Two bag changes and one too many loose bags of stool later, I have gotten around to another post. Let’s see…. Since the last change (the day after my last post) I think I’ve had only three healthy “poops.” The rest have been almost water. I am emptying more frequently and I’ve got to say it is very frustrating. I am not eating much differently than I have and am unsure why it’s happening. They say after three loose stools you’re in risk of dehydration, and I’ve had three in the last hour. I have been drinking A LOT of water. I don’t feel sick or anything on top of it so I can’t be sure what’s going on. I decided to come back to parents this weekend to get a steady dose of good food and sleep. I need to get back on track. I’m going to start running and working out on Monday. Tuesday and Wednesday I will be in Columbia for work. Let’s hope I’ve got this poo problem under control by then. This morning was day 5 and time to change the bag. Even if it wasn’t, I would have had to anyway. I woke up with leakage all around the flange (part that sticks to my stomach.) They do say it’s more likely to leak if you have loose stools. The irritation on my skin was bad. I put a lot of medicated powder on in hopes to stop the irritation before it gets any worse. We’ll see. I plan on taking it easy and not doing much this weekend. I will say, the Rangers losing Game 7 last night made me happy. GO BRUINS. I’m looking into getting a new place soon so I’m going to go looking for some furniture today and lay out by the pool. Until next time!  See ya!

The weekend was fun. My buddy Mark is officially a husband. Despite the torrential downpour and a tornado warning, the wedding went off without a hitch. Moving around is much easier so getting around the airport with a bag wasn’t so bad. This time I had my stealth belt too. The week consisted of a lot of good Austin food, good friends, and one to many captain and cokes… at least the first night. I think I pushed it too hard the first night and paid for it the rest of the weekend. I had to empty the bag a lot more than usual because of it. And wearing clothes that were tucked into my pants made it hard for me to check the bag, I wasn’t crazy about that. I was worried about dehydration because of the amount I was emptying my bag so I switched over to water on Saturday. I wore my Stoma Guard for the wedding. Mostly because I knew there would be dancing and banging around. We all had fun. It went to fast. The 6 of us have a great friendship and it’s always good to get together these days.

….like I said, we’re all really close. Overall, the weekend and my stomach were okay. I am still a lot more tired than normal, so it was hard to stay up as late as everyone else, which was a bit upsetting. I wanted to be out drinking and having fun through the night, but I literally couldn’t do it.  Besides the fatigue, there were a few more bathroom trips.. which to be honest were super quick because when the bag is full of super loose stool it takes one wipe to clean, so I was in and out. Too much info? It was a great trip and I am very happy for the bride (who looked gorgeous) and the groom (who looked average.)

Weekly bag change is tomorrow morning. This weekend there was a lot more movement and bending. I haven’t noticed any stinging or itching but I am hoping there is no skin irritation. We’ll see.

So, I guess today is World IBD day? Do they have a day for everything? If you have IBD do you get the day off of work? If that was the case I am for IBD day, otherwise I don’t care. 

Update. As for the bag, things are going real well. The belts help and sleeping is getting easier. Changing it is become a lot easier. I’ve been taking it off in the shower and really recommend doing that. Not only does it come off with the adhesive better but the water on the skin is real soothing. The irritation is a lot better too. My biggest issue now, and I can’t even say for sure if it’s related to the colitis, is joint pain. It was getting a bit better, but was always there a little bit. Today I woke up and my right foot killed. I’ve been limping all day. I also have a rash, mostly on my legs, but a little on my arms and shoulders which is a lot more evident after I get out of the shower. I don’t know. It is keeping me from lifting or wanting to work out but so is the fatigue. I’ll weigh myself tonight and see how much more I need to gain. I went to the movies Sunday night and kind of pigged out on Popcorn and candy. At the time it was awesome, and if i had to go back, I’d probably do it again, but I did deal with some super loose poo for a whole day. By the time the movie was over my bag was almost the fullest it’s ever been. I had to empty it there and by the time I got home it was half full again. I took two Imodium and made sure to drink extra fluid to avoid dehydration. Yesterday I didn’t really see much improvement until night time. Everything seems to be back to normal now. Three more days until I head to Austin TX for my buddies wedding. It should be a fun wedding, unless his girlfriend says no to him and leaves him standing at the alter. On second thought, that’d be funny too, so it’s going to be a good weekend regardless. (Relax Mark I’m kidding she won’t do that..I don’t think)

I’ll post another blog Friday while I’m waiting for my plane. Now if you excuse me I have to go pour an early celebratory Rum and coke.. It is IBD DAY AFTER ALL.

