Update

Sorry I have been away from the blog for a week or so, the downside to feeling better and stronger is that you have to start doing all the things you were doing before illness!! I am back to work, which to be honest feels GREAT.  I run a photography company called The Picture Foundry with my husband and getting back on track feels really good.

I am driving again (AT LAST!!!!) I felt really isolated and out of control not being able to drive for so long.  We live out in the sticks and have no buses, we don’t even have pavements – so being literally back in the driving seat is a big move forward to me feeling like myself again.  Im also back into the grind of housework and the like.  That bit I could do without!!

All this has meant that I haven’t had time to update the blog, so I am very sorry and I promise to try and be a better blog keeper!  You can always take a peek over at The Picture Foundry’s blog to see what we are up to.

Ive been getting some fab comments this week though about the blog – it still surprises me how many of you are reading.  Thank you!!

One comment that made me laugh…

‘I love reading your blog! Its just like that 50 shades of Grey!!’

‘Ermmmm are you sure you are reading the right one?!!’

‘Ohh I mean I just can’t put it down, I read it as soon as I get in from work!’

I have also had quite a few comments from people who want me to write more about life affirmation, positivity and how to improve your life.  That seems like a big thing to do, but Im willing to give it a shot, so look out for some new posts soon.

In other news, I have been asked to speak at an International Women’s Day event in Barnsley next year.  It’s such an honour to be asked and though I am nervous, Im definitely going to do it… Id better get planning!

I still feel a little in shock about the events of the last two months, sometimes I can’t quite believe that it all happened.  Physically I am healing really well, though I still feel tired easily and Im not back to 100% – I am feeling almost back to normal.  I have eventually found what seems like the right ostomy bag for me.  I was having a lot of issues with leaking and the flange not sticking properly (Its ok, you are allowed to laugh at the word ‘flange’) but after trying out a few different products I have found the DanSac diamond shaped one piece is working brilliantly for me!

I had a bit of a tummy bug last week and had diarrhoea (how can you tell? asked a lot of people – it was like water and there was a lot of it!) and so decided to try the marshmallow trick that was mentioned in hospital.  Apparently a few marshmallows really slow down the output and can stop you getting dehydrated.  I found these bad boys!! The BIGGEST marshmallows I have ever seen!!

I attended a Stoma Open day last week.  My friend said they should rebrand it as the Ideal Stoma Show – y’know sex it up a bit! Anyway, it was good to see the different companies and products but if Im honest I found the whole thing quite difficult.  Id say I was one of the youngest people there by a good few years.  Most were over 65 and so the event was aimed at that age range.  It made me feel a bit out of place.  Stall holders seemed to assume I was a carer and didn’t interact with me as they were the other folk visiting.  The thing is, I KNOW that there are a lot of people with stomas through IBD in the 20s to 40s, so it just made me wonder, where are they? Do they just not want to attend these events? Is it because they don’t need them or because they seem so keyed to older patients?

If you have a stoma I would love to know if you attend events like these and if not why not?  If you do, then let me know your experiences of them.

Love Sam xx