I don't have a stoma. I have irritable bowel and I have had several episodes of intestinal bleeding with diarrhea. In fact, I'm having a flare this week for no reason I can identify. I'm lying on the sofa nauseated waiting for my insides to decide what's next. Imagine a date with a very interesting new guy who took me to a very fancy restaurant. I got the urge during dinner and excused myself to go to the bathroom. I came back and and resumed the dinner but I was pretty aware that I was going to need to get home pretty soon. The chocolate mousse came and again I needed to make an abrupt dash to the restroom. I came back and as tactfully as possible I explained I needed to cut the evening short and go home NOW! Well, he got me home and I made a quick exit to the bathroom and he followed me into my apartment but I never came out again. After about half an hour there was a discrete knock on the bathroom door and I yelled "I can't come out!" Another twenty minutes later another knock and he demanded to come in. Oh no! The bathroom smelled like someone died in there. " Go away", I yelled. But he stayed. Another fifteen minutes later another knock and another demand to let him in. By this time I was bleeding a lot and getting very weak. "I can't get up to let you in and I'm bleeding." "What do you mean bleeding?" he yelled. I explained. The door came off the hinges and he gave me a bowl and a bucket. The bowl was for the vomit and the bucket was for the other end. By this time I was too weak and sick to be embarrassed. He took me to the hospital ( WINDOWS OPEN, OF COURSE) where I immediately ran for the bathroom. That's where the doctor found me slumped on the toilet. I was admitted for five days until the doctors could get my insides stopped then slowly reintroduce food. I didn't feel well for months. The embarrassment came days later when I felt well enough to be appalled. He had to notify my parents about my situation. What a hero. What a terrible third date. We eventually married.
OMG! I so feel this! My husband has stuck with me through it all no matter how awful or disgusting. He has never once acted anything other that a worried loving husband.
Yes, my reaction too was literally "Oh my god," out loud when I read that last line. That is one heck of a story with a happy ending! Amazing guy to be so caring and responsible - and you got married! He must have found you interesting as well.
I don't have an ostomy but I'm a senior citizen who can relate to squatting down and not being able to get back up. It happened three times and at least two of those times it was in a public space. My knees locked, my leg and feet muscles went week. I had to be lifted up because I couldn't move. So embarrassed!❤
2015 was my "year of recogning" from a jacked up colon to an ostomy. I returned to work after several months off and always took extra clothes, bags, etc. Well one day I was on my 2nd change of clothes and last ostomy bag and that one would not stay stuck to me. I finally had to tell my boss that I needed to leave. I was in tears as I walked out of the building. Tears were falling as fast as my shoes were filling up with output. I finally got to my car and drove 40 minutes home sitting in my own poo. That was by far one of my absolute worst days!
My late wife (2015) had an ileostomy in 1964 before she turned 21. By the time she suddenly passed away in 2015, based on all research we could find anywhere on the, she may have been the oldest living ostomate ... not based on absolute age but based on the length of time she lived with her ileostomy. There are two sides of that story...during the 13 years we were married, we did not have any "disasters" during our intimacy with each other...but she had a few operations...and they caused all kinds of random problems. Most of these were due to aftermath of surgery or unplanned reactions to medications. Once she got a staph infection and I had to service her Pic Line twice a day for two months. Those times were challenging, but the ostomy itself was not the root cause of any problems. She managed it very well and very discreetly.
I was at work "luckily I work for my neighbor/friends" I went home for lunch emptied my bag went back to work. While climbing the stairs my clip came off and what poo had accumulated went all over their stairs. I was mortified. They sent me home to shower and change and said not to worry they would clean it up. What great friends. I love understanding friends.
Your a stronger person than most. I read some of these comment's and then one of those rare one's will come across my screen and it makes u stop read it and read it again and try putting myself in your shoes on that specific day.. I always find myself trying to think what dealing with problems of others. No leg .... No arm.... Of course tbats a shitty ordeal. But in your situation... And others dealing with that same condition. U stronger mentally than most. God bless those people that u had been working for.... U say there your friends... Well i dont kno u or them. But i can tell u one thing. Noone needs to kno you guys to see that they are true people. Because there's many people that would have been absolutely terrible to u in that moment. They deserve to be told what they did waz special. Idk why i even care. I guess cuz that is a great story. Wish u good health. As well as your friends. Bye
You are fortunate that your friends will understanding and caring imagine if you went back to work the next day and you saw the steps all covered with plastic how that would have felt
I always remember the time when I knew my husband was “the one”. This was so early in my chronic illness journey that I didn’t even know I was sick yet and I thought the instances of unpredictable vomiting I was having were just one-off moments! My now-husband had me over for dinner for a date at the beginning of the time that we knew each other, and 2/3 of the way through I felt nauseous. I excused myself to the bathroom and immediately threw up. I thought “wow, that was weird” but I was doing better, so I went back out there. Well, immediately when I resumed our conversation I knew I had to vomit again, so the first embarrassing moment was that I had to excuse myself to the bathroom again, moments after I had clearly just come back from the bathroom. So this time I kept throwing up, and eventually I had been gone so long that he came to check on me. He offered to let me sleep at his place, and I said “no, no,I’ll go back to my apartment”, but I couldn’t get up off the bathroom floor. So eventually I did just stay over at his place, for the least romantic sleepover in history. But that was 13 years ago and now we’re married! I got so much sicker after that and he’s been with me through it all. And he ended up becoming a nurse, which has been really helpful for navigating the healthcare system.
awww, what a sweet guy turned into a superhero husband you had without knowing it., don't have no significant other - .. but although sleeping over at his place wasn't romantic as you put it, maybe it was - because I mean, you're finally married ( you know ) - he saw something in you that was centered around his entire world although you were Ill ( nobody BUT a choosen one, and a God-sent individual ), would be involved with someone whose sick ( my view ), that's why I haven't found anyone yet, but I do have hope - ... so may God bless your union., and every one else's out there. Be blessed ma'am
Before I got my ostomy, I had "cyclical vomiting syndrome" and would also vomit out of nowhere ... then feel better ... then vomit a BUNCH shortly after that.
The first clinical rotation I did for my CNA was in a locked dementia ward. I was grabbing towels for a (different) patient shower and this elderly person is just shuffling down the hall with their hand on their stoma saying in a weak voice "help me. Help me" My heart dropped, I said I would right away and ran down to get the R.N. I felt so bad for that patient 😢.
I had diarrhea in my husband's golf hat that I retrieved from the back seat, while I driving a stick shift to work an hour away. I'm managing my stricture ok, I've had numerous obstructions, and an ostomy could be in my future. So, you're my Guru, girlie.
As soon as you have the chance to get an ostomy, jump at it. I wish I could have had it done 10 years sooner. I've had a few awkward, embarrassing moments since, but not the Hell I ( and obviously, you, too)went through back then. It's a whole new life.
Ah Maggie❤ I just had my total colectomy so I'm 9 days into have my new ileostomy. Im so glad I found you on UA-cam as your videos have helped me learn so much before and after surgery. Iv already had embarrassment when my stoma started being ridiculously loud in front of my family while we were eating dinner and also at a hospital appointment when my bad became abit full. I just wanted to run out of there all because of how gross it sounded. It made ma laugh when you tried shuffling papers to drown out the noise 😂 that is what I would do and I'm 28 😂😂 I'm sure I'll look back and laugh at my own embarrassment but I'm so glad I can watch your videos and relate. I don't know anybody with an ostomy unfortunately so have nobody to talk too. ❤
I can so identify with these stories. I have a urostomy (7 years now) due to bladder cancer. Just a few weeks ago I had my first massive leak during the night. Somehow it woke me up because I am a DEEP sleeper. Nightgown soaked, top sheet soaked... you get the picture. Jumped up, holding my nightgown rolled up and tucked around me and ran into the bathroom, stripped off down to the skin, new bag on, and then threw a folded blanket over the sheet so I could go back to sleep since I had to work in the morning. Thankfully there was a waterproof pad under the sheet (mattresses are expensive, yo!) and the next day I stripped the bedding, sprayed mattress enzyme cleaner. When I told my husband he told me he thought I was brave to handle it so well. I wasn't brave, I laughed about it - because what else can you do in a situation like that? My motto is: the worst day above ground is still better than one below ground". Once you've had that first awful experience, nothing fazes you.
TWICE in the last 6 months I've had my clip on my bag fail and open up while in public. The first time I was in the lobby of my doctor's office. I was wearing jeans and it was bad. The second time was worse in some ways. I was at the movie theater and was on the way to the bathroom when it opened up. SO embarrassing! But like you said, you get through it and move on. Thank goodness for my husband. He was there both times and as I was cleaning up myself as best I could, he was cleaning up the floors. We have saints as husbands I think.
I went to get out of bed a couple of years after my j pouch surgery, I couldn't stand, my legs and hips were just weak, I crawled to the bathroom and had a hot bath and it hasn't happened since
I've had similar experiences. I'm 75 years old and my ostomy is 7 years old. It's not any easier at my age. I always talk to myself to get through embarrassing noises and big messes. Thank you for sharing and helping me to understand that I'm not alone.
