Artist with an ostomy bag

Creativity has always come easy to me. It started in grade school when I won awards for art projects I had made. Junior High was something a little different. I started writing, and that I felt was going to take me places. Once High School began to my passion for creativity showed up in creating sculptures and photographing the items I created and those of others in my class. I couldn’t believe how easy it was to sit down and create. Thankfully I was able to maintain my creativity after my accident, which resulted in a tear in my colon, and a colonoscopy ensued.

I had been building, creating, painting, and snapping photos on one of the projects I was working on. Everything was going fantastic, and I couldn’t wait for the finished product. I, unfortunately, took a nasty fall and endured massive trauma to my abdomen. I was awake after I fell, but everything on me hurt, and my stomach felt like it had literally been ripped open with a knife. After focusing on that for not more than a few minutes, I blacked out. I can recall various noises as I wavered in and out of conscience.

Slowly over time, the reality of my situation settled in. I was released from the hospital, swelling gone, ankle repaired, and stoma and bag in place. I knew the road ahead was going to be interesting. It took months for me to get into a rhythm, and I eventually started to get my creative juices going. I was able to paint and write while I was initially healing, and that helped the recovery process amazingly. Additionally, I was able to use my exhibits to bring awareness of my injuries. I found that the colostomy bag was the biggest area of interest. That surprised me.

Eventually, that injured time moved into a normal routine again. I have not once been held back from the outcome of my accident. Did it freak me out and cause me to be more careful? Absolutely it did. I regret that the whole ordeal had to happen, but I see throughout the outcome the positive aspects. There are certain events and charities that I would never be able to share my creative projects with had I not gone through what I did. Ostomies of any kind are not what we would ever ask for, but the result of not having one in place is not an option if you want to continue to live. I have a lot left in me, and I refused ever to let anything stand in the way of my passions, drive, and creativity.