hey know, first and foremost, that the procedure is overwhelmingly positive for most people.
Here, four people share why theyre glad they made the call to have an ostomy.
I didnt know anyone who had ever been pregnant with an ostomy.
Ariel Davis
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I couldnt even get out of bed, she tells SELF.
At 24, after several unsuccessful medication courses, acolonoscopyrevealed that Brown had precancerous tissue deep in her colon.
She needed to get part of her colon removed.
Though Brown was adamantly against surgery, her doctorwho learned that Brown wanted to have childrenhelped change her mind.
Browns symptoms have stayed in remission since surgery.
I worried about the baby kicking near my stoma because I heard that was really painful.
(Big relief: It wasnt.)
She also feared that a vaginal delivery would tear the stitched-up area near her rectum after it was removed.
Today, Brown calls herself one of those weirdo people who lovesbeing pregnant and is considering a third child.
There was not one experience where anyone was turned off by it.
Jess Grossmanwas diagnosed with Crohns disease at nine.
By college, she was determined to (finally) connect with others and her body.
That fan club included her now husband, whom she met in Jamaica.
[You] dont need to worry about it.
Its not going to get in the way.
He later explained that he was cool with it because Grossman was.
And because theyre okay with it, I feel better about it.
It just builds on itself.
I do more because I know how precious life is.
Bethan Ashtonbegan having severestomach painand rapid, unexplained weight loss at 11for seemingly no reason.
Even worse, doctors disregarded her symptoms.
Within a matter of weeks, I lost all appetite and could barely walk, Ashton tells SELF.
My mom took me to the hospital and demanded that I be seen.
Those painful years are behind Ashton, now 33 and an avid world traveler.
Sharing our experiences, good and bad, will help places be more inclusive and accommodating.
My students think its so cool.
Love was hospitalized for issues related to UC five times in 2017.
Ostomy surgery ended up being the best choice ever, Love says: It finally got hersymptomsunder control.
she says, laughing.
So its really cool to see you with that teaching, Love says.
Now that shes five years post-surgery, Love wants to show others that shes doing great following her ostomy.
She oftenshares videos and photosof her life with a stoma with her 6,000-plus followers on Instagram.
Ill talk about poop all day, she says.
I dont want anybody ever to experience the pain that Ive experienced.
