Companion Magazine for IBD Volume 1 | Page 62

FASHOSTOMY Gaylyn’s Story GUTLESSANDGLAMOROUS.COM @GUTLESSGLAMOUR This young lady proves that life with an ostomy doesn’t have to be fashion free! She tells her story and share some of her favorite outfits to wear that make everyone ask ostoWHERE? She is an expert at keeping herself glamorous, while being “gutless” at the same time. Even proving that wearing fashionable bathing suits doesn’t have to be off limits. She is always willing to answer any of your questions and has an amazing direct contact form right on her website, so after you’re done reading here, be sure to check it out! I am rushed to the hospital only to sit stranded in the cold, damp waiting room for what seemed like an eternity in agonizing pain. Unable to keep even a sip of water down, vomiting more than my poor little body could handle, strangers began to hook my weakened veins up to intravenously fluid and medicines in hopes to replenish my body of what it was dangerously emitting profusely. All I kept thinking was why and that in that moment; I wanted to die. I felt like I was going to die and I almost got my wish. At the age of 14, I was diagnosed with Crohn’s Disease. Little did I know at the time how drastically my world was going to completely turn upside down and that my way of thinking was going to change forever. This disease has drastically impacted my life, as well as those that are close to me. I have had multiple hospitalizations, multiple surgeries, multiple procedures, and millions of doctor visits. I am in pain most days, and have taken/take an array of medications to try to alleviate the symptoms. It has been a never ending cycle living with a chronic condition, more specifically in my case Crohn’s Colitis. My most recent surgery was a total proctocolectomy leaving me with a permanent ileostomy. As I look back, a lot of my hospitalizations and procedures prior to this last 61