** Warning: this post contains details about my stoma, it’s appearance and output. If you would not like to read, please stop now ** That ‘aha!’ moment Lately, I’ve been experiencing some quite bad leaks with my stoma bag. What started off as just because I’d change my bag after two days of wear, it soon became daily and then multiple times a day. Sometimes, it would happen before I’d…
health
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The Digestive System: Part IV – Digestion Myths & Ostomy Misconceptions
Digestion Myths & Ostomy Misconceptions Myth: Diarrhoea is a sign of an infection and you should just let it run its course Diarrhoea affects most people from time to time and has many different causes, including viruses, bacteria picked up from contaminated food, anxiety, food allergies and long term conditions like irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Whatever the cause, it is recommend to treat it early. Diarrhoea removes fluids and salts from the…
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Why Share, Why Blog?
Living with an invisible illness is tough and most often we endure silent battles; we may look well on the outside but inside we are suffering. For some, sharing their experiences and stories is tough. I get this – it is personal, private and at times overwhelming. Wanting to share and talk takes courage and it opens you up to being more vulnerable. It opens you up to judgement and…
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The Digestive System: Part III – IBD Surgery
How does having surgery affect the Digestive System? Types of IBD Bowel Surgery Depending on the location of your IBD and the amount of inflammation that needs operating on, there are several options of bowel surgery. Most will be a resection of what is deemed to be too extensive to be helped my medical therapy. From these resections, there is an alternation to the natural or ‘normal’ digestive system. Some…
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The Digestive System: Part II – Having IBD
How does having IBD effect the Digestive System? Firstly, what is IBD? Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) is an umbrella term for the long term and sometimes chronic digestive conditions in which the intestine become inflamed. The main two types are Crohn’s disease and Ulcerative Colitis. Whilst both affect the digestive tract, they do so differently. So, what is Crohn’s disease and what makes it different to Ulcerative Colitis? Crohn’s disease is where there…
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Life Lately | The ‘Final’ Step
At last, answers and a plan. I last talked – openly and frankly – about my current predicament back at the end of November; re my rectal stump. Since then, we’ve had some improvement with its produce but it’s still a massive pain in the butt; metaphorical and literal. But we have had some appointments come through and we are now at Stage Three of the process. This being; I…
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The Digestive System: Part I – Anatomy
What exactly is the ‘Digestive System’?
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Surviving the Winter with an Ostomy: A Guide
Winter time can be a daunting and challenging time when you have an ostomy. Worries can focus around how routines change with the season, what you’ll be able to eat and drink during the festive period, whether you will be prepared for the ramping up of social activities and ensuring you have supplies to see you through and how to cope during a period of time when there can be limited…
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2018 – Year in Review
Hm. It’s been a bit of a wicked one hasn’t it, 2018? It’s been a weirdly complex year since Day One, to be honest. What can be taken from 2018 is that I can take quite a fair bit of the ‘rough’ times; but let’s be honest, rough times shouldn’t be the norm should they? I’ve had to do alot of fighting and convincing this year; something I was sure…