Kathy Moore appreciates her stoma surgery and artificial anal bag for freeing her from the pain she described as “worse than childbirth.”
Moore from the East Wall of Dublin suffers from ulcerative colitis, and in 2002 her weight plummeted to 6.5 stones.
Ulcerative colitis is a long-term condition in which the colon and rectum become inflamed.
Symptoms vary in severity, but can have a significant impact on daily life, like Moore in her early 60s.
“I had to be taken to the hospital. The pain was worse than giving birth. At that time, I had no quality of life,” she said.
Suddenly I had symptoms and had to stay near the bathroom all the time. She added: “The pain is intolerable and you will wake up in the middle of the night.”
She took heavy medicine for the immune system.
Ulcerative colitis is considered to be an autoimmune disease. This means that the body’s defense against infection, the immune system, will attack healthy tissues. Surgery to remove the colon may be an option when the drug does not work to control the symptoms.
Moore will have surgery to remove the large intestine and other surgery.
Stoma surgery involves an opening in the abdominal wall.
She was equipped with a pouch to carry waste.
Adjustments are needed after this surgery and it takes time to learn to live with an artificial anal bag.
She was worried about how she could handle situations such as passing security at the airport.
But for her, the benefits soon became apparent shortly after feeling such a low level of health for a long time.
“The pain is gone. I could live, go on holidays, go to the beach,” she said. “I wore a bikini three months after surgery.”
Doctors and nurses point out that it is important to get used to the stoma physically and mentally.
The patient may feel pain while the wound is healing, but it is important to follow the advice of a medical professional.
Moore chose not to have any further surgery and instead decided to keep a bag she jokingly named “Lewis Puton”.
“I do everything to stay healthy, including yoga and swimming,” she said.
Moore was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2011 and was successfully treated.
She said that some of the medicines she is currently taking can affect bone strength, so she is working to ensure that she takes care of her health.
She started swimming in the sea during the blockade and is currently training in synchronized swimming funding events.
“It takes time to make friends with a bag. You always think the bag is bigger than you,” she said.
She adjusted her life to accommodate the bag and decided to take full advantage of the relief from years of pain and the new freedom it gave her.
“For me, that meant a painless life,” Moore said. “That meant I was able to live. I was able to plan again.”
She is currently a member of the WhatsApp group with other people who have had stoma surgery and shares their experiences and tips.
According to HSE, if someone needs a temporary or permanent stoma with an external bag or pouch, they are worried about what they look like and how others react. You may feel it.
“There is a patient support group that helps people who have or will have a stoma,” Moore added.
In the weeks following surgery, gentle exercise is usually recommended to help recovery. After recovering from stoma surgery, you can gradually return to your previous exercise routine.
All artificial anal bags are waterproof, so most types of exercise are possible with a stoma, including swimming.
World Stoma Day is held every three years on the first Saturday of October.
The Irish Ostomy Association supports the people of this country.
