Ostomy Awareness Day

Today's entry won't be about D&D. Instead, it'll be a little more personal and a little less nerdy.

Today, the first Saturday in October, is UOAA's Ostomy Awareness Day.

What is an Ostomy? Click Here.

My surgery last year was to remove my colon after I had suffered from ulcerative colitis for nearly 20 years. Unfortunately, due to genetic lottery, my small intestine was too short to have a j-pouch applied, so the surgery I had earlier this year was to make the ostomy permanent.

As I've shared before, the first surgery and it's recovery were rocky. But I do have to say, my life has turned a corner.

Before, I was living in near constant pain, though I had become so used to it I had ceased to notice it. I was also organizing my life around bathroom breaks. Those combined put me in a near constant state of depression. I wasn't willing to take risks in my personal or professional life.

My first serious, intimate, romantic relationship happened after the ostomy placement. That relationship has since ended, but I can say with confidence that the ostomy had nothing to do with it. I finally got the courage to quit the dead end job that was holding me back late this summer.

Is my life perfect now? No. But whose is? I dodged the cancer bullet, so that's worth something. And even the backward steps I've had to take: quitting that job, losing that relationship, have felt like challenges to overcome rather than reasons to just give up like they would have before. I'm closer with my friends. I'm more willing to just go out there and tell people, "Hey, I can write that for you!"

So today, remember that you may know someone with an ostomy. You've already read the blog of one!