Ulcerative Colitis and Crohn’s Disease are serious bowel conditions that affect many people of all ages across the world today. This is my account of suffering UC for 10 years and how I coped and survived before undergoing stoma surgery. Pain, humiliation, loss of dignity and anger were all part of my life prior to having surgery for a colostomy.
Ulcerative Colitis and Crohn’s Disease are serious bowel conditions that affect many people of all ages throughout the world today.
This is one man’s account of suffering the debilitating UC for 10 years before undergoing stoma surgery for a permanent ileostomy.
Pain, humiliation, loss of dignity and anger were all part of the author’s life prior to being told he would need surgery for a colostomy. Hardly had this begun to sink in before, the operation was changed to a permanent ileostomy leading to further psychological issues.
This is an honest account of how Grahame Howard survived the 10 years of UC and coped with the knowledge that stoma surgery was inevitable. Grahame’s Christian faith was the mainstay in his survival and played a big part in his recovery, especially receiving a healing miracle while in hospital.
The book is autobiographical in style but also gives the reader tips on what to expect prior to surgery and how to live with a stoma and the many psychological battles attached to this.
Life is never easy with bowel conditions and when surgery has to take place in order to survive, it can promote anxiety and frustration as answers are difficult to find.
This book is a ‘Must Read’ for people associated with a stoma but will also encourage people who are undergoing personal life issues. There is a better life out there. It’s a matter of finding it.
I’m Grahame Howard and I have been writing for around 20 years. I was born in Nottingham but after finishing my time in the Army, I settled with my family in Dorset. I am married with 3 children and 5 grandchildren. After becoming a Christian in 1980, I trained to be a pastor with The Elim Pentecostal movement and pastored a church in Dorset for a time. In 1993, I went to university and trained as a social worker. Following jobs working in Mental Health and Childcare I transferred to bereavement work in a hospice where I now remain. In 1990 I was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis after suffering with many symptoms for quite a few years. It completely took over my life and I became housebound. In 2000, after 10 years of suffering with this dreadful disease, I had stoma surgery for an ileostomy. There was really no other way forward. As I had been writing for many years and because I could find no other book that would suit my needs, I decided to write my own book about ulcerative colitis which featured my 10 year ordeal. I felt led to put my thoughts down on paper so that they would hopefully help fellow bowel sufferers in the future. All Bagged Up was accepted and published by Pneuma Springs in 2008/9. The book has opened up the way for me to give chats at local stoma groups and [...]
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