lot worse of a state without it and it has given me my life back!