“I was toxic. ‘You need emergency surgery.’ The thought of having a bag was the worst thing possible. I refused to discuss it.”
‘I looked at the poop bag and cried. ‘I’d rather die.’ I didn’t want my partner to stop loving me.’: Woman with ulcerative colitis advocates for stomas, ‘Every body is worthy’
‘Your options are running low.’ I was losing blood. My body was disintegrating. ‘But I’m so young!’: Teen raises awareness for Ulcerative Colitis and stomas, ‘I turned it into a positive’
“I lost over 20 pounds and had severe pain. I was admitted to the hospital. ‘Why is this happening to me? I should be out with friends, not in pain.’ I only got worse.”
‘He had the Stanford medical degree, not me. I trusted him. Aren’t we supposed to believe the doctor? I was home alone when I got the call.’: Woman receives unexpected cancer diagnosis after colon surgery fallout
“I decided that day I was going to take my life. I knew I couldn’t survive chemotherapy and breast cancer alone, and I was too prideful to really ask for help. I decided killing myself would do my family and friends a favor. I was a liability, not an asset. I had gone from being a thriving mother, model and athlete to a sickly woman needing constant care. My life had crumbled.”
