• “What do gelling agents do?”

    Disclaimer: The information in this post is based on product knowledge from product information direct from the manufacturer and also personal use of products within my own stoma care. All experiences given here are my own and should not be taken as medical advice. If you require advice or support about any aspect of your stoma care, please contact your SCN in the first instance or your GP. Let me…

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  • “Does being in hospital get easier?”

    I’m going to go out on a limb here, but hospital admissions have been getting easier for me, the longer I have IBD, the more familiar I become with my own circumstances and probably because my anxiety around my health is always there, in the background like a pink elephant. I’ve gotten quite comfortable with the hospital in the last 3 or 4 years, mostly because I’ve been alone for…

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  • “Can having IBD be painful?”

    Remember having a stomach ache as a kid. You thought it would never end and you couldn’t wait to return to eating food again. Now remember the last time you ate something and you felt a little off. Your stomach felt unsettled and you couldn’t figure out what was going to help or what was going to hurt you more. You felt nauseous and exhausted, as well as incredibly thirsty.…

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  • Ten Positives to Take from 2020

    Let’s be honest here, 2020 definitely sucked. It was universally a terrible year of loss, grief, devastating news and uncertainty. For most, that won’t have inspired alot of positives going into 2021. But, there is always hope and light in the darkest of times. What positives have come out of 2020? 1. Having a healthy relationship with yourself is VERY important – During the past few months, the lockdown and social…

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  • Experimenting and Exploring Food with an Ostomy

    Inspired and a follow up to my 2016 post “My Tips for Eating with an Ostomy” Disclaimer: This information is based on my own personal experiences. Please remember that each stoma and patient has different dietary constraints and experiences, and not all things will work for everyone. Finding your own path can take considerable time. If you are seeking dietary advice regarding your stoma, please contact your stoma nurse, dietician…

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  • 2021 Goals & Intentions

    Well, okay. 2020 did not happen the way anyone had expected. A global pandemic and almost a year of national lockdown? Crazy. Not only that but I had unexpected hernia surgery and a new diagnosis of diabetes. A huge amount of change, frustration and angst. But as 2020 concludes, I am thinking deeply about what I would like to achieve for 2021. Here they are: I decided to focus more…

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  • 2020 – Year in Review

    The most gobsmackingly weird year to date. Reading back on my 2020 goal post, written in the early days of 2020 feels like another time. A different time. Because who could predict anything that has happened, would actually happen? It feels like a cruel joke. But, I look at the goals I set back then and actually, they were really complex issues. As for goals, I set myself the following:…

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  • I AM SCARED, despite being in such a joyous season

    December always feels like the most scary month for me. I have no triggers or flashbacks for this month in particular, but there is such a drive away from routine and towards joy, that it makes it a hard time. The last time I felt like this was back in 2015. I had been having numerous issues across the spectrum of my IBD. They culminated in an increased feeling of…

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  • Never Give Up Hope

    Every October and November, I feel nostalgic. I feel the swirl of memories flood my mind, of being taken back to days in the hospital for treatment, of being hooked up to an IV stand. The first time was October 2013, when I moved from Humira to Infliximab. Going from an at-home self-injection to a hospital-based infusion was a big change. And in the beginning, I was very unwell; being…

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