By Robin Glover
The holiday season is here! Yay! It’s a wonderful time to build lasting memories and celebrate shared traditions. The holidays always bring people together.
But is that always a good thing? In spirit, yes. But in practice…maybe not. There are crowds at the mall, long lines at the store, endless Amazon deliveries, presents to wrap, meals and small talk to make, and on top of it all, they want us to look nice and show up to parties, too.
All this bringing people together can be a bit much.
But what if you could find peace and serenity almost anytime you want? What if you could enjoy a few moments of quiet solitude among the festive chaos?
Well, if you’re lucky enough to have a colostomy or ileostomy, you have that power. And it’s just one of the ways having an ostomy during the holidays is pretty awesome.
- Instant Peace and Serenity
So Uncle Bob had a little bit too much eggnog. And now he’s passed out on the couch ripping off farts that would put a skunk to shame. Nobody wants to be near him.
But deep down, everyone’s a little jealous. He’s over there in his own little cloud getting some much-needed peace and quiet.
The problem is that Uncle Bob can’t control when he lets out a little gas. But, we ostomates with an ileostomy or colostomy can! We can have our own little cloud of solitude at the ready for when we need a little time alone.
Simply “burp” your pouch and suddenly the room empties and you’re surrounded by nothing but instant peace and serenity. Ahh…the joys of being an ostomate.
- Get in the Holiday Spirit
Those beige pouches can be a little drab. But there’s nothing a little holiday decorating can’t fix. No matter your type of ostomy or what holidays you celebrate, a few battery-powered lights and some glittery garland can turn you into a walking celebration of the medical miracle you are. Of course, premade holiday-themed pouch covers such as those pictured from C&S Pouch Covers, or several Etsy shops, could do the trick as well.
People will be totally jealous. They’ll wish they had an ostomy pouch to decorate. But they’ll just have to stick to ugly sweaters they got off Amazon like everyone else…boring.
- Last-Minute Stockings
Oh no! The dog ate Bailey’s stocking! Where are you going to put those awesome stocking stuffers you got them? You
search around the house and can’t find a sock or a bag worth using.
You hear a commotion. Are the kids up already? You gotta hurry. Then, you remember that order of ostomy supplies that just came in. A pouch will be perfect! So you run to your supply stash and grab one.
Throw some candy in it, add the yo-yo and animal erasers, and you’re saved! Thank goodness for ostomies!
- Let It Go! Let It Go!
It’s last-minute gift buying time. You’ve been waiting in line for twenty minutes and then those dozen latkes or half-gallon of cider suddenly kick in and you need to go to the bathroom. Now, most people would either have to hold it not knowing when they’ll finally get to go, or get out of line and rush to the restroom.
But not you. Luckily, you can just go while you’re in line! Of course, this only works 50% of the time depending on whether you have a urostomy or colostomy/ileostomy. Unless you’re lucky enough to have both!
- Let It Signify Your Resilience
Your ostomy is a symbol of all you’ve been through and the faith, fortitude, and resilience it took to get through the toughest times.
So when you do actually get a quiet moment to reflect during the holidays, remember how far you’ve come and that you’re an inspiration to those around you.
Even if you didn’t welcome it or are having a difficult time right now, look at your ostomy as the reason you get to experience everything, good or bad, that the holiday season has to offer. Because an ostomy truly is a gift and, as an ostomate, your life is the greatest gift of all to those who love you. You are a miracle.
Robin Glover is a writer based in the Houston area. He has a permanent ostomy after being diagnosed with Crohn’s Disease in 2017.