Sometimes sex can get messy even without the ostomy. Not a big deal. I'm glad you laugh about it and show other people to not be too uptight and nervous. Great videos
Thank you so much for sharing your experiences. I have celiac disease and I was on vacation this summer in Mexico. We were staying at my aunt and uncle’s house for the whole time we were there. I don’t speak Spanish and so I was only going places with people who could communicate for me when ordering food. My cousin, my aunt, my mom, and I went into a larger city for a day of shopping. Lunch went fine because the waitress spoke enough English that I could explain that I couldn’t have any gluten. Then we stopped for supper at my cousin and my aunt’s favourite restaurant. Here the waitress only spoke Spanish. My cousin’s daughter is gluten intolerant, so she asked what would be safe for me to eat. The waitress told my cousin that the chicken dish would be safe. I ordered the chicken dish and it was really delicious! By the time we left the restaurant, I was feeling a bit off, but just thought that it was a touch of altitude sickness. I’d had it the few day we came to Mexico and figured that the rough roads and the drive up the mountain were to blame. Around 1 am, I shot out of my bed and made a mad dash for the guest bathroom. I made it just in time. This continued until early in the morning. I was finally able to just lay in bed, in pain, and try to sleep. My mom came into my room and asked if I was packed and ready to go. We were supposed to leave for home that day. I told her I’d been glutened. She asked if I had my medication with to help stop my intestines from cramping and hurting so much. I said no I didn’t, but I had my medication list on my pharmacy app. I went in and took a screenshot of what I needed. I didn’t have high hopes because it’s a prescription. My parents went to the local hospital/pharmacy and showed them what I needed. They brought it over the counter! I was so happy! The nurse also recommended a few other remedies and my parents got those as well. I don’t remember much of the rest of the day because the dramine and other stuff made me completely out of it. I didn’t make a mess, but it was embarrassing to have an episode in a foreign country and at my relatives house. They were very understanding about it, but it was still embarrassing for me.
I have a urostomy one time I was out in public and my overnight drainage bag that attaches to pouch had a big problem. I didn't know cause I'm in a wheelchair and the overnight bag is attached to the bottom of my wheelchair .apparently it got a hole in it and was leaking urine everywhere I went .until someone stopped me and said something is dripping from your wheelchair .I was so embarrassed I had them tie a garbage bag around it till I got home!
I enjoyed story time with Maggie. I have Tourette Syndrome, among other things, and one time when I was little, I had a full body shaking tic so bad that I flipped myself off the couch. Not a big deal to me cuz it was/is my normal, but I learned, years later, that it really upset my mom seeing me go through that. The things we don't realize our parents go through with a special needs child...
September 14th, 2011, I had my third back surgery (out of 5), and the physician assistant was SUPER attractive. I saw him a few months later and we were talking, and he asked how my back was doing. I told him I was having pain again, and then he said “are you seeing anybody?” I said “No, no….oh you mean for the pain!!!” I’m like, nice Katy, smooth!!!! On October 27th 2002 (a few weeks shy of my 17th bday), I was trying to hurry up with my shower bc I had a Baby Think It Over for my parenting class, and it was a demon baby. Well, I went to pick up my shampoo bottle and out with my back. I couldn’t get back up and had to have my mom come in and help me stand up straight. It all went to hell after that at times. I remember I was just sitting at the lunch table with my friend, and all of a sudden, the pain was so bad bc my back went out. I seriously was just sitting when my back crapped out on me. The nurse had to come down to the cafeteria with a wheelchair, and help me get up and into it. My stories aren’t as crazy as yours, but that’s what makes them kind of fun at the same time. I’ll tell you, I don’t get embarrassed easily, and really, those weren’t embarrassing. Funny, but I just dust myself off and go on to the next adventure. Like you said at the beginning of your video, if you can’t laugh at these moments, you’d lose your freaking mind. Last week, my dad was going up to my grandparents house in Rock Island, IL (we live in St. Louis) and I went to give him a hug goodbye, and my back went out when I was reaching up. The pain was on my left side mostly, but I could hardly move the rest of the day. My mom and I had to take our little 15 year old shih Tzu to the vet bc he jumped off my parents bed, and hurt his left hind leg. Well my mom has bad knees which makes it hard for her to walk or get up from a chair. So we’re in the vets office, and she would grunt when she got up and moved, and I’d grunt from just breathing. I’m sure the staff at the vets office had some good laughs after we left. Thanks for sharing your embarrassing stories with us!
Oh Lord that brought back memories recovering from cancer surgery tying to swallow this disgusting stuff through a tube. It was like whitewash mixed with banana chalk. I feel for you so much cause I've been there. "Eat more calories and.mine came right back up too. We are still here love so we are blessed.❤
i was 8 years old, i was in school, we were playing inside the class, somehow my bag opened up and the poop was all over the floor and my shirt, i remember running to the bathroom crying and only getting out of there when my mom came to pick me up.
If you don't laugh you will lose your mind! I use laughter to help make me feel better. I have been down for 19 months and still trying to figure out why. I had to pee really badly and just made it to the bathroom. Went to sit down and my knees buckled and I ended up on the floor. I couldn't get up. I just started peeing and couldn't stop. My bathroom floor got very wet and so did I. I was finally able to stand up but I was a mess and my floor was like a pool!!!
A week after getting home from emergency surgery and learning to live with an unplanned stoma i went to the department atore to pick up some hydration packets. I was standing by the plethora of products when i felt liquid running down my leg. Id never had this happen and i was in public! I still didnt know what was occuring but i hurries out and drove myself home. What a mess! My first explosion the whole wafer let go. Probably because it took a bit to get home and clean up my skin was red and sore. Everything i had on had to be cleaned even my boots. Because of this i looked online wondering how to prevent another accident and have found quite a few living with a stoma. Thanks for sharing your trials and insight.
This "healthy" person got the worst case of diarrhea in my daughter-in-law's car while driving on a long freeway in California just last month. I was literally holding my bottom to keep my diarrhea from oozing out, but some of the liquid managed to wet my pants and the car seat. When we finally made it to her home, I had to keep holding my bottom until I could dash to the restroom where I exploded. That's what I get for drinking a tall glass of iced expresso coffee with a large scoop of vanilla ice cream after a big lunch. Yes, healthy people have "accidents" too. Mercifully the car seat was leather, and no one got upset with me. But I was mortified.
Oh goodness! I'd be mortified too lol. One time when I was sick with some nasty bug, I projectile vomited and had diarrhea while in bed :( the mattress had huge stains on it afterwards.
OMG I can relate. My two piece bag fell off just outside of my favorite restaurant. I was so embarrassed. I didn’t know what to do. The bag had filled up quickly and was pancaking. I really appreciate your channel
I have had my Ostomy since 1999 and i still remember early on i was going to college anf and one day i got out of the car and my bag fell off i was so mortified because the parking lot was full. Now its like oh well.
Omg!! I just got my ileostomy Aug 2, 2024 (this past Friday). That Sunday morning I got woke up (in the VA hospital) feeling "wet". Turned out my bag had a massive blow out from the top of the bag. I was wearing regular PJs instead of hosp stuff and it was EVERYWHERE!!! I had a pillow over my stomach since I was still sore so even the pillow was covered. I was mortified to say the least! I'm a very self conscious person with sensory issues. My nurse was the absolute best, she was so sympathetic, empathetic and just as mortified as I was. She left the room to "locate supplies" she already had but I know it was so she could breathe and or not throw up. I was sobbing for an hour while we got me cleaned up sitting on the shower chair at 5am! I was released to come home yesterday (Monday) and I can not sleep, I'm scared to death it will happen again. I've been burping my bag often and dumping it so much but I just can't get that out of my head already! My husband doesn't care, my two high school sons want nothing to do with learning how to change or deal with my bag so I'm embarrassed by that....they want nothing to do with me 😭😭😭😭 but I know I'm already so much better with the ileostomy rather than another year of chronic constipation due to neuropathy affecting my colon.
A really good mattress pad will help protect the bed. Also, some people say stopping all food and drink by a certain time can help keep you from going in the night. And if your output is too thin or thick you can eat certain foods that will help even out the consistency. I hope any of that will help you! I promise it gets better! It is hard at first, but it WILL get easier!!
@@ChinAmMom ty! I'm trying to find a good mattress cover and waterproof bed pad. Last night I actually slept from 10:30-7:30. I was shocked! I fixed up my couch with 2 super heavy beach towels and a special recliner cover, emptied Sister Flo before I laid down with no problems.
You are the sweetest, bestest and most darlingest ostomate out there.. You have made me look forward to my surgery with confidence rather than doom. Thank you, thank you, thank you ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
The two times I have had a major accident aka "blow out" have happened at home. So the first time my husband, got a bucket for my clothing as I stripped off in the shower. That was embarrassing! The second time, my daughter had the honors of getting a bucket for the poo covered clothing while I stripped off in the shower. I think she is scarred for life. Seeing her middle aged mother with poo from bra line to knees, with her ostomy actively producing. I am very afraid of any public accidents. Also never trust a clip. Always take a bag to change.
There are so many things that only other people who are sick with GI illnesses understand. I have gastroparesis, short gut, and EoE. I have fed the bed so many times I’ve lost count, and it just never goes away. I have had my tube site leak bile all over the place, literally at appointment my white shirt turned yellow with bile. I fell asleep venting into a cup because I didn’t have a ferral bag, must have dozed off, jerked awake, and threw the cup all over my boyfriend. I get so embarrassed by how loud my intestines are because the move so fast, it’s like growling and gurgling everyone can hear. I think what embarrasses me the most is dealing with dumping syndrome, it can be so brutal, and sometimes it hits and you just don’t make it. By now I’ve come to accept that if you don’t want to deal with my tubes and lines then we aren’t meant to be. It’s just too much to worry all the time about this stuff happening and people running away screaming. Sometimes you just have to be able to laugh about it.
Only two major moments for me, the first was before surgery trying to camp with my son who was in the Boy Scouts. Imagine a tent big enough to stand up in and outhouses at the other end of camp... in the dark... down the path. It's 2 am and been raining since 10pm. Well, I thought ahead and had brought a porta lou 5 gal bucket with a seat. So, as I get up to go the floor is floating on the water running under the tent. That was a close one. Surgery was in '07 and summer 0f '08 I did 5 days backpacking on the Appalachian Trail with my son. What a difference! The second was laying on a gurney in ER with a blockage and volcanic hurling all the way across the hall to the other wall while doubled over in pain at about a 9 out 10. Yuck!
