Navigating the Emotional Journey of Living with a Chronic Illness with Dana Gebrian

The Beautiful Bag

SummaryDana shares her 17-year journey with ulcerative colitis and the challenges she faced before ultimately getting an ostomy. She reflects on her carefree college years, multiple surgeries, and the disappointment of the J-pouch not working as expected. Dana discusses the emotional toll of living with a chronic illness and the importance of therapy and self-care. She highlights the silver linings of having an ostomy, such as improved sleep and the ability to enjoy life's moments. Dana emphasizes the need for education, support, and breaking the stigma surrounding ostomies. Takeaways

• Living with a chronic illness can be emotionally challenging, and therapy can be a valuable tool for coping and finding support.
• Having an ostomy can bring unexpected benefits, such as improved sleep and the ability to fully participate in life's activities.
• Education and awareness about ostomies are crucial for breaking the stigma and providing support to those who need it.
• It's important to ask questions, seek advice, and connect with others who have similar experiences to navigate life with an ostomy.

• "I hit my rock bottom after surgery. I feel like that person that I used to know was gone. Like that version of me was gone. I was not me anymore. I was, who am I?"
• "I started to find the silver linings. Like this, this is not that bad. Maybe this will make things a little bit easier. Like, you'll be able to sleep at night and you're not running to the bathroom and you're not having a million accidents."
• "I feel like I can finally stand by myself. Yeah. It's pretty cool."

Chapters 00:00Introduction and Background 01:29Diagnosis and College Years 06:25The Need for an Ostomy 10:02Adjusting to Life with an Ostomy 13:27The Emotional Journey and Therapy 23:53Embracing Life with an Ostomy 32:55Empowering Others and Breaking the Stigma 41:00Final Thoughts and Advice