Katie Piper Instagram – Todays #MindsetMonday comes from @stomachick.x_x, she says “In 2014 at just 21, an age I nearly didn’t make it past. I endured one of the hardest times and I’ve gone through for major life saving & life changing surgery for an ileostomy stoma bag due to a rare life-threatening bowel disease known as Hirschsprung’s.
I also have multiple other complex conditions/ disabilities. I was told my bowel was packing up & was no longer working as it should to keep me alive. I spent most of my teens in & out of hospital, on tons of different medications, painkillers & endless laxatives. Even trialing medication that weren’t out yet and dealing with a tonne of different debilitating symptoms, from not opening my bowels for five months, extreme bloating weight/blood loss, nausea/vomiting & excruciating pain & more.
My surgery was complex & 5 days later I was rushed back in & nearly died due to a perforated & twisted bowel, sepsis, & multiple other complications which I required multiple IV meds, tubes NG/ feeding & blood transfusions for.
Being chronically disabled has resulted in me having a lot of surgery & tons of procedures in the last 10 years. Loss of organs & my ability to have children naturally & potentially at all. I recently had my 13th surgery which was during my IVF treatment. Which has sadly failed.
I still deal with a lot with my health & I’m on morphine daily. But going through extensive trauma at such a young age has shown me how precious life is & having your health can be.
My Stoma saved my life, I will always continue to try to erase the stigma around ostomy bags & invisible illnesses, as well as showing my true beautiful self.” | Posted on 09/Sep/2024 23:11:20