I’ve been super busy this week or else I would have written sooner. Tuesday I had my appointment in Chapel Hill. It went well. He said realistically I’d probably be ready for the second surgery in three weeks. Because of a vacation planned at the end of June we are waiting until after that. We scheduled a day…  THURSDAY, JULY 9TH. He gave me the go ahead to start living and running. I am looking forward to getting back at it and feeling healthy. I am still getting headaches and my joints are still bothering me a ton. I’m so tired by the time work ends I don’t even know that I would physically be able to work out. I don’t like that. I spoke to my surgeon about the headaches and joint pain and he didn’t seem to know what they can be stemming from. He suggested the joint pain could be associated with the disease still… the fact that the rectum is still in my body there could be some left over inflammation causing the fatigue and joint pain. I’m not sure I believe that, but who knows. I’m going to fight it out a week or so more and if it doesn’t get any better I’ll have to do something about it. I changed my bag tuesday night after the appointment. The skin that was irritated the previous bag change looked much, much better. I am definitely getting more mobile and used to the bag… or as used to it as you can get. I have a stealth belt and a stoma guard. Both are awesome. I wear the Stealth Belt to work. it keeps everything hidden and secure and is super comfortable to wear. I usually come home around lunch and empty my bag then, so I can avoid doing it at work. When I am home, I take off the stealth belt and wear a belt that my nurse in the hospital gave me that clips onto the Hollister Flange that is glued to my stomach that the bag snaps too. This is a simpler alternative, but certainly keeps the belt secure and I love this one too. The reason I only wear it at home is because there is not a pouch where I can hide or keep my bag up and out of sight and most importantly away from my belt line. So it hangs down but while I am at home I am not worried about people seeing it that I’d prefer not to. Then comes the stoma guard. The stoma guard is what I wear to bed. It is a hard “cup-like” material that is very sturdy and allows me to sleep on my stomach. The link to these belts are all in the side bar. That’s it for now. Feel free to reach out if you have any questions!

There’s a reason i am up blogging at 3:25 AM. It was karaoke night at Bull and Bush (I didn’t sing) and we met some friends who were back in town at King Street. It was the first actual night I went out and drank and I feel great. Just a little tired.. and a little drunk. Can you Blog and Drink? Too bad I’m doing it anyway.

Okay lets start back a few days ago.. Quentin Tarrantino style. I have been lacking a bit on the blog posts. In the big picture, I’d argue that’s a good thing. Nothing to report, means nothing to write about. As I slowly get back to normal it becomes more a blog about my life and less a blog about the surgery and living with a bag on my stomach. And my life is boring, so we don’t want that. I do have things to report though. Let’s start with my first bag change alone, without the help of mom. It went well. I will say this though. My skin is not in the best shape. I am getting some irritation mostly below the stoma, but on the right side as well. I am noticing it is much itchier than normal and every now and then out of the blue Ill feel a stinging sensation. I’ve been using the powder and I think it hash’t gotten better… but it hasn’t gotten worse yet either. Next bag change Ill check in and let you know how it looks. Besides that, the bag change went smoothly. I am definitely getting a lot better. Almost no soreness at all. A little when I cough or sneeze. I am getting much more mobile. Bending down completely is still a little tough. I have been using the Stealth Belt a lot. It is awesome. It keeps everything sturdy and when my bag is full now I don’t notice and the pulling that I had felt before the belt is non existent. The one thing I will say is that the bag is tucked away in a pouch on the belt. Therefore, I cannot see when the bag is full. Also I feel like it is a bit confined and may have no where to go when it does get full. All I’d say is be conscious of that fact and be sure to check it every now and again. I’ve been fake swinging a golf club too. The motion is happening with no pain, so I think soon Ill be able to get out on the course. I’ll start with 9 holes.

Lately there have been two things that I don’t necessarily know if they are related to what’s going on with the bag and my recent change in health. I have been getting headaches. Sometimes not terrible ones, but definitely uncomfortable enough for me to take some medicine. Almost like an, “I need sleep” or “I need food” headache, but those don’t always necessarily make them better. For example, friday I came home from work with a bad headache. I took some Motrin, and laid down for two hours. When I woke up I felt great. No more headache. But by the time bedtime rolled around about 4 hours later it was back. Also, My fingers and joints have been a bit sore. Not sure why that is. These are questions I will bring to the surgeon for my next check up which is Tuesday. TUESDAY! The month flew by! Two more and the next surgery will be here.

One more suggestion. They mention to try and eat a few hours before bed, so you can empty and be good for the night. I am sure this is different for everyone but is something I think worth noting. I don’t necessarily think that’s a good idea. Here’s why. I may not wake up to empty my bag, but I wake up every night absolutely starving. I’d rather eat before bed and roll the dice that I won’t have to wake up to empty again. Its hit or miss.

It’s 3:41 so I will go to bed now…but before I do let me take the time to say one LAST thing. Finish reading this blog, call all your friends and tell them to read the blog too, because it’s real, and funny, and there’s poo and a turtle named Osty. Tell them it’s got everything, that they’ll laugh and they’ll cry, and be left wondering why they never heard of such a shitty disease. AND THEN, call, or text, or if you’re lucky enough to be close by, go wish your mom a HAPPY MOTHERS DAY. I’ve heard and seen posts from almost every friend almost every Mothers Day, that they have the best Mom in the world. That they are so lucky. I won’t become one of those millions of people. It won’t mean anything to them anyway. They don’t care, nor do they believe me, because remember…? THEIR mom is the greatest. I will say this. My mom gives everything she has without expecting anything in return. My whole life she has taken care of me and I have undoubtedly argued and complained about it my whole life. I still am short with her sometimes… ok a lot of the time. But from day one of this whole ordeal, she has been the only one I’d want taking care of me. And that she did. I couldn’t possibly explain all that she’s done for me. I was for weeks, immobile, relying on her for almost everything. From getting my socks on, to making my meals. Breakfast in bed? Uh, okay. She just stopped her life for months to take care of me. The first few nights when I was on my death bed, with a 103 degree temperature and a migraine she stayed with me all night to make sure I was okay. I love my mother!  So HAPPY MOTHERS DAY… and NO this isn’t the one or two… okay maybe 8 or 9, captain and cokes speaking, I SWEAR. Dad, you’ll get your shout out on Fathers Day… but now it’s 4 AM and I need to sleep. I’ll sleep through Mothers Day probably, but that’s fine, this will save face if she reads it in time… also I could send Osty in my place, he loves her cooking too. Goodnight all.

