Bea's Story

Hi! I am now 43 yrs old. I had my surgery when I was 11 yrs old. I was born with spina bifida and am still walking on my own, thank the gods. I was the first person in Delaware to have this kind of surgery. My doctor got Dr. Ferris to come and do the surgery and the hospital didn't even have supplies.

I remember going up for surgery and then when I woke up I immediately looked under the sheet. And to my, and my mothers surprise, there was a Styrofoam cup with cotton balls taped where my stoma is now. Dr Ferris had to come in and teach my mother how to take care of me right off the bat.

I've gone through quite a lot of different types of appliances in my time. The very first was a metal face plate with a little door that the pouch connected to (they don't make them like that anymore, thank god.)

I had it redone when I was 24 due to a car accident. Remember to make sure the seat belt is below the ostomy! Mine was not and shoved everything back inside of me. As a rseult I almost died due to urine poisoning.

I now have one child. While carrying him we kept checking to see if he had spina bifida. Everytime I went to view him he would hide his back behind my ostomy. Could not tell if he had it or not until he was born. And thank the lord! He is healthy!

My last so far is having kidney stones and not knowing it till late. Had A cathater inserted into my back to my left kidney. Then the next day the surgery to remove the kidney stone that was 2 inches long and 1/2 inch wide removed. I found out that ostomates are more likely to have this than regular people.

I am now doing fine and hope to keep doing fine.

senoircatsmeow, a volunteer of the S.P.C.A.

...Bea

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