You truly are an inspirational person. I have just watched your clip about embarrassing situations. My husband died 10 years prior to me having ostomy surgery. I am saddened to say I am glad he never got to see this as I know in my heart he could never have accepted this situation then factor in all the accidents I have had in the last 4 years. The financial burden of ruined clothes, bedding, mattresses & carpets. I never go to bed now without wrapping incontinent sheets around me. I avoid staying at other people's houses. I recently had a parastomal hernia repaired & unfortunately had complications, which has wiped the last 4 years out & I am now back at the beginning. 😢 I know things will improve but it just knocks you back. I look forward to watching your videos, you have been through so much it makes my problems seem almost insignifican, thank you for sharing your extraordinary journey, you give me the much needed boost to get up & keep going. My heartfelt thanks ❤ joan
Maggie thank you for being open and raw. I can tell that was hard for you to do. But it helps others. I have IBS and have had a couple embarrassing moments. I would have an accident because I didn’t make to the bathroom in time. I would cry for hours afterwards.
This isn’t from a chronic illness but a recurring one. That’s a long story that I’ll save for another time. I was super sick from a bad case of bronchitis. When I was about 17, I was in the ER because my O2 levels weren’t staying where they should and I was coughing so hard that everything hurt. After I’d been triaged, the doctor came in to start trying to find out what’s going on. I coughed so hard I puked. Not just a little either. Projectile doesn’t being to describe it. The floor, the walls, my mom, the doctor, the door… you name it, it now had some of me on it. Being a medical professional, I’m sure the doctor was used to it. But to a 17 year old that was embarrassing as hell.
My Grandmother was always afraid of leaking. She put a griddle on. Not a tight one and placed paper towels over that area. I would think a flat pad in that spot would help. I pray everything works out for you. She was a beautiful woman. She never dated after my Grandfather died. She was embarrassed of her stomach. I also stay sick. My stomach is a major problem.
I can relate to the very first story you told. After my first year teaching I was diagnosed with dermatomyositis and I was going into my second year. The condition affects my muscles and causes them to be weak and atrophy. At the time only 3 people knew at my school and I didn't want others to know. Well I knelt down beside a kiddo and was not able to get back up. So here I am in a gym with a few hundred people and can't get up and fell down. I too felt like everyone was staring at me. Im not sure if everyone was staring at me but it felt like it. I felt horrible mentally because I was unable to stand up. I pretended to laugh and act like all was fine.
I know the struggle with this exact situation though I was a student at the time. I have childhood onset dermatomyositis, but the real issue for me was having to be picked up out of the bath by my dad…
Dont ever feel gross about it! i mean i wish you did not :) because my husband and i we always joke.. we had emergencies on walks where nature was... used haha :) and sometimes it got messy we laughed it off its part of being human. i am just happy we are doing the stuff together and making it fun and not scary. We all are human and it makes a whole new connection with people when u get to a point where u just talk about it ♡♡
💖👑👑💖🎬🎥📽My stoma is so loud but l do tell people what it is because am not rude and wouldnt do it if l could help it and people are always lovely to me but am older now 51 .Been a teenager its so different for them .My daughter had cystic fibrosis and she had a feeding tube she was so private about her illness but she was also a teenager. Thank you maggie love your company 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼💖👑💖xxx
I have so many experiences over the last 32 years with my ostomy one time went bowling with family and I am getting low like thinking I'm a pro low, well guess what happens, it wasn't pretty I looked at the ceiling and walked to the bathroom when I came out they were moping the lane ..lol.. yeah Good Times!! so many
It's great hearing from people dealing with an ostomy on a daily basis. I have had some horrible experiences but never let it limit my life. Thanks everyone for sharing.
yes it happens ,one of my worst experencies was when i was still in the hospital getting used to the bag and trying to walk after the opp ,i forgot to seal the end of the bag and went for a walk down the far end of the hospital ,and yes you guessed it i was covered in shit i was so embarrested and horrified to walk back to the ward covered in waste ,i walked into the ward grabbed clean clothes and just ran to the shower ,i learned from that and never did that again .
Had an embarrassing situation a few weeks back, I am an Irishman living in the Isle of Man UK I went back home to Northern Ireland a few weeks ago, while visiting two of my friends at their home, I had bought a new pair of pants, thought they were a little tight but would be ok, as I thought, to cut a long story short, my urostomy come away from my stomach on one side as I went to get up, the urine run down my legs, they were great about it but lesson learned, bigger pants are safer, take care Maggie, your are an inspiration ❤
I haven't had problems since my ileostomy in 1985. I had a proctocolectomy at the same time. I healed well. Only 1 hospital visit because I ate to much rocky road ice cream. Stayed 5 hrs in the ER, then went home. No blow outs ever. I am diligent about using the restroom at work every 2 hours. Gets me up out of my chair to stretch my legs and rest my eyes from computer work. I told my boyfriend after about 3 months of dating . He asked me to marry him, so I did!That was 30 yrs ago!!! He has stayed thru all the trials of ostomy life! Hang in there! Get a good Ostomy nurse to advise you, if needed.
I know that this is just not going to sound right... buuut....for so long I have just wanted ( in a fatherly way) give you a big hug and tell you that all will be alright. You are such a brave person and so mature. I admire you. Stay the course beloved. You will do just fine in life. And that ZAK is also such a fine young man. You got a keeper there.
You are so awesome sharing intellectually. I love your stories and journey. Descriptive and funny. Your a dear soul. You embrace so much. I do not have a stoma but your stories and dealing with incredible health issues helps me in other areas. Acceptance. Transparency . Your gifted with speaking and explaining so much. Thank you for these lessons in life. Admire respect and your God's angel. Helping others. I know patients received great care when you did hospital nursing ❤ now a new journey on You Tube. God bless you abundantly. And Zack and the fur babies.
My friend and I have regular debates about random stuff and it almost always ends up with us debating whether humans deserve to exist. He argues that they don't. I argue that they do. Not so much for selfish reasons as for the belief that for all the worst humans there are other people that are really good and selfless. Watching the news and social media I get a strong urge to believe him. But every so often I come across stories of people who are such a bright beacon of selflessness and human compassion that my faith is restored. People like You and Zach. There's another lady on UA-cam who is schizophrenic and is sharing her journey through life. Watching her and her husband share their journey is such an inspiration. Thank you for sharing your journey. And Zach for sticking by you.
I have that issue when I have to get something off the bottom shelf at a grocery store or other stores. I have even fallen on my ass trying to get up in front of people. Not a good thing.
This is a great video I have have 2 incidents that happened when I was a teenager that I still think about and I’m now 76 years old. I think your attitude will help a lot of people. Thank you 🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩💖💖
I hear you guys it’s 💩 literally, fellow nurse here Maggie X …giving meds one night on the ward (pre proctocolectomy)💩 my pants 🩲 & couldn’t leave drugs trolley as only registered nurse on at time, god only knows how I got round 15 patients before diving to bathroom 🚽 washing and going underwear free rest off night shift…post proctocolectomy administrating injection (bum area) bent over & stoma bag popped …. as working in community at time had to drive back to base with towel wrapped around waist to collect the 💩 as all spares in bag in office…..& on both occasions aside myself no one knew … 🙏
Hi Maggie and Zak!! Sorry I missed this earlier, I was in the middle of making dinner and didn't see the time. Another great video. Isn't it great how you can look back at those times and laugh now.
I just got a stoma a few months ago and somehow I developed a stricture in my throat that (2-3 mm) doesn't let me swallow a lot of large pieces of food. It has taken a few months to figure this out but next week hopefully they will get it removed. Meantime I can eat muffins and soft foods in small bites or I toss them back up
i totally get it i’ve broken toilets went all over the bus very embarrassing but i had to change my mind set and think this is apart of my illness i’m not the only one
Just forwarded this to my mom too maggs, her name is Linda Love. I’ve always told her how inspirational you’ve been to me because she knows I didn’t get like ANY help in the hospital after my operation. Anyway, I’ll tell her to add you guys, as you know we’re both from Pennsylvania so guaranteed first thing she will do is say something like “she’s jealous of the weather” lol 😆
Omgosh, I’ve had so many embarrassing moments with my stoma. From noise in a full lift, my bag leaking during a first date. But by far the worst was when I stayed over at my bf’s house for the first time and it was the first time we had ever been intimate. He still didn’t know I had an ileostomy even after that night as I’d managed to conceal it well. However, in the morning I woke up, he was still sleeping, went into the bathroom to empty my bulging stoma bag. I was sitting on the toilet after I’d just emptied it and he came rushing in the door to tell me “whatever you do. Don’t flush the toilet” omg, I was mortified!!! I then spent about half an hour emptying jugs of water into the toilet as I know if you do that, the toilet will eventually empty. Oh, that was awful. To this day it still makes me cringe. He must have been thinking what on earth I was doing 🙈🙈🙈🙈
I have 13 complex medical conditions. I was born with an esophagus so bad I didn’t have one at all. So I had 9 surgeries from 6hrs old (to place a surgical g-tube to access to stomach) to 5yrs old. Then another one is gastroparesis my stomach is paralyzed I have a surgical j-tube and I have a g-tube my stomach is drained 24/7 as I aspirate on stomach acid into my lungs and I get aspiration pneumonia every 3 months or som Iv antibiotics. But my bed is covered in stains from formula and my g-tube disconnecting from its bag and draining onto the bed. I have to chnage my sheets a few times a week from stains but I now have a waterproof mattress protector. But bed is stained. Another time I was draining my g-tube because I ate something that I needed out and accidentally put stomach contents on the ceiling. I had a formula I’m back on, completely elemental I can smell it in my pee and on me no one smelled it on me! I have so many stories
Thank you for sharing, being a teenager is tough on it own, because every little thing is embarrassing and feels like the end of the world:) I don´t have any physical chronic illness, but human bodies do all kinds of "weird" stuff. My hands and feet are sweating uncontrollably like dripping on things and itś a bit hard to walk in flip flops, because they get so slippery from the inside. I feel very embarrassed every time I have to shake someone's hand or touch things that aren't mine. Once in a job interview I suddenly noticed I had a little puddle of stains on my dress from my hands. When I clap on some event i sometimes have droplets all over my clothes afterwards. I still got the job, that I interviewed for, but when I started it was something with my chair, that made my pp fill with air, so every time I moved or had to get up little farts came out of me:D
About 8 weeks ago i was staying in a hotel when i took a blockage. Pain got worse and off course contents were pumping none stop. 76 and i was so embarrased. Wrapped towels tight around me. In the ambulance it (you know) was everywhere. When i got to hosp i only had t shirt on...no knickers. Scanned and tube up my nose. Those poor paramedics😂😂. Please lord never again. Awful. I will be a good girl lord. 😊xx
I am completing radiation treatment next week, then in 6 to 8 weeks after that I will have rectal cancer surgery and a temporary stoma. I am terrified.
