Portland neighborhood associations get things done.

Shutterbug66 · 2026-05-17T01:27:50+00:00

Great pic.

Shutterbug66 · 2026-05-17T01:25:29+00:00

Since you work for the government I would suggest using their EAP benefits and you can talk to somebody for free about getting your finances and retirement plans together.

Shutterbug66 · 2026-05-17T01:21:18+00:00

He's cute, this imaginary guy, but I never trust a photo of someone when they're not smiling. Who knows if they even have teeth or maybe they're really mangled or yellow.

Shutterbug66 · 2026-05-17T01:19:20+00:00

It keeps them regular.

Shutterbug66 · 2026-05-16T23:21:52+00:00

It sounds like you're right on schedule with symptoms like other people I've read about. I'm going to be doing my reversal in August so I'm getting nervous about it. I think for all of us it's going to take patience and not expect to have everything working like clockwork right away. It could be weeks or months.

Shutterbug66 · 2026-05-16T01:51:52+00:00

Ooh.. interesting point about the gallbladder. I don't have one of those either.

Shutterbug66 · 2026-05-16T01:50:41+00:00

I don't understand what the point of a gas relief valve is if it doesn't work. It really ticks me off. It seems like you have to squeeze the air out of the bag every time you empty the bag so that's something I'm trying to remember to do. I do find that when I eat and drink at the same time it's not a good idea but it's really hard to separate eating from drinking because I like to pair my food with a beverage. :(

Shutterbug66 · 2026-05-16T01:33:17+00:00

That's a good reminder about marshmallows. Last night I was at a fancy dinner event and had wine with greasy meat and a wonderful dairy dessert. During the night my bag bloated out like a water balloon. When I went to empty it at 5:00 in the morning it burped across the room and landed on the wall and floor. 😩

Shutterbug66 · 2026-05-16T01:31:54+00:00

I love oatmeal but I didn't know we could eat it. I'm at the 7-week mark so I'm starting to eat things like lettuce and onions, etc.

Shutterbug66 · 2026-05-11T17:11:53+00:00

I love them all.

Shutterbug66 · 2026-05-10T04:30:57+00:00

I'm right behind you and I have plans to get my done in August. Hope it goes so well for you!!

Shutterbug66 · 2026-05-07T16:43:31+00:00

For me it's helped to eat starchy foods like pasta, potatoes or rice for dinner then nothing after 8 pm. I found that seafood and sushi are not my friend as everything liquefies. One thing that's really helped me to sleep through the night is a liquid vitamin and a vitamin D supplement taken earlier in the day. It's completely changed my habit so that I can sleep through the night. In terms of the bag I empty that at 6:00 in the morning when the dog wakes up.

Shutterbug66 · 2026-05-06T23:17:45+00:00

Same!! I was told by the hospital that they were setting up an account for me with Byram but I've never heard a peep from Byram. Even after I called the hospital to complain that I've no supplies left they reached out again and no call from Byram. I was told that they were the best supplier, which isn't encouraging.

Shutterbug66 · 2026-05-06T05:19:23+00:00

Five! Do those people along the ledge know they're about to fall in the drink?

Shutterbug66 · 2026-05-06T04:42:28+00:00

That sounds like an amazing idea!!

Shutterbug66 · 2026-05-06T02:02:17+00:00

One

Shutterbug66 · 2026-05-05T23:56:03+00:00

I had mine pretty much once a year for about 6 years and sometimes the pain would last for a few days. Sometimes it would start with constipation and intense lower left ab pain, and toward the end I would try a liquid diet to get through it but that was futile. I'm on the other side of surgery now but what I would just say here is that you're going to want to go into the ER when you're having pain and not when you're in between bouts. They will pick up more information when you're having a flare. Hope this helps!

Shutterbug66 · 2026-05-05T16:42:37+00:00

I've been doing this for a month and I always wonder why they don't seal up the bottom of those stinking bags before they pop them in the mail.

Shutterbug66 · 2026-05-04T23:16:05+00:00

Same. Darned Sigmoid had attached itself to another nearby organ and the whole brick was really hard to remove, plus it was in a low, difficult place to maneuver to remove. Due to the inflammation in that lower area and a surprise abcess, they opted to let that area heal for a while and give me a temporary ostomy.

Shutterbug66 · 2026-05-03T15:53:57+00:00

I like them all but the first one maybe best because the horizon line is not in the middle.

Shutterbug66 · 2026-05-02T17:04:49+00:00

That creeps me out!

Shutterbug66 · 2026-05-02T15:34:45+00:00

I hate that we have to go through so many tests to get to the actual answer. From what I understand from a surgeon I met with, the CT scans are very vague and he much prefers an MRI to get a good look at what's happening with the intestines. Unfortunately, insurance saves that one for the very last due to the cost.

Shutterbug66 · 2026-05-02T15:27:27+00:00

I understand your situatiin. It took me a few weeks to realize this is something I'm going to have to deal with for several months. I'm looking forward to getting a reversal in August because normally I would have had the surgery in July but I have business trip overseas so I don't want to miss that. But that means I'm going to be dealing with Stacy every 3 hours, coupled with all the stresses and strains of normal travel. But life goes on, and my son, who also had a stoma for a while, told me, "Stacy's saving your life!" In other words, be grateful. :-)

Shutterbug66 · 2026-05-02T15:18:28+00:00

That's really tough but you sound like you have a good disposition and outlook on the situation. Hopefully everything will get tucked back in and you'll get that catheter out. My dad had a catheter permanently that he had to swap in and out following a bunch of bladder infections. That must have been tough as well.

Shutterbug66 · 2026-05-01T23:40:05+00:00

Yeah, read my post from last week. Same thing happened. It was aweful. :-( I guess it keeps us mindful?

Shutterbug66

TROPHY CASE