What’s It Like Being In College With An Ostomy?

10 Tips for Getting Through College with an Ostomy

By Amy Oestreicher for ULoop.com – Photos from Amy’s Facebook Page

When I first got my ostomy, I felt very alone. I felt self-conscious of the smell and sound, and sometimes I longed for my old body.

Going to college with an ostomy wasn’t any easier. I didn’t know if these things were “okay” to talk about with professors, with friends, or at all. The more I held it in, the more I couldn’t take my situation anymore. These are medical circumstances, not my life … but why did they seem to feel like all my life was about?

When I couldn’t take self-loathing anymore, I decided to make friends with it. I reached out. I inquired about support groups in my area and realized there are many people like me. I realized my ostomy is a beautiful thing and has enabled me to do all the things I’ve been able to accomplish over the years. It is my uniqueness.

If you are reading this, you might not know what an ostomy is. That’s okay. I didn’t know what one was before I had one.

However, you may have a friend with an ostomy — you just might not know it yet. So, with that in mind, I’d like to share some things about ostomies that will hopefully make these kinds of things easier to talk about. We all have quirks — what’s the point of holding it in?

These are 10 things I would have liked to tell myself when I first had an ostomy  — 10 things I didn’t know but eventually learned, which I am so grateful for today.

Read the Full Article at ULoop.com