Confessions of a bag lady

Having a Stoma – Keeping it Real, Keeping it Positive

Being Positive is the Way Forward

I don’t see what has happened to me as a negative thing – yes, it’s not ideal for someone so young, however, with a positive attitude I can deal with what I’ve been dealt. I understand that it can be difficult for people to get their heads around what has happened to them/what is going to happen to them, but by trying to remain positive, it may make things easier to understand.

The Kindness of Strangers

I was very lucky with the situation that I was in when I was told I would need to have an ostomy. As we all know, the hospital curtains are only so sound proof, so when I broke down in tears when I was told the news, the other patients in the room knew about it. This turned out to be a good thing as the girl in the bed next to me was in hospital as she had just had her ostomy made permanent! I couldn’t have asked for a bigger sign that the two of us were meant to be brought together. She quickly reassured me that life wasn’t over, and even showed me her stoma bag. This instantly made me feel better which is why opening yourself up to others, even if they are strangers on Twitter, actually has its benefits.

The Kindness of Friends

I have been pretty open with my journey so far, so lots of people know about what I’ve been going through. The amount of friends who have messaged me saying they know people who have had ostomies is pretty incredible. They are also all so open about talking about it, which is absolutely amazing. Having such support from friends really does mean a lot, and it truly is when you go through something like this that you learn who your true friends are.

Let’s Talk About Poo!

I knew nothing about what Crohn’s really was and what a Stoma was until I found out that I had Crohn’s which then meant I needed to have an ileostomy. As it’s something that is so serious, it really needs to be promoted more. This is why blogs like this are great as people can share their own experiences and can help the clueless when they need the help the most. As soon as I got told about needing a Stoma, I was straight on Google trying to find out what it all meant – and let me tell you, it really isn’t that easy to find information out there! It is time to spread our message and educate those who don’t really know what it’s all about.

Don’t Feel Afraid

You should never feel ashamed and afraid to talk about your experience. I have gone past the point of caring about who knows now – so much so, I have my blog Confessions of a Bag Lady to keep me positive and motivated during recovery from my operation! If someone doesn’t like you because of your bag, then they are small minded and pig headed, and you most definitely do not need them in your life. Surround yourself with the good and you will feel good, trust me.

I really hope that more people will show the positives of Ostomies because without having mine done, I wouldn’t be able to live my life as I want to and I am so grateful that my Stoma allows me to live!

About the author:- Frankie Millard is 20 years old from Cornwall. Frankie was diagnosed with Crohn's disease a little over 3 weeks ago and under went surgery for an Ileostomy only 2 weeks ago.