Adventures in life with Crohn's disease & an ostomy
ABOUT ME
I love to go outside and do cool things. Well, I like to think they are cool anyway. Depending on the season, I am up in the mountains snowboarding, and in the summer, I gravitate towards water sports. What makes my story a little different about these things, is that I do them while carrying a bag of shit with me everywhere I go.
I have Crohn's disease, a chronic illness affecting my digestive system. It varies in its impact and can affect any part of the digestive tract, from the esophagus to the anus. In my case, it primarily affected the last part large intestine and rectum, and caused numerous embarrassing situations, extreme discomfort, mood swings, significant weight fluctuations, and frequent hospital visits. I rarely left home for a couple of years because I had no energy, and I was terrified I would shit myself!
After exhausting all medical treatments, I reluctantly opted for a life altering solution: removing my large intestine. This decision led to my current situation of having an ileostomy bag on my stomach for waste elimination. I had resisted this choice for years, viewing it as a personal failure in managing my illness. However, I was mistaken. Since the surgery, I've been able to reengage in outdoor activities like snowboarding, kiteboarding, hiking, and even completing a 50km trail Ultra Marathon in the spring of 2022!
I created "Tales from the Bag" because Iwanted to share my stories, to raise awareness for those that might not know that this stuff exists, and to show others facing the same choice that it’s not the end of the world. An ostomy can be a way for you to take control of your life back. If I was given the choice between a healthy bowel and an ileostomy, I would choose the healthy bowel. But between my old bowel and my bag, the bag wins every time.