After 20 years of having IBS-D, then ulcerative colitis, diverticulitis, a blocking stricture, I had a Sigmoid resection. One year later, my entire colon was all precancerous. I was 69 then. I opted for the drastic Colonectomy with an Ileostomy. One surgery & done.
That was 13 months ago, it very saddening when you see the Ileostomy for the 1st time, so foreign looking, and ugly.
But she is now my friend!
It is an accepting & learning process. It is my life-line. It’s difficult, but you can do it! You will have to learn to chew, chew, & chew some more! Otherwise it can be very painful when things pass through. It’s going to change sizes, as you heal, so you must learn to measure & cut your wafers as accurately as you can. Get yourself a stoma nurse, you will need her or him along your journey, they will teach you so much on how to care for your stoma. Attitude accounts for your success, try to stay positive, look at it like a blessing. I do, I’m alive & not dealing with Colon Cancer! This is a good thing.

I have had my ostomy for 20 years now as a result of Crohn's Disease. I hike, scuba dive, swim on a Masters Swim team, go to the gym, eat at restaurants, and just... normal life.

It takes a while to adapt and heal up, and different people have different experiences in how long it takes. Be patient, make sure your talk with the ostomy nurses about how to manage the ostomy on your own, and what to do if you have problems, they are fabulous resources.

My life was so much better after the ostomy. I also had a lot of grief that I "lost" the battle to keep my colon. It was a very mixed feeling...