Ostomy Success Story

An ostomy is not just a surgical procedure to reroute the passage of wastes from its natural pathway. It can turn out to be a life-changing intestinal or urinary diversion. In some cases, an ostomy may even serve as a life-saving procedure.

Hearing that you will need an ostomy to get rid of a life-threatening bowel condition can be terrorizing. Nonetheless, you can take comfort from the fact that an ostomy can help you live to the fullest.

Lois Fink’s story can be an example in this regard. She now lives with a colostomy, and she lives quite happily. She had to battle Crohn’s disease since her early teens. She was diagnosed with this condition at the age of 17 when excessive diarrhea, abdominal pain, delayed growth, and weight loss took their toll. At the time of diagnosis, she weighed 62 pounds.

After battling a condition she could not win for two more years, she finally decided to undergo ostomy surgery. Factors that prevented her from undergoing this procedure included fears and concerns, most of which were originated from myths and misinformation. She used to think what her friends would think about her condition and the resultant ostomy. That is why she didn’t want anyone, apart from her parents, to know about her decision.

During the first meeting, the surgeon told her how he would remove the affected part of her bowel and bring the end of the healthy GI tract out through a cut in the belly. He also explained how fecal wastes would pass out of the body after the removal of the rectum and a part of the colon. He also explained the role of the ostomy pouches in stoma management.

To help Lois understand things a bit further, the medical staff introduced her to a young woman who had undergone ileostomy surgery to treat Crohn’s disease. She became Lois’s mentor. She explained everything from stoma care to diet to daily routine. This meeting helped Lois understand that living with an ostomy wasn’t as bad as she had been thinking all along. She thought about what it was like to live with Crohn’s disease, and why she needed to undergo ostomy surgery. The reasons she came up with were enough to convince her not to change her decision.

With the help of her mentor, she was emotionally prepared for the surgical procedure, which changed her life for good afterward. Before surgery, she thought that she wouldn’t like herself after surgery. Fortunately, this fear didn’t materialize. After surgery, she started realizing the benefits of the procedure. She knew when to visit the washroom. She didn’t have to experience bowel incontinence. She was physically active more than ever. And best of all, she started eating anything she liked without having to worry about any pain or reaction in the GI tract.

According to Lois, ostomy surgery gave back her everything Crohn’s disease took away from her. She thanks herself for making a decision to undergo ostomy surgery.