A J-Pouch is a Journey... with Pit Stops

Be the squeaky wheel - you are worth every squeak!

Nowadays, with health care being so taxed, it isn't easy to be heard sometimes. Being ill gives us one responsibility: educating ourselves about our illness, our bodies, and what we need to stay healthy. No one knows you better than you do, so speak up and be your best advocate! If you would like to share your journey with Ulcerative Colitis, Crohn's Disease, colon cancer, J-Pouch, please reach out to me at [email protected].

When I was first told what my surgeries would entail, I knew that having an ileostomy would be the most challenging part of the process for me. After a few reality checks and some conversations with myself, I decided to embrace the knowledge I could absorb from this moment in my life. Since I was to have a stoma for a while, I would learn to take care of it, appreciate it, and become friends with it. So, I named her Rosie.

When you're informed that your condition has advanced significantly and that you'll need major surgeries to create a J-Pouch, it can be overwhelming. The uncertainty of what lies ahead is unsettling. In this episode, I share my journey through the initial surgery and what it felt like to wake up with an ostomy.

If you would like to share your journey through gastrointestinal disease, J-Pouch feel free to reach out to me at [email protected].

I have lived with a J-Pouch for the past 19 years. For those who don't know what a J-Pouch is, listen on! You will know what it is once I'm done with you today. To my fellow J-Pouchers, join me in spreading knowledge through open conversation. Please email me at [email protected] to share your story.