In my freshman year of high school I’d have to walk 4 flights of small height steps during my period and they increased the cramps. Those articles about exercise helping cramps were completely false because they were agony.
My grandma would let the air out of her bag when we were driving no warning. 🤢. We would have to roll down all the windows. She would just sit back and have a wicked smile on her face. Lol. She had been gone about 17 yrs now, and I can still remember her doing that.
My husband does that all the time. Dinner table, middle of the store, car and in line at the grocery store. He don't give a rats ass who it offends. I get so very very sick of smelling that shit. There are things that can be put in the bag but he refuses to do it. He has to suffer so he'll make everyone else suffer too.
Maggie You are ABSOLUTELY a BEAUTIFUL YOUNG LADY🌹What YOU have Been through was a lot and God Bless Your Parents who Had to be Frightening for them not Knowing what would be the BEST for YOU…… YOU have come a long WAY and are living YOUR BEST LIFE with your Handsome HUSBAND….. My Mom is suffering with some of the thing’s that you went through and it’s HORRIBLE to watch when there’s NOTHING I can do to help her….. Her food doesn’t brake down in her small Intestines and like you said she has Blockages…….Then There’s throwing up and now she is Scared to eat anything she’s had huge weight loss and of course that’s because she can’t eat……Her last Hospital stay she got out EASTER SUNDAY and Hasn’t come back from this at ALL……I LIVE WITH HER AND SO Grateful so she’s not alone even when I don’t know how to help her…… You speaking up about these thing’s people go through they are NASTY 🤮 and hard to talk about but they happen everyday to more people than you know and it let’s you see your NOT A LONE……. ALWAYS Watching from Virginia 🌹
I use the clips I don’t trust the Velcro on the bottom of the bag!! I’m so afraid it will unroll while I am sleeping or just laying in bed watching tv!!! I use convetec one piece!!
For what it helps, I don’t have an osteomy, but if my SO had the gas leaking or whatever, I’d just be supportive, I mean it’s nothing you do on purpose and gas is natural, ofc it smells bad, but whatever. I’m sure Zak feels the same way. No need to be embarrassed
Nothing chronic diagnosed, but I have this thing that happens super rare: sometimes when I squat my right leg spasms near the knee and it hurts so bad... I can not straighten it and get up. I can only slowly move it to one of the sides (the other side makes it spasm even more) until it goes away. So whenever I have to squat in public, it scares me a lot. Never really happened in front of other people, only at home. Lucky me I guess. :D
You may just have super sniffer:) I smelled gas once and called the power company. They came out and could only detect it with a sensitive monitor:) No one else could smell it.
My wife got a stoma in July (stercoral ulcer / perforated bowel) and the convalescence is still going on. Needless to say, we're still figuring things out. One thing we need advice about: what's a good room deodorizer. They gave us hollister m9 spray at the hospital, but it doesn't work very well. I hope there's something that works and doesn't have an odor of its own.
Maggie girl, I clearly understand what you mean - except mine isn't an ostomy, but I've got a foley catheter due to nuerogenic bladder and being unable to urinate with the snap of a finger - my journey included me figuratively pushing a bolder up an severely uphill incline ( I had being experiencing that for 35 years before treatment ) - ... and darlin, all I could advice is - " becareful of what you wished for ", for I used to happily say knowing that it won't happen, due to a partially paralyzed bladder and me being having to force and push the content out " I wish I could pee my bed " 😱 - I mean, yeah, because I NEVER could of done it ( sphincter muscles are inactive ) - ... BUT after the days following the 20th of August 2020, I've regretted my statement every since - let's just say, I need a do over, is there a reset button anywhere? 😔😭😭😭😭., ... anyway, this year makes 2 years since my life has being drastically changed for the better, many a times - I wished that I could've turned back the hands of time, when I didn't have my best friend ( Cathy - that's what I call her - Cathy the catheter ), but when I remember - my previous life was self-draining, that taught immediately escapes me, and I'm back to loving and living in reality., it's 2022 and I could've have being in a better place ( fatigue is no more, can stand and shower, etc ) - all which I took for granted back then, but none - NEVER!!! ... so, with that said, I like to encourage everyone to love the skin that they're in - it's gonna be a harsh reality, but HEY!!! - you've got a reality, because think about this - things can change so much in the blink of an eye, so I'm advising you all, if you have the opportunity to grab you're situations and circumstances, and turn it and transform it into a better life - go ahead and go get it done - you're worth every once of it.
Sorry, I comment as I watch the video because I know I'll forget. Do you think you could make a video about embarrassing things that you may have done when you were younger (like the sweet pea), and help out the younger crowd so they don't make the same (possible) mistakes? I bet you have a lot of stories, I know I do! Maybe have people who are older write in and tell their stories as well?
I was walking through zellers (when that still excited) with my B/F at the time( we are married now lol). Right in the middle of the zellers floor I lost my bag and flange 😢 I was mortified! My bag was revesed after 6 months thank goodness as it was done terribly because it was done in an emergency to save my life not done to be a pretty working life long stoma also the nurse in the ICU pulled out my stoma stitches like a day or two after surgery she thought they were gauze! What a nightmare
What - the ICU nurse pulled out your 2-day-old stitches thinking they were gauze? What?? Omg!!! I'm sorry that happened to you, it sounds quite difficult. Did you sue? That just sounds very incompetent! (You don't have to write a big reply - or Any reply. I'm trying to spend less time on UA-cam anyhow, as I feel it can be bad for people, especially me. I'm just shocked by that, though, if it's as rough as it sounds. Staff do deal with a lot, especially in ER's. Some crazy things can happen in hospitals; you have to advocate for yourself sometimes.)
@cockeyedoptimista it was really rough 😔 I did not sue as I was very lucky to have that surgery reversed after 6 months, I did have to stand up to a Dr once and it was rough but I won in the end and he is no longer a Dr in this province!
@@ChroniclesofJen Thanks for answering! Well it sounds like you got through it okay (I hope). My stoma sitch was similar to yours; unplanned, temporary, emergency. I was already in the hospital for somethimg else, though! [A different emergency.] Congrats on managing to stand up to a physician on your own behalf. It's hard to do that; I'm not very assertive but I had to learn how when I was in the hospital. It's just communication, in a way. Well in your case it sounds like more than that.
I relate so hard with the unable to stand up. Every now and then my body just cannot take steps. I'm walking along thinking I'm gonna make it to a place to sit down and suddenly my legs just WILL NOT lift to go forward. And its always in public of course... As a youngling I just started quiet crying standing still in the middle of the path... These days I do my utmost to get to the side to be out of the way and sit for however long it takes for my brain to connect to my legs again. Still pretty mortifying but I have run out of fucks to look at people going past and phones have games.
@@cockeyedoptimista yeah it's a pre pain migraine symptom and for the most part doesn't happen so long as I'm consistent with meds and not overly stressed. It only lasts a few minutes but is really disconcerting during
@@Neppy22 Oh. Thank you. That must be frustrating and a bit scary; at least you know what it is by now. I'm very uninformed about these things; it's just I had a friend who gradually had more and more trouble walking and it turned out to be hydrocephalus. When I was in rehab I didn't know how weak I was at first either, like Maggie was saying; I squatted to get something off the bottom shelf of their refrigerator - no one would help me - and when I got halfway down, my legs just collapsed under me and I fell back and hit my head on the linoleum floor. I was already pretty low so I didn't fall far, but I got a good egg-sized lump on the back of my head. That was such an awful rehab; I had insurance issues and only they would take me. It helped though, I guess. Or I helped myself.. They were okay.. I'm sorry you get migraines; congrats on managing it so well. It must indeed be disconcerting to have your body surprise you.
@@cockeyedoptimista the figuring out what was happening to me was really scary, I thought I'd had a stroke or something the first time it happened That rehab sounds terrible! You're there to heal and get better not to sustain more damage. I hope you're doing great now
I don't have a stoma. I have irritable bowel and I have had several episodes of intestinal bleeding with diarrhea. In fact, I'm having a flare this week for no reason I can identify. I'm lying on the sofa nauseated waiting for my insides to decide what's next.
Imagine a date with a very interesting new guy who took me to a very fancy restaurant. I got the urge during dinner and excused myself to go to the bathroom. I came back and and resumed the dinner but I was pretty aware that I was going to need to get home pretty soon. The chocolate mousse came and again I needed to make an abrupt dash to the restroom. I came back and as tactfully as possible I explained I needed to cut the evening short and go home NOW! Well, he got me home and I made a quick exit to the bathroom and he followed me into my apartment but I never came out again. After about half an hour there was a discrete knock on the bathroom door and I yelled "I can't come out!" Another twenty minutes later another knock and he demanded to come in. Oh no! The bathroom smelled like someone died in there. " Go away", I yelled. But he stayed. Another fifteen minutes later another knock and another demand to let him in. By this time I was bleeding a lot and getting very weak. "I can't get up to let you in and I'm bleeding." "What do you mean bleeding?" he yelled. I explained. The door came off the hinges and he gave me a bowl and a bucket. The bowl was for the vomit and the bucket was for the other end. By this time I was too weak and sick to be embarrassed. He took me to the hospital ( WINDOWS OPEN, OF COURSE) where I immediately ran for the bathroom. That's where the doctor found me slumped on the toilet. I was admitted for five days until the doctors could get my insides stopped then slowly reintroduce food. I didn't feel well for months. The embarrassment came days later when I felt well enough to be appalled. He had to notify my parents about my situation. What a hero. What a terrible third date. We eventually married.
😭 I'm sure he was more afraid for you than worried about a "bad date". I hope you feel better.
OMG! I so feel this! My husband has stuck with me through it all no matter how awful or disgusting. He has never once acted anything other that a worried loving husband.
