Tag: The Benefits of Having an Ostomy

The potential for sweet Halloween costumes is one of the many benefits of having an ostomy. I’m a nerd, so my first go-to is Dune, but think of all the possibilities of what you can do with exposed intestine. Zombies, murder victims, that unfortunate fella from Saving Private Ryan – the list goes on and on.

The scene in Jaws where Quint and Hooper sit around comparing scars has always been one of my favorites. When I had my first surgery for Crohn’s back in 1999, it occurred to me that I could now hang in with those guys if I were to quantum leap into that scene. After that first surgery, I had a scar that ran from my sternum to my groin. Now that I have an ostomy as well, I’m quite sure I would crush those dudes. Well, aside from that whole USS Indianapolis part. That will always reign supreme.

Let’s face it, if you have Crohn’s Disease, it’s likely you’ll end up with some pretty serious scars sooner or later. I say own that. Scars are cool. They show that you’ve been through something in life. For various reasons, I’ve amassed over 30 scars in my life so far and each one is a badge of honor for something difficult that I survived. Scars are significant. They remind us that we’re human and that life is full of ups and downs. They stand as a testament that you need to enjoy the good times and that you’ll get through the bad times.

So don’t be ashamed of your scars. They are a part of who you are and they ought to be cherished.