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Christmas time can feel overwhelming for a lot of people at the best of times, then there's adding an ostomy into the mix! It's fair to say that you are not alone if you are worried about navigating Christmas, but thankfully, there are some top tips in this post from fellow ostomates...

Christmas feels that much more special this year. Can you feel it? After a few years of the pandemic having to hold back on what Christmas is about - being together. As I type this I am looking at my beautiful Christmas tree and it is not quite December 1st yet…don’t judge! A lot of us are doing the same as people share on social media their excitement about getting the festive season started earlier this year, and why not?! Why not bring joy into your life when times are hard. I say do you, get the decorations up if you want, and start the festivities when you want to.  

When our son was diagnosed with Crohn's disease at the age of thirteen, my initial reaction was one of fear, what would this mean for him, how would his life change? Then disbelief, how could this be happening to our previously super healthy, athletic son? Then guilt, was it something I’d done to cause him to develop Crohn's, was it genetic or lifestyle, could I have done something different to protect him from this wretched disease?

Whether you're new to ostomy life or whether you've had an ostomy for a few years, several years or more, it's normal to come across things that you may find a little more difficult to navigate. It's also normal to also find some things challenge. Not everyone experiences the same challenges but at the same time, no ostomy is the same from person to person. Everyone experiences ostomy life differently.

As Christmas draws near (where has that year gone?!), for a lot of people, it's not about wanting material things for Christmas. It's about time with loved ones, making memories and for some, it's even wishing for things that money can't buy or even wishing for things that don't exist. On that note, Amy is going to tell you what 5 things she would put on her Christmas list as an ostomate. 

Winter brings about many changes, some welcome, some not so much. I love nothing more than lighting every candle in the house, my twinkly tree on, the dark nights and watching GoggleBox on the telly under a throw with the family. But what does it mean for us ostomates? As we all know, we are all so different in the reason why we got a ticket to the club, and what impact that has on our wider health. For some the arrival of Winter may not change that much, for others it can present the need to adapt and tweak a few different things. 

A stoma is considered to be prolapsed when the bowel protrudes to a larger extent than anticipated. This can vary for the individual, anything from a few centimetres to more than ten. Experiencing a stoma prolapse can be distressing and hard to come to terms with, however, it is usually not said to be serious. An ostomy prolapse must be looked at by a medical professional such as a stoma nurse. A larger bag or larger ostomy bag hole may be needed, for example, to account for the prolapse.

My beautiful boy, you have a long road ahead. You were born with the strength of a warrior and the fight to overcome more than most do in their whole lives within the first few years of life. You need stoma surgery like Mummy did when she was born. The word stoma is the opening made in the tummy to divert stool out of the intestine. It is like a rose bud sitting proudly on top of your skin. It moves sometimes like a wriggly worm and can be a bit naughty and poop when you don’t want it too.

Having ostomy surgery can understandably be a daunting prospect and it's perfectly normal to feel scared & unsure.  Today, we would like to be myth-busters (move aside, Ghostbusters) and take you through some of the below myths to reassure you.

You are sore and perhaps bloated from surgery, not feeling quite like yourself. You may be relying on medication, and testing your food tolerances with your new accessory to see what you can and can’t tolerate. With all this in mind, what seemed as simple as going out to catch up with a friend over coffee can bring up many questions: What toilet facilities are there? Do I need a radar key if I need disabled toilet facilities? Will I need to empty my bag there? (You may not have done this in public yet) What happens if my bag leaks and needs changing? Can I have caffeine?