So we all probably have that dreadful fear of the bag just popping off and people seeing it as we stink and poo out in public. As we get used to our bags we realize it's highly unlikely this horror scenario will occur.
What are some of your biggest ostomy fears?
Mine is the fear/paranoia that I'll forget to tuck my pouch back into my pants and will walk out in public and become humiliated by people seeing it.
I knew someone who that actually happened to - the whole bag fell off. Though not in public, in our house (everyone managed to laugh about it though
).
As for your other fear - maybe I shouldn't admit this but I usually don't tuck my bag in. My stomach's still a bit sore from the surgery, so the last thing I want is tightness if the bag is tucked in and then inflates or fills. I tuck it in
only when out in public, at home it's always out (even with a house full of relatives for Christmas). I can't see that it would bother me if it was out in public? Most people wouldn't even know what it was. And I'm also guilty of getting it out in public (in a doctor's waiting room). Because it was new and I was still learning, so when it did something that felt or sounded weird I wanted to check it right away. My priority is keeping everything clean and hygienic. So if there was any possibility it might be leaking, I'd check. I'd much rather have avoided a leak by having a good look at it when I felt it bubbling or whatever than keep it hidden in case people see it. (It wasn't leaking, but if it had been I'd have been glad to have realised right away.)
In more formal situations I'd care more about it being visible. But I'm most embarrassed by the fart noises it makes. If that happened in a church service or something like that, I'd feel pretty mortified.
But my biggest fear is my ostomy landing me in hospital. I'm scared of getting a blockage. I've had so much new pain the last few days, and right now I'm dreading it getting to the point where my mum insists on driving me to A&E. It feels like I only just got out of hospital. I don't want to go back again!