Notice how I often start by saying “oh I’ve been so busy” or “lots on”. I think it’s pretty clear that having a colostomy has not held me back or stopped me doing things I want to do, which is in fact in complete and extreme contrast to how I believed life with a colostomy would be before I had the op.
It really isn’t a hinderance, it’s just part of my normal, run of the mill day to day life. That’s the whole point of it. It’s to get you back to how you were before, and for those like me that had suffered greatly before, it gets you to a better life.
Life could not be better right now, the sun is still shining, alcohol free beers come in many varieties and the shops have their sales on, what more could I wish for? hahahahaha.
Chris and I went up to London to stay for the weekend, the weather is so good having impromptu staycations are fantastic.
We stayed at a very nice hotel we booked last minute on line, a total treat when we got there as it was gorgeous, with very good features like refillable bottled water to go and yoga mats and resistance bands in every room, air con and on Northumberland Avenue (that of the monopoly board fame). It just so happens that the only family home my parents have ever lived in and I have ever known is also on Northumberland Avenue (only not the monopoly board one).
Anyway, it was glorious weather and we headed to my (our...honestly it’s not just me, he enjoys shopping there too) favourite street to shop in.
There were a few dresses I saw last week that I wasn’t sure about and needed a second opinion in the flesh.
My choice of dress for the day was this gorgeous creation that I bought last weekend, white might well be a bold (mad) choice for a day shopping in London, as a food spiller and an ostomite but to hell with it, live dangerously I say. ;)
I’m wearing a lot of dresses at the moment and have found a significant improvement in the belly aches I was suffering and other bowely problems. Free flowing stomas are happy stomas ;)
Dress from Ralph Lauren, Bag from Jimmy Choo, Shoes from Hermes.
It’s impracticality is surpassed by its beauty. It feels so nice on.
This photo was taken at the end of a sweaty hot, dusty day in town and not a drop of food was spilled. Sometimes I amaze myself with my accomplishments! Hahahahaha
In front of Buckingham Palace...if you really squint or use a magnifying glass. ;)
FYI Hermes on New Bond Street is great for a photo shoot...just don’t let them catch you! Hahahahaha.
We had such a great day. The perfect mix of sightseeing, shopping and drinking ice cold beer (non alcoholic) in pubs, absolute heaven.
With a few purchases made. We headed back to the hotel to get ready for a very exciting night out.
I have recently been in touch with a cousin of Chris’s that he hadn’t seen to talk to since he was a teenager, and that I had obviously never met. Facebook can be a wonderful thing. It brings you my blogs and new old family members! ;)
We decided to meet up in town for a meal and a catch up.
Dress from Mulberry, Shoes from Fendi, Bag from Strathberry.
I’m in love with my new Strathberry Nano Tote bag.
I’ve seen them on the beautiful Princess Meghan and decided that even though I’m not a princess I can still have the handbag of one. And rather handily I won £200 in a raffle a couple of weeks ago (I know, some girls have all the luck...actually I very rarely win anything, it came as a huge surprise) so I treated myself to it, it’s absolutely gorgeous. The colour is the perfect cream (not too white, not too yellow) and the quality of the leather surpasses that of some of my bags that cost many times the Strathberry.
I look forward to winning more raffles to buy more of them...if only! Hahahahaha
The Meghan effect is strong and the bags sell out almost instantly. I’m on a waiting list for a navy one.
Dinner with newly found cousin Nikki and her hubby was fantastic.
Chris sadly hasn’t got any family in his life other than Sam, Ben and I. So it was just fantastic to sit and listen to him and Nikki enthusiastically reminisce.
Dinner at Quaglino’s is always a treat but this time it was extra special.
family reunited
After an incredible meal and a fantastic 5 and Half hour catch up we said our goodbyes. It was such a beautiful evening even though it was well after midnight it was still so warm we decided to walk back to the hotel, very romantic. :)
It only took about 25 minutes. London was still bustling with activity. I’m loving this unusually pleasant weather, people are happier you can actually feel it and to be able to make plans, rather than the usual weather dependent pencilled in hopes to get together. I can forgo green grass, instead actually make plans and stick to them, having picnics on sun parched barren plains is not so bad, even if a little prickly.
Whilst having drinks in a pub earlier in the day Chris and I got chatting to an Australian couple that had come over to see the rolling green hills of England...usually we feel we have to apologise for the rain here, feeling bad for them for the sunshine is a new one on me. We bought them some cold pints and wished them well with the rest of their journey, apologising once again for everything, they were off sightseeing in Birmingham the following day....
On Sunday we had a lazy morning, and then we went out to do something we’ve never done here before. We went on an open top bus sightseeing ride around London. It was sadly over priced and under performed. We’ve been on these sort of tours in the US and Europe and they’re usually quite good but the first tour guide we had failed to deliver anything particularly interesting, the second tour guide (a German girl) was fantastic. Giving interesting information and anecdotes (the irony was not lost on me that it was a visitor to England that gave a better performance that the English chap before her).
Dress from Zara, Shoes from Hobbs, Bag from Jimmy Choo
You probably wouldn’t notice but I did and I loved it. Staying in London for the weekend meant I could take a small handbag out with me rather than my massive bag I usually use. I love my bags but it can be a bit tiring to have to carry plentiful colostomy supplies round with me. If I had leaked, pancaked or had any form of stoma related incident I could easily head back to our hotel and sort it out there.
Sometimes carrying my supplies round like a new mother with a nappy bag can be a tad frustrating. I mean if you’ve got to you’ve got to but it just makes a pleasant change not to have to. :)
The sights are incredible even when the commentary isn’t. It’s such a beautiful city.
After our bus tour we headed over to Kensington to meet friends for a bite to eat.
We had the most amazing food, my first try of Lebanese food, I likey! :)
A good feed with good friends followed by a stroll round the museum district, followed by ice cold 0.0 beers in a pub. I have to wonder if life gets better than that?
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I saw a tweet that horrified me yesterday on twitter.
It was a proposed anti smoking ad for the Canadian government, using a colostomy as a dire warning to smokers that came across a little like, “EEeeewwwwww you could end up pooing in a bag if you smoke”
Don’t get me wrong I don’t disagree with the context, yes smoking is linked to colorectal cancer and many others cancers too, not just the obvious like lung, mouth and throat cancers and yes you could well end up with a colostomy if you continue to smoke and develop colorectal cancer.
But using a colostomy as a dire warning, like it’s the worst thing that could happen to a fellow human, that’s off and somewhat offensive. It’s an incredibly clumsy, ill informed idea that undoes in one concept all the hard work advocates for positivity about stoma’s have tried to accomplish.
We’re not stupid, we know the facts, if knowing full well that you could be faced with a slow, agonising death doesn’t put people off smoking then telling them that they face a life of pooing in a bag as an almost worse alternative is ridiculous.
I had colorectal cancer, I do not smoke, cancer isn’t particularly picky if you do or not to be honest. My bag is NOT the worse case scenario, it is life giving!! Life changing, LIFE in fact!
It is a positive, so actually what this ad was saying is yes you might get cancer from smoking but Yey we can possibly fix you, so carry on as you were hahahahaha...Doh!
Thankfully a group of stoma advocates got on the case and made their opinions not only known but heard, really heard. I for one am very grateful to them. And thankfully the Canadian government health department is wise and compassionate enough to listen.
We have the power to do good in the world, we just have to speak up.