Omg I love that he is so caring and you married I love it❤
True love right there ♥
Yes, my reaction too was literally "Oh my god," out loud when I read that last line. That is one heck of a story with a happy ending! Amazing guy to be so caring and responsible - and you got married! He must have found you interesting as well.
I was shocked to know how many nurses don't know anything about a colostomy bag. Thank God I was there to help my Granny.
I've found that most doctors don't know anything either.
Most of my weekend VA nurses didn't know anything about ileostomy and proper care after surgery.
I don't have an ostomy but I'm a senior citizen who can relate to squatting down and not being able to get back up.
It happened three times and at least two of those times it was in a public space. My knees locked, my leg and feet muscles went week. I had to be lifted up because I couldn't move. So embarrassed!❤
2015 was my "year of recogning" from a jacked up colon to an ostomy. I returned to work after several months off and always took extra clothes, bags, etc. Well one day I was on my 2nd change of clothes and last ostomy bag and that one would not stay stuck to me. I finally had to tell my boss that I needed to leave. I was in tears as I walked out of the building. Tears were falling as fast as my shoes were filling up with output. I finally got to my car and drove 40 minutes home sitting in my own poo. That was by far one of my absolute worst days!
Oh my dear. God bless you for being so honest. You are a survivor and warrior for sure!!
Niche is a good way of putting it😉
I'm so sorry. I've had some bad moments but so far not like that.
That is horrible and I'm sorry you had to experience it. Day from hell.
That would be so uncomfortable omg good job to you being a huge trooper mg
My late wife (2015) had an ileostomy in 1964 before she turned 21. By the time she suddenly passed away in 2015, based on all research we could find anywhere on the, she may have been the oldest living ostomate ... not based on absolute age but based on the length of time she lived with her ileostomy. There are two sides of that story...during the 13 years we were married, we did not have any "disasters" during our intimacy with each other...but she had a few operations...and they caused all kinds of random problems. Most of these were due to aftermath of surgery or unplanned reactions to medications. Once she got a staph infection and I had to service her Pic Line twice a day for two months. Those times were challenging, but the ostomy itself was not the root cause of any problems. She managed it very well and very discreetly.
I was at work "luckily I work for my neighbor/friends" I went home for lunch emptied my bag went back to work. While climbing the stairs my clip came off and what poo had accumulated went all over their stairs. I was mortified. They sent me home to shower and change and said not to worry they would clean it up. What great friends. I love understanding friends.
Incredibly caring and loving folks.
Your a stronger person than most. I read some of these comment's and then one of those rare one's will come across my screen and it makes u stop read it and read it again and try putting myself in your shoes on that specific day.. I always find myself trying to think what dealing with problems of others. No leg .... No arm.... Of course tbats a shitty ordeal. But in your situation... And others dealing with that same condition. U stronger mentally than most. God bless those people that u had been working for.... U say there your friends... Well i dont kno u or them. But i can tell u one thing. Noone needs to kno you guys to see that they are true people. Because there's many people that would have been absolutely terrible to u in that moment. They deserve to be told what they did waz special. Idk why i even care. I guess cuz that is a great story. Wish u good health. As well as your friends. Bye
😢
Awful
You are fortunate that your friends will understanding and caring imagine if you went back to work the next day and you saw the steps all covered with plastic how that would have felt
I always remember the time when I knew my husband was “the one”. This was so early in my chronic illness journey that I didn’t even know I was sick yet and I thought the instances of unpredictable vomiting I was having were just one-off moments!
My now-husband had me over for dinner for a date at the beginning of the time that we knew each other, and 2/3 of the way through I felt nauseous. I excused myself to the bathroom and immediately threw up. I thought “wow, that was weird” but I was doing better, so I went back out there. Well, immediately when I resumed our conversation I knew I had to vomit again, so the first embarrassing moment was that I had to excuse myself to the bathroom again, moments after I had clearly just come back from the bathroom. So this time I kept throwing up, and eventually I had been gone so long that he came to check on me. He offered to let me sleep at his place, and I said “no, no,I’ll go back to my apartment”, but I couldn’t get up off the bathroom floor. So eventually I did just stay over at his place, for the least romantic sleepover in history. But that was 13 years ago and now we’re married! I got so much sicker after that and he’s been with me through it all. And he ended up becoming a nurse, which has been really helpful for navigating the healthcare system.
What a great story of true love !
awww, what a sweet guy turned into a superhero husband you had without knowing it., don't have no significant other - .. but although sleeping over at his place wasn't romantic as you put it, maybe it was - because I mean, you're finally married ( you know ) - he saw something in you that was centered around his entire world although you were Ill ( nobody BUT a choosen one, and a God-sent individual ), would be involved with someone whose sick ( my view ), that's why I haven't found anyone yet, but I do have hope - ... so may God bless your union., and every one else's out there.
Be blessed ma'am
Before I got my ostomy, I had "cyclical vomiting syndrome" and would also vomit out of nowhere ... then feel better ... then vomit a BUNCH shortly after that.
That's a beautiful story ♥
That is real true love. What a beautiful story!
The first clinical rotation I did for my CNA was in a locked dementia ward. I was grabbing towels for a (different) patient shower and this elderly person is just shuffling down the hall with their hand on their stoma saying in a weak voice "help me. Help me" My heart dropped, I said I would right away and ran down to get the R.N. I felt so bad for that patient 😢.
I had diarrhea in my husband's golf hat that I retrieved from the back seat, while I driving a stick shift to work an hour away. I'm managing my stricture ok, I've had numerous obstructions, and an ostomy could be in my future. So, you're my Guru, girlie.
As soon as you have the chance to get an ostomy, jump at it. I wish I could have had it done 10 years sooner. I've had a few awkward, embarrassing moments since, but not the Hell I ( and obviously, you, too)went through back then. It's a whole new life.
Ah Maggie❤ I just had my total colectomy so I'm 9 days into have my new ileostomy. Im so glad I found you on UA-cam as your videos have helped me learn so much before and after surgery. Iv already had embarrassment when my stoma started being ridiculously loud in front of my family while we were eating dinner and also at a hospital appointment when my bad became abit full. I just wanted to run out of there all because of how gross it sounded. It made ma laugh when you tried shuffling papers to drown out the noise 😂 that is what I would do and I'm 28 😂😂 I'm sure I'll look back and laugh at my own embarrassment but I'm so glad I can watch your videos and relate. I don't know anybody with an ostomy unfortunately so have nobody to talk too. ❤
I can so identify with these stories. I have a urostomy (7 years now) due to bladder cancer. Just a few weeks ago I had my first massive leak during the night. Somehow it woke me up because I am a DEEP sleeper. Nightgown soaked, top sheet soaked... you get the picture. Jumped up, holding my nightgown rolled up and tucked around me and ran into the bathroom, stripped off down to the skin, new bag on, and then threw a folded blanket over the sheet so I could go back to sleep since I had to work in the morning. Thankfully there was a waterproof pad under the sheet (mattresses are expensive, yo!) and the next day I stripped the bedding, sprayed mattress enzyme cleaner. When I told my husband he told me he thought I was brave to handle it so well. I wasn't brave, I laughed about it - because what else can you do in a situation like that? My motto is: the worst day above ground is still better than one below ground". Once you've had that first awful experience, nothing fazes you.
TWICE in the last 6 months I've had my clip on my bag fail and open up while in public. The first time I was in the lobby of my doctor's office. I was wearing jeans and it was bad. The second time was worse in some ways. I was at the movie theater and was on the way to the bathroom when it opened up. SO embarrassing! But like you said, you get through it and move on. Thank goodness for my husband. He was there both times and as I was cleaning up myself as best I could, he was cleaning up the floors. We have saints as husbands I think.
Please get bags with Velcro closures! All the brands have them! Ask your suppliers!
@@annebebee6764 I will do that the next time I order! Thanks!!
I went to get out of bed a couple of years after my j pouch surgery, I couldn't stand, my legs and hips were just weak, I crawled to the bathroom and had a hot bath and it hasn't happened since
I am 84 years old with an ostomy. I really love you and your videos. You have the spunk of a warrior.
I've had similar experiences. I'm 75 years old and my ostomy is 7 years old. It's not any easier at my age. I always talk to myself to get through embarrassing noises and big messes. Thank you for sharing and helping me to understand that I'm not alone.
Sometimes sex can get messy even without the ostomy. Not a big deal. I'm glad you laugh about it and show other people to not be too uptight and nervous. Great videos
Right? Those of us who've had it on our periods know lol...
Thank you so much for sharing your experiences. I have celiac disease and I was on vacation this summer in Mexico. We were staying at my aunt and uncle’s house for the whole time we were there. I don’t speak Spanish and so I was only going places with people who could communicate for me when ordering food. My cousin, my aunt, my mom, and I went into a larger city for a day of shopping. Lunch went fine because the waitress spoke enough English that I could explain that I couldn’t have any gluten. Then we stopped for supper at my cousin and my aunt’s favourite restaurant. Here the waitress only spoke Spanish. My cousin’s daughter is gluten intolerant, so she asked what would be safe for me to eat. The waitress told my cousin that the chicken dish would be safe. I ordered the chicken dish and it was really delicious! By the time we left the restaurant, I was feeling a bit off, but just thought that it was a touch of altitude sickness. I’d had it the few day we came to Mexico and figured that the rough roads and the drive up the mountain were to blame.
Around 1 am, I shot out of my bed and made a mad dash for the guest bathroom. I made it just in time. This continued until early in the morning. I was finally able to just lay in bed, in pain, and try to sleep. My mom came into my room and asked if I was packed and ready to go. We were supposed to leave for home that day. I told her I’d been glutened. She asked if I had my medication with to help stop my intestines from cramping and hurting so much. I said no I didn’t, but I had my medication list on my pharmacy app. I went in and took a screenshot of what I needed. I didn’t have high hopes because it’s a prescription.
My parents went to the local hospital/pharmacy and showed them what I needed. They brought it over the counter! I was so happy! The nurse also recommended a few other remedies and my parents got those as well. I don’t remember much of the rest of the day because the dramine and other stuff made me completely out of it.
