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The Stigma of Surgery

Sun, April 25, 2010 12:00 AM

To us, it's scary, and eventually, liberating. But above all, it's a (somewhat) common topic. Outside of the IBD and cancer worlds, it's something nobody can talk about, nor would they want to. I've heard people make jokes about it, and consider surgery and its consequences (mostly colostomy bags) to be the worst form of living.

I'm sick of statements like this:

"Today, my neighbor greeted me with her colostomy bag hanging out in full view. FML."

(FML=FMyLife, where people submit stories about how horrible their lives are.)

Or this:
"You suck. I hope you get colon cancer."

These diseases are not a joke. Seeing their effects in others should not be a means to garner sympathy for yourself. Because of the nature of these diseases, people think it's acceptable to use them for a few cheap laughs. The perception of colon cancer and IBD needs to change. Now.

aaroneet
Joined Oct 19, 2009

Wed, May 05, 2010 12:00 AM

Reply posted for Aaroneet.

My daughter is 3 years old, she was sick in the hospital for 2 months with a severe flare of UC. None of the meds were working and we quickly had to accept the reality that our daughter would need to have a total colectomy and would ultimately have an ileostomy. With that being said, we started to tell our close family members. To my surprise a few of them just looked at me with a look of disgust, and would say things like..that "sucks", or that's gross. That was my daughters family members that made those comments. I cannot imagine what ppl are going to say once she starts school.
Surgery saved my daughters life though, and without it she would not be here today.
I hope I raise her to be proud of her body and I pray she is never ashamed b/c of what other ppl say to her. She is extrememly brave and right now it doesn't phase her. At the park sometimes it will come out of her pants and I do notice other mothers staring trying to figure out what that is. but that is life, this is something she will have to deal with the rest of her life.
thank you for posting your comment though.

katiesmommy
Joined Sep 2, 2009

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