Yesterday marked exactly 7 months since I started The Stolen Colon. And in those months, I have tried my best to be very open and honest in everything I do.
I know that I deal with some difficult subjects on here. IBD is a difficult subject. It is an embarrassing subject… and I was embarrassed for a long time. I didn’t even talk to my husband about the things I was going through because I was afraid he would look at me differently.
So when I decided I wanted to share my story, I wanted to do it right. I wanted to not hold anything back; to talk about the good and the bad and the completely awful. It is very easy to talk about those intimate thoughts when you’re sitting on the other side of a computer (at least for me). But something hit me hard the other day that I wasn’t expecting.
A friend that I’ve met in the ostomy community online asked me to review a product. I happily accepted and tried it out. He asked if I wouldn’t mind sending some pictures of me using it as well, and I said, “of course.” But when it came time to do it… I got a little wigged out. I suddenly realized that, in all of this time, I haven’t taken any pictures of myself with my ostomy showing.
I have always planned to. I don’t have a problem with it. But once the opportunity actually came up, I wasn’t sure how to handle it. I started over-thinking everything and I couldn’t come up with a good solution. Should I take it of myself or should I ask my husband to? Should I show the bag itself or put a cover on it? Should I let it peek out from under my shirt or should I wear something that shows it all?
It wasn’t until he asked me about the pictures again that I realized I was nervous. I’m not ashamed, that has never been the issue. In fact, I’m very proud of it and the life it has now allowed for me to live. And I’m not scared any more.

Me and my custom “The Stolen Colon” bag cover from OstomyBagHolder.com