I didn’t make a mess, but it was embarrassing to have an episode in a foreign country and at my relatives house. They were very understanding about it, but it was still embarrassing for me.
I have a urostomy one time I was out in public and my overnight drainage bag that attaches to pouch had a big problem. I didn't know cause I'm in a wheelchair and the overnight bag is attached to the bottom of my wheelchair .apparently it got a hole in it and was leaking urine everywhere I went .until someone stopped me and said something is dripping from your wheelchair .I was so embarrassed I had them tie a garbage bag around it till I got home!
I enjoyed story time with Maggie. I have Tourette Syndrome, among other things, and one time when I was little, I had a full body shaking tic so bad that I flipped myself off the couch. Not a big deal to me cuz it was/is my normal, but I learned, years later, that it really upset my mom seeing me go through that. The things we don't realize our parents go through with a special needs child...
September 14th, 2011, I had my third back surgery (out of 5), and the physician assistant was SUPER attractive. I saw him a few months later and we were talking, and he asked how my back was doing. I told him I was having pain again, and then he said “are you seeing anybody?” I said “No, no….oh you mean for the pain!!!” I’m like, nice Katy, smooth!!!!
On October 27th 2002 (a few weeks shy of my 17th bday), I was trying to hurry up with my shower bc I had a Baby Think It Over for my parenting class, and it was a demon baby. Well, I went to pick up my shampoo bottle and out with my back. I couldn’t get back up and had to have my mom come in and help me stand up straight. It all went to hell after that at times. I remember I was just sitting at the lunch table with my friend, and all of a sudden, the pain was so bad bc my back went out. I seriously was just sitting when my back crapped out on me. The nurse had to come down to the cafeteria with a wheelchair, and help me get up and into it.
My stories aren’t as crazy as yours, but that’s what makes them kind of fun at the same time. I’ll tell you, I don’t get embarrassed easily, and really, those weren’t embarrassing. Funny, but I just dust myself off and go on to the next adventure. Like you said at the beginning of your video, if you can’t laugh at these moments, you’d lose your freaking mind. Last week, my dad was going up to my grandparents house in Rock Island, IL (we live in St. Louis) and I went to give him a hug goodbye, and my back went out when I was reaching up. The pain was on my left side mostly, but I could hardly move the rest of the day. My mom and I had to take our little 15 year old shih Tzu to the vet bc he jumped off my parents bed, and hurt his left hind leg. Well my mom has bad knees which makes it hard for her to walk or get up from a chair. So we’re in the vets office, and she would grunt when she got up and moved, and I’d grunt from just breathing. I’m sure the staff at the vets office had some good laughs after we left. Thanks for sharing your embarrassing stories with us!
Oh Lord that brought back memories recovering from cancer surgery tying to swallow this disgusting stuff through a tube. It was like whitewash mixed with banana chalk. I feel for you so much cause I've been there. "Eat more calories and.mine came right back up too. We are still here love so we are blessed.❤
i was 8 years old, i was in school, we were playing inside the class, somehow my bag opened up and the poop was all over the floor and my shirt, i remember running to the bathroom crying and only getting out of there when my mom came to pick me up.
Poor baby :(
If you don't laugh you will lose your mind! I use laughter to help make me feel better. I have been down for 19 months and still trying to figure out why. I had to pee really badly and just made it to the bathroom. Went to sit down and my knees buckled and I ended up on the floor. I couldn't get up. I just started peeing and couldn't stop. My bathroom floor got very wet and so did I. I was finally able to stand up but I was a mess and my floor was like a pool!!!
A week after getting home from emergency surgery and learning to live with an unplanned stoma i went to the department atore to pick up some hydration packets. I was standing by the plethora of products when i felt liquid running down my leg. Id never had this happen and i was in public! I still didnt know what was occuring but i hurries out and drove myself home. What a mess! My first explosion the whole wafer let go. Probably because it took a bit to get home and clean up my skin was red and sore. Everything i had on had to be cleaned even my boots.
Because of this i looked online wondering how to prevent another accident and have found quite a few living with a stoma. Thanks for sharing your trials and insight.
This "healthy" person got the worst case of diarrhea in my daughter-in-law's car while driving on a long freeway in California just last month. I was literally holding my bottom to keep my diarrhea from oozing out, but some of the liquid managed to wet my pants and the car seat. When we finally made it to her home, I had to keep holding my bottom until I could dash to the restroom where I exploded. That's what I get for drinking a tall glass of iced expresso coffee with a large scoop of vanilla ice cream after a big lunch. Yes, healthy people have "accidents" too. Mercifully the car seat was leather, and no one got upset with me. But I was mortified.
Oh goodness! I'd be mortified too lol. One time when I was sick with some nasty bug, I projectile vomited and had diarrhea while in bed :( the mattress had huge stains on it afterwards.
OMG I can relate. My two piece bag fell off just outside of my favorite restaurant. I was so embarrassed. I didn’t know what to do. The bag had filled up quickly and was pancaking. I really appreciate your channel
That's the best part of getting older, you stop caring about situations like these, you know it will happen again.
I have had my Ostomy since 1999 and i still remember early on i was going to college anf and one day i got out of the car and my bag fell off i was so mortified because the parking lot was full. Now its like oh well.
Omg!! I just got my ileostomy Aug 2, 2024 (this past Friday). That Sunday morning I got woke up (in the VA hospital) feeling "wet". Turned out my bag had a massive blow out from the top of the bag. I was wearing regular PJs instead of hosp stuff and it was EVERYWHERE!!! I had a pillow over my stomach since I was still sore so even the pillow was covered. I was mortified to say the least! I'm a very self conscious person with sensory issues. My nurse was the absolute best, she was so sympathetic, empathetic and just as mortified as I was. She left the room to "locate supplies" she already had but I know it was so she could breathe and or not throw up. I was sobbing for an hour while we got me cleaned up sitting on the shower chair at 5am! I was released to come home yesterday (Monday) and I can not sleep, I'm scared to death it will happen again. I've been burping my bag often and dumping it so much but I just can't get that out of my head already! My husband doesn't care, my two high school sons want nothing to do with learning how to change or deal with my bag so I'm embarrassed by that....they want nothing to do with me 😭😭😭😭 but I know I'm already so much better with the ileostomy rather than another year of chronic constipation due to neuropathy affecting my colon.
A really good mattress pad will help protect the bed. Also, some people say stopping all food and drink by a certain time can help keep you from going in the night. And if your output is too thin or thick you can eat certain foods that will help even out the consistency. I hope any of that will help you! I promise it gets better! It is hard at first, but it WILL get easier!!
@@ChinAmMom ty! I'm trying to find a good mattress cover and waterproof bed pad. Last night I actually slept from 10:30-7:30. I was shocked! I fixed up my couch with 2 super heavy beach towels and a special recliner cover, emptied Sister Flo before I laid down with no problems.
You are the sweetest, bestest and most darlingest ostomate out there.. You have made me look forward to my surgery with confidence rather than doom. Thank you, thank you, thank you ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
Your not alone Maggie! Mine fell off in the hospital as three male nurses came to my room and I had to be cleaned up. So embarrassed!
The two times I have had a major accident aka "blow out" have happened at home. So the first time my husband, got a bucket for my clothing as I stripped off in the shower. That was embarrassing! The second time, my daughter had the honors of getting a bucket for the poo covered clothing while I stripped off in the shower. I think she is scarred for life. Seeing her middle aged mother with poo from bra line to knees, with her ostomy actively producing. I am very afraid of any public accidents. Also never trust a clip. Always take a bag to change.
There are so many things that only other people who are sick with GI illnesses understand. I have gastroparesis, short gut, and EoE. I have fed the bed so many times I’ve lost count, and it just never goes away. I have had my tube site leak bile all over the place, literally at appointment my white shirt turned yellow with bile. I fell asleep venting into a cup because I didn’t have a ferral bag, must have dozed off, jerked awake, and threw the cup all over my boyfriend. I get so embarrassed by how loud my intestines are because the move so fast, it’s like growling and gurgling everyone can hear. I think what embarrasses me the most is dealing with dumping syndrome, it can be so brutal, and sometimes it hits and you just don’t make it. By now I’ve come to accept that if you don’t want to deal with my tubes and lines then we aren’t meant to be. It’s just too much to worry all the time about this stuff happening and people running away screaming. Sometimes you just have to be able to laugh about it.
Only two major moments for me, the first was before surgery trying to camp with my son who was in the Boy Scouts. Imagine a tent big enough to stand up in and outhouses at the other end of camp... in the dark... down the path. It's 2 am and been raining since 10pm. Well, I thought ahead and had brought a porta lou 5 gal bucket with a seat. So, as I get up to go the floor is floating on the water running under the tent. That was a close one. Surgery was in '07 and summer 0f '08 I did 5 days backpacking on the Appalachian Trail with my son. What a difference! The second was laying on a gurney in ER with a blockage and volcanic hurling all the way across the hall to the other wall while doubled over in pain at about a 9 out 10. Yuck!
You truly are an inspirational person. I have just watched your clip about embarrassing situations. My husband died 10 years prior to me having ostomy surgery. I am saddened to say I am glad he never got to see this as I know in my heart he could never have accepted this situation then factor in all the accidents I have had in the last 4 years. The financial burden of ruined clothes, bedding, mattresses & carpets. I never go to bed now without wrapping incontinent sheets around me. I avoid staying at other people's houses. I recently had a parastomal hernia repaired & unfortunately had complications, which has wiped the last 4 years out & I am now back at the beginning. 😢 I know things will improve but it just knocks you back. I look forward to watching your videos, you have been through so much it makes my problems seem almost insignifican, thank you for sharing
your extraordinary journey, you give me the much needed boost to get up & keep going. My heartfelt thanks ❤ joan
Maggie thank you for being open and raw. I can tell that was hard for you to do. But it helps others. I have IBS and have had a couple embarrassing moments. I would have an accident because I didn’t make to the bathroom in time. I would cry for hours afterwards.
