Brown Sugar You Make Me Feel So Good?

Over the weekend, Wenda gave me a bit of a scare.

Let's just say recently I've been loving vegetables like a love song baby, and tomatoes have been on repeat. I'm very fortunate (knock on wood...okay knock on an entire forest of red woods) that my digestive system and stoma have been able to tolerate a variety of unexpected foods like seaweed and sesame covered sushi and a cornucopia of veggies. I've found that Diet Coke and a glass or two of pinot help the asparagus go down in the most tolerable way. Of course every ilesotomy is different but Wenda has been very kind...until Sunday which turned into a not so funday.

After lunch with my brother in Lincoln Park, I sensed that the wafer of my pouching system was feeling a little tight and that my stoma was a little swollen. I drank a few glasses or water (and a bloody mary) with lunch but found no relief. Concerned I decided to drive my brother home from the city, and pick up extra ostomy supplies. My mom suggested I take a nap but I couldn't relax. I had too much on my mind.  Taking it easy for the rest of the day I prayed that whatever this taught and unusual feeling that was going on with my stoma would go away.

Monday morning soon arrived and I attempted to go about my day as usual. However I still felt like something wasn't right. The tightness spread to the left side of my stomach. Upon arriving home I went for a walk hoping the pain would ease up.... but I could get no satisfaction. Frantic that something was seriously wrong I began searching my symptoms. The results of my Internet self diagnosis for a swollen stoma had me breaking into a cold sweat.  I stumbled upon a message board where someone suggested an ice pack and sprinkling brown sugar on the stoma as a home remedy to get things back to normal state.

Shut the front door. Brown sugar?

Within one hour I started to notice a difference. Who knew a baking ingredient would grant me piece of mind - but I'm grateful to the ostomates who shared this secret. It's thanks to so many of the strangers out there that I don' t feel strange and that my worries aren't weird, they are part of this new life.  So whatever troubles your mind at 3:00 AM, whether it be medical, professional, or personal, chances are there is someone who's shared something like it. If you find you can't let it go, then share it (with the world wide web, your best friend, or maybe a higher power) and don't suffer in silence. You never know how a sharing story with a similar soul could bring a significant change and peace of heart to not only yourself but a complete stranger.