Gutlessgal

me irl

An ileostomy represents many things.  Hope for my future, where I live without ulcerative colitis.  Grief for my old body, and longing for a time when I was whole.  A constant reminder of our individual fragility, tempered by awe at the marvels of modern medicine.  But most importantly, it represents a new opportunity to accessorize!  And when I say “accessories,” what’s the first thing you think of?

That’s right!  Home-made, artisanal crafts from Etsy shops!

I’m a bit of a compulsive shopper, so I’m building up a collection faster than I really need to.  The jellyfish bag is from Stomy Bag Covers, and the rest are from The Undercover Company, and they’re all super adorable.  The particular bag system that I use is transparent, so a cover is a must-have for the sake of not grossing everybody else out.  And also they’re pretty.

One thing I’ve found since having my ostomy is that getting dressed isn’t as easy anymore; I have to be mindful of where my clothes sit over my bag/stoma.

I’ve found the biggest issue is trousers; I have several pairs of work trousers that I can’t wear any more due to them sitting too low to be comfortable over my bag but too high to sit under it. To solve this, I’ve turned to high-waisted trousers and skirts with elasticated waists. As for casual wear, I have found that most of my jeans will sit under my bag quite comfortably, except one pair that rubs the bottom of the adhesive just enough to worry me. It doesn’t create a hole but the last few times I’ve worn them I’ve noticed the edge of the flange has frayed slightly.

There’s also making sure that tops and dresses aren’t too tight over my bag as well but that’s why I try everything on before buying it.