This isn’t from a chronic illness but a recurring one. That’s a long story that I’ll save for another time. I was super sick from a bad case of bronchitis. When I was about 17, I was in the ER because my O2 levels weren’t staying where they should and I was coughing so hard that everything hurt. After I’d been triaged, the doctor came in to start trying to find out what’s going on. I coughed so hard I puked. Not just a little either. Projectile doesn’t being to describe it. The floor, the walls, my mom, the doctor, the door… you name it, it now had some of me on it. Being a medical professional, I’m sure the doctor was used to it. But to a 17 year old that was embarrassing as hell.
My Grandmother was always afraid of leaking. She put a griddle on. Not a tight one and placed paper towels over that area. I would think a flat pad in that spot would help. I pray everything works out for you. She was a beautiful woman. She never dated after my Grandfather died. She was embarrassed of her stomach. I also stay sick. My stomach is a major problem.
I can relate to the very first story you told. After my first year teaching I was diagnosed with dermatomyositis and I was going into my second year. The condition affects my muscles and causes them to be weak and atrophy. At the time only 3 people knew at my school and I didn't want others to know. Well I knelt down beside a kiddo and was not able to get back up. So here I am in a gym with a few hundred people and can't get up and fell down. I too felt like everyone was staring at me. Im not sure if everyone was staring at me but it felt like it. I felt horrible mentally because I was unable to stand up. I pretended to laugh and act like all was fine.
I know the struggle with this exact situation though I was a student at the time. I have childhood onset dermatomyositis, but the real issue for me was having to be picked up out of the bath by my dad…
Dont ever feel gross about it! i mean i wish you did not :) because my husband and i we always joke.. we had emergencies on walks where nature was... used haha :) and sometimes it got messy we laughed it off its part of being human. i am just happy we are doing the stuff together and making it fun and not scary. We all are human and it makes a whole new connection with people when u get to a point where u just talk about it ♡♡
I can relate to so many of these. Thanks for sharing the good and bad of ostomies and chronic illness. It has made me feel less alone.
💖👑👑💖🎬🎥📽My stoma is so loud but l do tell people what it is because am not rude and wouldnt do it if l could help it and people are always lovely to me but am older now 51 .Been a teenager its so different for them .My daughter had cystic fibrosis and she had a feeding tube she was so private about her illness but she was also a teenager. Thank you maggie love your company 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼💖👑💖xxx
I have so many experiences over the last 32 years with my ostomy one time went bowling with family and I am getting low like thinking I'm a pro low, well guess what happens, it wasn't pretty I looked at the ceiling and walked to the bathroom when I came out they were moping the lane ..lol.. yeah Good Times!! so many
It's great hearing from people dealing with an ostomy on a daily basis. I have had some horrible experiences but never let it limit my life. Thanks everyone for sharing.
Thank you for sharing, Maggie! Those of us who have GI issues have had our share of “incidents”. It helps to know that we are not alone..
Omg you are so brave! Thank you for sharing this. Lot of hugs for you.
yes it happens ,one of my worst experencies was when i was still in the hospital getting used to the bag and trying to walk after the opp ,i forgot to seal the end of the bag and went for a walk down the far end of the hospital ,and yes you guessed it i was covered in shit i was so embarrested and horrified to walk back to the ward covered in waste ,i walked into the ward grabbed clean clothes and just ran to the shower ,i learned from that and never did that again .
Had an embarrassing situation a few weeks back, I am an Irishman living in the Isle of Man UK I went back home to Northern Ireland a few weeks ago, while visiting two of my friends at their home, I had bought a new pair of pants, thought they were a little tight but would be ok, as I thought, to cut a long story short, my urostomy come away from my stomach on one side as I went to get up, the urine run down my legs, they were great about it but lesson learned, bigger pants are safer, take care Maggie, your are an inspiration ❤
You are such a strong young woman. I take my hat off to you. I'm about 6 months in from having my ostomy bag.
Thank you for being so honest about life's ups and downs 💙
I haven't had problems since my ileostomy in 1985. I had a proctocolectomy at the same time. I healed well. Only 1 hospital visit because I ate to much rocky road ice cream. Stayed 5 hrs in the ER, then went home. No blow outs ever. I am diligent about using the restroom at work every 2 hours. Gets me up out of my chair to stretch my legs and rest my eyes from computer work. I told my boyfriend after about 3 months of dating . He asked me to marry him, so I did!That was 30 yrs ago!!! He has stayed thru all the trials of ostomy life! Hang in there! Get a good Ostomy nurse to advise you, if needed.
I know that this is just not going to sound right...
buuut....for so long I have just wanted ( in a fatherly way) give you a big hug and tell you that all will be alright. You are such a brave person and so mature. I admire you. Stay the course beloved. You will do just fine in life. And that ZAK is also such a fine young man. You got a keeper there.
Tube feeding sucks I was on it 13years! Omg nothing by mouth! So glad I don't have them now !
You are so awesome sharing intellectually. I love your stories and journey. Descriptive and funny. Your a dear soul. You embrace so much. I do not have a stoma but your stories and dealing with incredible health issues helps me in other areas.
Acceptance. Transparency . Your gifted with speaking and explaining so much. Thank you for these lessons in life. Admire respect and your God's angel. Helping others. I know patients received great care when you did hospital nursing ❤ now a new journey on You Tube. God bless you abundantly. And Zack and the fur babies.
The first time my stoma talked it was so sudden & loud i dropped my phone in fright haha 😂
My friend and I have regular debates about random stuff and it almost always ends up with us debating whether humans deserve to exist. He argues that they don't. I argue that they do. Not so much for selfish reasons as for the belief that for all the worst humans there are other people that are really good and selfless. Watching the news and social media I get a strong urge to believe him. But every so often I come across stories of people who are such a bright beacon of selflessness and human compassion that my faith is restored. People like You and Zach. There's another lady on UA-cam who is schizophrenic and is sharing her journey through life. Watching her and her husband share their journey is such an inspiration.
Thank you for sharing your journey. And Zach for sticking by you.
I have that issue when I have to get something off the bottom shelf at a grocery store or other stores. I have even fallen on my ass trying to get up in front of people. Not a good thing.
This is a great video I have have 2 incidents that happened when I was a teenager that I still think about and I’m now 76 years old. I think your attitude will help a lot of people. Thank you 🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩💖💖
I love your energy!!! Keep on smiling
I hear you guys it’s 💩 literally, fellow nurse here Maggie X …giving meds one night on the ward (pre proctocolectomy)💩 my pants 🩲 & couldn’t leave drugs trolley as only registered nurse on at time, god only knows how I got round 15 patients before diving to bathroom 🚽 washing and going underwear free rest off night shift…post proctocolectomy administrating injection (bum area) bent over & stoma bag popped …. as working in community at time had to drive back to base with towel wrapped around waist to collect the 💩 as all spares in bag in office…..& on both occasions aside myself no one knew … 🙏
I was just reading the other comments after I commented and wow great stories everyone! Maggie you opened the can of worms 👏👏👏🤣😂🤣
I double clip with two different types of clips, because of the very reason you stated
Oh good idea👍🥰
Hi Maggie and Zak!! Sorry I missed this earlier, I was in the middle of making dinner and didn't see the time. Another great video. Isn't it great how you can look back at those times and laugh now.
This, I think, is my favourite of all videos on the channel. I relate to all of this.
I just got a stoma a few months ago and somehow I developed a stricture in my throat that (2-3 mm) doesn't let me swallow a lot of large pieces of food. It has taken a few months to figure this out but next week hopefully they will get it removed. Meantime I can eat muffins and soft foods in small bites or I toss them back up
Everybody has accidents. Life is messy , and it’s ok !
Your right but when its happening to you it not ok.
i totally get it i’ve broken toilets went all over the bus very embarrassing but i had to change my mind set and think this is apart of my illness i’m not the only one
Just forwarded this to my mom too maggs, her name is Linda Love. I’ve always told her how inspirational you’ve been to me because she knows I didn’t get like ANY help in the hospital after my operation. Anyway, I’ll tell her to add you guys, as you know we’re both from Pennsylvania so guaranteed first thing she will do is say something like “she’s jealous of the weather” lol 😆
Omgosh, I’ve had so many embarrassing moments with my stoma. From noise in a full lift, my bag leaking during a first date. But by far the worst was when I stayed over at my bf’s house for the first time and it was the first time we had ever been intimate. He still didn’t know I had an ileostomy even after that night as I’d managed to conceal it well. However, in the morning I woke up, he was still sleeping, went into the bathroom to empty my bulging stoma bag. I was sitting on the toilet after I’d just emptied it and he came rushing in the door to tell me “whatever you do. Don’t flush the toilet” omg, I was mortified!!! I then spent about half an hour emptying jugs of water into the toilet as I know if you do that, the toilet will eventually empty. Oh, that was awful. To this day it still makes me cringe. He must have been thinking what on earth I was doing 🙈🙈🙈🙈
😅😅😅😅
I have 13 complex medical conditions. I was born with an esophagus so bad I didn’t have one at all. So I had 9 surgeries from 6hrs old (to place a surgical g-tube to access to stomach) to 5yrs old. Then another one is gastroparesis my stomach is paralyzed I have a surgical j-tube and I have a g-tube my stomach is drained 24/7 as I aspirate on stomach acid into my lungs and I get aspiration pneumonia every 3 months or som Iv antibiotics. But my bed is covered in stains from formula and my g-tube disconnecting from its bag and draining onto the bed. I have to chnage my sheets a few times a week from stains but I now have a waterproof mattress protector. But bed is stained. Another time I was draining my g-tube because I ate something that I needed out and accidentally put stomach contents on the ceiling. I had a formula I’m back on, completely elemental I can smell it in my pee and on me no one smelled it on me! I have so many stories
Thanks
Thank you so much Lisa!!
