Another insight into the strange world of the Mud Bag Runner

So, when I started this blog my goal has always been to be honest. To share with Ostomist and non Ostomost alike my slant on Ostomy challenges.

This can vary from practical matters (what an Ostomy actually is) to some more personal aspects.

When I decided to do this it often means sharing a few stories or incidents that are a little embarrising. Well you guessed it, this is one of those times.

My job often requires me to travel. On this occasion I had to travel the fairly short distance to our HQ at Reigate for a 9 a.m. meeting. This meant facing possibly the worse stretch of the M25 at the moment. The road works at junction 5!

True to form I reached J5 and traffic ground to a halt. We proceeded to clutch dip for the next 20 minutes or so : (

Now to fully understand the next part I should probably need to give you some additional information about my ileostomy. (To cover the basics check out my previous blog 'what the hell is a stoma')

Many people still think that you have some control over your stomas output. Well I am sorry to burst your bubble..but you dont.

As I often do I'll do my best to explain. I have a far reduced bowel capacity as about 12ft are in a jar somewhere in Liverpool ; )  The law of physics only allows a finite amount to exist withinn this space. Once this is full if you try to add anymore there is only one place it to go...OUT!
This is the basic concept of my digestive system and another Ostomist challenge.

Can see where I am going with this? ; )

I had eaten breakfast before I left and had reached 'capacity'.

Another thing you should be aware of is my bag also has a capacity and as we have no control over this can fill rather quickly. Potentially my stoma bag can fill to capacity within 5 mins!!! And I wear a medium sized bag!

Today was one of those days. I was now slap bang in the middle of the roadworks. Middle lane and no hard shoulder. ..DAMN!

Now perhaps 6 or so years ago I would've started to panic at this stage. When the bag is at capacity 'blow outs' become a risk as the pressure builds.(FYI these are as bad as they sound)

Ostomists also spell check as Optomists (thanks Microsoft) For every problem there is always a solution. Even if the solution is do nothing and deal with the consequencies.

A quick scan around the car and I was able to calmly defuse the situation, cleanly, quickly, discretely and with as much dignity as I could.

So in some ways having a stoma bag actually helped in this situation. Imagine if I didnt have a bag.I really wouldve been in trouble then! ; )

And thats why I share this story, everyone faces daily challenges. Sometimes they can be worse than others often feel like the end of the world. Whatever happens happens, it is often completely out of our control.

So next time you have one of these 'challenges' be an Ostomist....I mean Optomist ; )

(thanks again Microsoft)