Today I need to change my bag...

but I really don't want to. It sounds like such a stupid, teenage frame of mind to have, but I just can't be bothered! But I know I have to. After all, I'm a grown-up; surely it shouldn't be so difficult?

Deary me... I'm such a big kid sometimes!

*heads off to the bathroom*

P.S. I apologise for this pointless post. :)

Note to self, re: sleeping through the night

Finish eating before 7pm. Seriously. No biscuits, chocolates or sneaky apples. Trust me, you'll thank me tomorrow morning.

10 more things this process has taught me

1. The human body is amazing and so, so resilient.
2. The online IBD support community is also amazing and resilient.
3. Keeping hydrated is so very important to feeling strong, alert and energetic. Before my ileostomy, I must have spent countless days feeling "blah" and just putting it down to a virus or something when all I needed to do was drink some water.
4. Food takes 4-6 hours to go through the remainder of my insides.
5. If I don't want to have to get up in the night, I shouldn't eat at all after 7pm.
6. Banana + Doritos + No drink to wash it all down with = Pain
7. My stoma appears to have a sense of both humour and timing.
8. It might take a while (11 months!), but your hair can definitely grow back.
9. The person most likely to notice your stoma bag is you.
10. Coming to terms with having a stoma can take a little while and one of the best ways to help this process along is to speak to someone who has experienced, or is experiencing, the same feelings and to talk about them. Share your thoughts and try your best to offer a helping hand where you know it's needed most.

One year on

One year ago today, I had the operation where my stoma was created, and I feel really quite calm about it. The past year's been a bit of a rollercoaster ride, but the ups definitely outweigh the negatives; namely, I'm not on any medication, my disease is in remission, and my stoma is healthy. I am blessed to still be here and to be living a normal - if a slightly different "normal" to before - life.

This morning, I tidied out the box that I keep my ostomy supplies in and - rather appropriately - stumbled across my hospital discharge note, which detailed what happened this time last year. I thought I'd post it, just so that I don't lose sight of how poorly I was and how grateful I should be for my health.

Date of Admission: 08/04/2011
Date of Discharge: 19/04/2011

Reason for admission: 
Diarrhoea, Abdominal pain

Treatment and management:
IVI, Analgesia (pain relief)
Fentanyl PCA (like morphine)
Epidural
IV Hydrocortisone (steroids)
IV AbX - Cefuroxime & Metronidazole 4/7 (antibiotics)

Operation/investigation:
Bloods
Laparotomy, subtotal colectomy & ileostomy formation with epidural (large incision in my abdomen to explore what was going on with my colon, followed by a near-complete removal of it and the creation of my stoma)

Diagnosis:

1. Inflammatory Bowel Disease with toxic dilatation 
2. PCOS (completely separate from my IBD, but something that I'd had a - painful - ultrasound to investigate a day prior to my hospitalisation...!)
3. Congenital Hearing Loss (also completely separate from my IBD)

Drug regimen on discharge:

1. Cloxane (to prevent against blood clots)
2. Paracetamol 
3. Fresubin (Banana) (meal replacement drinks, to replace nutrients)
4. Ibuprofen
5. Tramadol (painkillers)
6. Buscapan (I don't think I ever got this, actually! But it's to help with spasms, abdominal pain and nausea; I could have done with some when I had an adhesion-related, vomiting and pain-fest not long after being discharged)
7. Loperamide

It's been a long year, with lots of changes and learning, but life is good. Here's to many more years like it.