Thank you for sharing, being a teenager is tough on it own, because every little thing is embarrassing and feels like the end of the world:) I don´t have any physical chronic illness, but human bodies do all kinds of "weird" stuff. My hands and feet are sweating uncontrollably like dripping on things and itś a bit hard to walk in flip flops, because they get so slippery from the inside. I feel very embarrassed every time I have to shake someone's hand or touch things that aren't mine. Once in a job interview I suddenly noticed I had a little puddle of stains on my dress from my hands. When I clap on some event i sometimes have droplets all over my clothes afterwards. I still got the job, that I interviewed for, but when I started it was something with my chair, that made my pp fill with air, so every time I moved or had to get up little farts came out of me:D
"Loosing it" is what I am doing at the moment, and I have not even had surgery yet.
❤️❤️❤️ sending you love! Illness is not for the faint of heart - I hope surgery gives you relief!
@@LetsTalkIBD Thank you.
Thank you for sharing these stories! 💖
Thank you for sharing your stories ❤
About 8 weeks ago i was staying in a hotel when i took a blockage. Pain got worse and off course contents were pumping none stop. 76 and i was so embarrased. Wrapped towels tight around me. In the ambulance it (you know) was everywhere. When i got to hosp i only had t shirt on...no knickers. Scanned and tube up my nose. Those poor paramedics😂😂. Please lord never again. Awful. I will be a good girl lord. 😊xx
U are a strong woman and my god continue to bless u
I am completing radiation treatment next week, then in 6 to 8 weeks after that I will have rectal cancer surgery and a temporary stoma. I am terrified.
Me too first back in the saddle to say so embarrassing and I cried for days
In my freshman year of high school I’d have to walk 4 flights of small height steps during my period and they increased the cramps. Those articles about exercise helping cramps were completely false because they were agony.
Driving for 45 minutes with a leaking ostomy bag... had plans for other things, but had to go home...
My grandma would let the air out of her bag when we were driving no warning. 🤢. We would have to roll down all the windows. She would just sit back and have a wicked smile on her face. Lol.
She had been gone about 17 yrs now, and I can still remember her doing that.
My husband does that all the time. Dinner table, middle of the store, car and in line at the grocery store. He don't give a rats ass who it offends. I get so very very sick of smelling that shit. There are things that can be put in the bag but he refuses to do it. He has to suffer so he'll make everyone else suffer too.
That's the best thing I've read in weeks!
Zak sweetie great man still with u
Maggie You are ABSOLUTELY a BEAUTIFUL YOUNG LADY🌹What YOU have Been through was a lot and God Bless Your Parents who
Had to be Frightening for them not Knowing what would be the BEST for YOU……
YOU have come a long WAY and are living YOUR BEST LIFE with your Handsome HUSBAND…..
My Mom is suffering with some of the thing’s that you went through and it’s HORRIBLE to watch when there’s NOTHING I can do to help her…..
Her food doesn’t brake down in her small Intestines and like you said she has Blockages…….Then There’s throwing up and now she is Scared to eat anything she’s had huge weight loss and of course that’s because she can’t eat……Her last Hospital stay she got out EASTER SUNDAY and
Hasn’t come back from this at ALL……I LIVE WITH HER AND SO Grateful so she’s not alone even when I don’t know how to help her……
You speaking up about these thing’s people go through they are NASTY 🤮 and hard to talk about but they happen everyday to more people than you know and it let’s you see your NOT A LONE…….
ALWAYS Watching from Virginia 🌹
I use the clips I don’t trust the Velcro on the bottom of the bag!! I’m so afraid it will unroll while I am sleeping or just laying in bed watching tv!!! I use convetec one piece!!
For what it helps, I don’t have an osteomy, but if my SO had the gas leaking or whatever, I’d just be supportive, I mean it’s nothing you do on purpose and gas is natural, ofc it smells bad, but whatever. I’m sure Zak feels the same way. No need to be embarrassed
Nothing chronic diagnosed, but I have this thing that happens super rare: sometimes when I squat my right leg spasms near the knee and it hurts so bad... I can not straighten it and get up. I can only slowly move it to one of the sides (the other side makes it spasm even more) until it goes away. So whenever I have to squat in public, it scares me a lot. Never really happened in front of other people, only at home. Lucky me I guess. :D
Loving your nails and makeup 💄💋💅💖
You may just have super sniffer:) I smelled gas once and called the power company. They came out and could only detect it with a sensitive monitor:) No one else could smell it.
I've have had a lot of blockages and they are painful. The last thing you do is eat!
My wife got a stoma in July (stercoral ulcer / perforated bowel) and the convalescence is still going on. Needless to say, we're still figuring things out. One thing we need advice about: what's a good room deodorizer. They gave us hollister m9 spray at the hospital, but it doesn't work very well. I hope there's something that works and doesn't have an odor of its own.
I have an ostomy and I had gone to a psychic night with a friend. It was a small room and as I stood up to leave my osteomyelitis bag popped.
Maggie girl, I clearly understand what you mean - except mine isn't an ostomy, but I've got a foley catheter due to nuerogenic bladder and being unable to urinate with the snap of a finger - my journey included me figuratively pushing a bolder up an severely uphill incline ( I had being experiencing that for 35 years before treatment ) - ... and darlin, all I could advice is - " becareful of what you wished for ", for I used to happily say knowing that it won't happen, due to a partially paralyzed bladder and me being having to force and push the content out " I wish I could pee my bed " 😱 - I mean, yeah, because I NEVER could of done it ( sphincter muscles are inactive ) - ... BUT after the days following the 20th of August 2020, I've regretted my statement every since - let's just say, I need a do over, is there a reset button anywhere? 😔😭😭😭😭., ... anyway, this year makes 2 years since my life has being drastically changed for the better, many a times - I wished that I could've turned back the hands of time, when I didn't have my best friend ( Cathy - that's what I call her - Cathy the catheter ), but when I remember - my previous life was self-draining, that taught immediately escapes me, and I'm back to loving and living in reality., it's 2022 and I could've have being in a better place ( fatigue is no more, can stand and shower, etc ) - all which I took for granted back then, but none - NEVER!!!
... so, with that said, I like to encourage everyone to love the skin that they're in - it's gonna be a harsh reality, but HEY!!! - you've got a reality, because think about this - things can change so much in the blink of an eye, so I'm advising you all, if you have the opportunity to grab you're situations and circumstances, and turn it and transform it into a better life - go ahead and go get it done - you're worth every once of it.
Lol! That's hysterical! But yes mortifying. That is love!
Sorry, I comment as I watch the video because I know I'll forget. Do you think you could make a video about embarrassing things that you may have done when you were younger (like the sweet pea), and help out the younger crowd so they don't make the same (possible) mistakes? I bet you have a lot of stories, I know I do! Maybe have people who are older write in and tell their stories as well?
Maggie you always are soooooo funny you make me laugh 😘💜🥰💚
I wish I was friends with you in real life because I would love to just talk about these things
Absolutely you have to find the funny parts in life or you will LOOOOOOOSE it lol
I was walking through zellers (when that still excited) with my B/F at the time( we are married now lol). Right in the middle of the zellers floor I lost my bag and flange 😢 I was mortified! My bag was revesed after 6 months thank goodness as it was done terribly because it was done in an emergency to save my life not done to be a pretty working life long stoma also the nurse in the ICU pulled out my stoma stitches like a day or two after surgery she thought they were gauze! What a nightmare
What - the ICU nurse pulled out your 2-day-old stitches thinking they were gauze? What?? Omg!!! I'm sorry that happened to you, it sounds quite difficult. Did you sue? That just sounds very incompetent! (You don't have to write a big reply - or Any reply. I'm trying to spend less time on UA-cam anyhow, as I feel it can be bad for people, especially me. I'm just shocked by that, though, if it's as rough as it sounds. Staff do deal with a lot, especially in ER's. Some crazy things can happen in hospitals; you have to advocate for yourself sometimes.)
@cockeyedoptimista it was really rough 😔 I did not sue as I was very lucky to have that surgery reversed after 6 months, I did have to stand up to a Dr once and it was rough but I won in the end and he is no longer a Dr in this province!
@@ChroniclesofJen Thanks for answering! Well it sounds like you got through it okay (I hope). My stoma sitch was similar to yours; unplanned, temporary, emergency. I was already in the hospital for somethimg else, though! [A different emergency.] Congrats on managing to stand up to a physician on your own behalf. It's hard to do that; I'm not very assertive but I had to learn how when I was in the hospital. It's just communication, in a way. Well in your case it sounds like more than that.
Your a champion ❤
I relate so hard with the unable to stand up. Every now and then my body just cannot take steps. I'm walking along thinking I'm gonna make it to a place to sit down and suddenly my legs just WILL NOT lift to go forward. And its always in public of course... As a youngling I just started quiet crying standing still in the middle of the path... These days I do my utmost to get to the side to be out of the way and sit for however long it takes for my brain to connect to my legs again. Still pretty mortifying but I have run out of fucks to look at people going past and phones have games.
What? Have you been diagnosed with anything for not being able to walk? That can be a symptom of something!
@@cockeyedoptimista yeah it's a pre pain migraine symptom and for the most part doesn't happen so long as I'm consistent with meds and not overly stressed. It only lasts a few minutes but is really disconcerting during
@@Neppy22 Oh. Thank you. That must be frustrating and a bit scary; at least you know what it is by now. I'm very uninformed about these things; it's just I had a friend who gradually had more and more trouble walking and it turned out to be hydrocephalus.
When I was in rehab I didn't know how weak I was at first either, like Maggie was saying; I squatted to get something off the bottom shelf of their refrigerator - no one would help me - and when I got halfway down, my legs just collapsed under me and I fell back and hit my head on the linoleum floor. I was already pretty low so I didn't fall far, but I got a good egg-sized lump on the back of my head. That was such an awful rehab; I had insurance issues and only they would take me. It helped though, I guess. Or I helped myself.. They were okay..
I'm sorry you get migraines; congrats on managing it so well. It must indeed be disconcerting to have your body surprise you.
@@cockeyedoptimista the figuring out what was happening to me was really scary, I thought I'd had a stroke or something the first time it happened
That rehab sounds terrible! You're there to heal and get better not to sustain more damage. I hope you're doing great now