Let’s start bag on tuesday night. I ate at my parents. I then decided to change my bag after my shower. BIG mistake. Everyone says change your bag in the morning, when less food is in your system. They are right. I took the bag off for the first time in the shower. I suggest this. A. It’s quicker and B. The water against your skin feels awesome. Little did I know how much poo was in my system. From the second I sat down my stoma was active. very active. And super loose. Gross, I know. What should have taken 20 minutes… Took an hour, maybe more. Oh and a whole roll and a half of paper towels. It sucked. It bummed me out and really ruined my night. Don’t ever do that. Night time is a terrible time to change bags. I also finally got my stealth belt. It’s too soon to say how I feel about it. It certainly is excellent support, but I’m paranoid about the bag being jammed in there making it tough for the poo to flow through the bag easily. If it all gets stuck and stays up around the stoma there’s more chance of a leak. But I’ll keep you posted as I get more used to it. I went to bed right after the awful change and that was that.

Today was uneventful as far as my bag was concerned. I did however get a tattoo. Number 3! I’ll keep you posted as the week progresses. My strength is getting a tiny bit better. I am gaining a little weight. Laughing and coughing is getting easier. Still not 100%, but feeling a little better each day.

It’s been a few days. Let’s start back on Thursday night, day one of Bachelor Party weekend. I grabbed my supply traveling bag. I brought two extra bags, two flanges (pre-cut) because you can’t bring scissors through security, adhesive remover, moldable rings, and some medicated power in case of skin irritation, in hopes I wouldn’t need any of it. Leaving Myrtle they asked to check my bag and had to pat me down as well because the bag came up on radar as I walked through security. I just let him know I had an ostomy bag, and all was good. The flight was quick. When we arrived in Boston it was 12:30… already way passed my bed time. Our buddy picked us up and we headed to his place. We stayed up until 5AM catching up and playing NHL on Xboxone. It felt like college again. 

  
We woke up at around 9 the next morning, obviously still super tired. We went to breakfast, got our stuff together and headed into the city to pick up the bachelor and head to Fenway park for Yankee Red Sox. 

  
The walk from parking to bar wasn’t long, but it was tough. I was always trailing behind. I also haven’t laughed as hard and as often as I have been in a while, and my stomach where my stitches were is super sore. As for bag issues, there was none. I had wet wipes with me because emptying bags with toilet paper sucks. Don’t do it. We got to our seats up in the Bleachers with 2 hours of bar time under our belt….If you catch my drift. The game was fun…and freezing. The bachelor was a little* drunk. (*Way too drunk) 

  
A Yankee fan got into it with him after heckling got a bit out of hand. Long story short, we all had to leave the game a bit prematurely. I must admit I wasn’t complaining.. I was absolutely freezing. The rest of the night was super fun. There were 7 of us. By 10:30 I was exhausted. I haven’t been up this late in months and I was running on 4 hours of sleep. The bachelor was…in true night one bachelor party fashion…. Very intoxicated. Success. 

Saturday we were meeting more buddies at a suite at the W hotel in Boston. We had a nice suite up on the 10th floor.

   
 We hung out and drank and caught up until a little before the Kentucky Derby. The two horses we bet on didn’t win, I’m terrible at betting on horses. We did more drinking and had dinner close to where we would go to watch the big Mayweather, Pacquaio fight. By the time the fight had started we had been standing at the bar for four hours. I was dead tired. There were no problems all weekend with the bag. A little soreness, but the biggest thing was fatigue. I think it was a bit soon to take on something so taxing on my body. I’d like to add that I didn’t drink one drop of alcohol. Though, I could have if I wanted to. I just haven’t drank that much prior and didn’t want the first time I had a lot of beer in a short period of time to be out in Boston. God forbid something went wrong. Also beer dehydrates you, so if you do drink take it slowly to start. Drink a lot of water simulataneously, or stick to hard stuff. But still watch the dehydration thing. It was tough being the only sober one, but It was worth it. After the fight I headed back to our room and fell asleep almost immediately. I was bummed I couldn’t be at their level, and 100%. 

I’m sitting at the gate waiting for my flight back to Myrtle. I get home at three. I completely forgot to get some kind of souvenir for Osty, I hope he forgives me. I will sleep until work Monday morning. Next bag change is tomorrow. We’ll talk after.