urostomy

In this episode, I, LeeAnne Hayden, emphasize the crucial role of nutrition in maintaining overall health and well-being. I stress the importance of consuming a balanced diet rich in nutrients, including whole grains, fruits, vegetables, lean meats, and healthy fats.

Throughout the discussion, I recognize that individual preferences and tolerances vary, urging listeners to experiment and find what works best for their bodies.

Supplementation is highlighted as a means to address potential nutrient deficiencies, particularly in light of changes in food quality and soil. I recommend high-quality supplements while advising listeners to consult healthcare providers before starting any supplementation regimen.

Furthermore, I stress the significance of managing fluid intake, emphasizing hydration and the addition of electrolytes to water for optimal hydration. Listeners are encouraged to visit my website LeeAnneHayden.com for more information and resources on wellness.

I also provide strategies for dining out, including reading menus carefully, asking about ingredients, and making adjustments to meals when necessary. Drawing from personal experiences, such as challenges after surgery, I underscore the importance of seeking expert advice from healthcare professionals, nutritionists, dieticians, and WOCN nurses.

Finally, I invite listeners to connect with me on Instagram @instagram, YouTube LeeAnneHayden, and through my website LeeAnneHayden.com. Additionally, I offer a free wellness guide on my website for those interested in further resources.

Title: Embracing Self-Love: Body Positivity and Self-Esteem

Description: Join host LeeAnne Hayden in this powerful episode of the Beautiful Bag podcast as she delves into the crucial topics of body positivity and self-esteem. With a compassionate heart and insightful perspective, LeeAnne guides listeners through practical steps to cultivate self-love and acceptance, especially in the face of challenges like living with a stoma.

In this episode, LeeAnne reflects on her own journey and shares personal experiences, offering relatable insights for listeners. From making the decision to love oneself to setting small achievable goals and practicing positive self-talk, she provides actionable strategies to uplift and empower individuals to embrace their unique beauty and worth.

Discover the importance of surrounding oneself with positive role models and fostering a supportive community for mutual encouragement and growth. LeeAnne's heartfelt message reminds us all that we are loved, valued, and deserving of self-compassion.

Tune in to this episode for inspiration, encouragement, and practical tips on how to nurture self-love and celebrate the beauty within.

Show Notes:

• Introduction:

  • Host: LeeAnne Hayden
  • Theme: Body Positivity and Self-Esteem
  • Dedicated to spreading love and empowerment

• Body Positivity:

  • Importance of self-love and acceptance
  • Overcoming societal norms and comparisons
  • Making the decision to love oneself unconditionally

• Self-Esteem Building:

  • Setting small achievable goals
  • Practicing positive self-talk and affirmations
  • Dressing in a way that makes you feel confident
  • Finding supportive role models and communities

• Community Engagement:

  • Invitation to join the Beautiful Bag community on Telegram
  • Sharing the podcast episode to spread love and encouragement

• Conclusion:

  • Reaffirmation of self-worth and beauty
  • Gratitude for listeners and commitment to making a positive impact

Listeners are encouraged to share their thoughts, experiences, and insights in the comments section and to join the Beautiful Bag community for ongoing support and encouragement. Together, let's embrace self-love and celebrate the beauty within each of us.

Connect with LeeAnne Hayden:

• Instagram: @beautifulbagpodcast
• Instagram:  @leeannehayden
• TikTok: @beautifulbagpodcast
• TikTok @leeannehayden1
• YouTube: LeeAnne Hayden 

Join the Beautiful Bag Community on Telegram: [Link]

Don't forget to subscribe and leave a review if you found this episode inspiring and helpful!

In This Episode:

• Celebrating 4 Years: Reflecting on the journey of 'The Beautiful Bag Podcast' now entering its fourth year.
• Gratitude: A heartfelt thank you to listeners for tuning in weekly and sharing in the stories of resilience and inspiration.
• Surviving and Thriving: Emphasizing the importance of resilience and thriving despite life's obstacles.
• Building Community: Plans to create an online presence for listeners of the podcast.
• Personal Milestones: Celebrating LeeAnne's eighth anniversary of surviving cancer and having her stoma.
• Reflecting on Change: How LeeAnne’s life transformed post-cancer, including her career shift and embracing new challenges.
• The Power of Self-Appreciation: Discussing the importance of loving and appreciating your body, especially after major health changes.
• Journaling and Meditation: Tips on how to use journaling and meditation to cope with life’s challenges and improve mental health.
• Embracing Wellness: Encouraging listeners to embrace their bodies and wellness, with specific strategies and affirmations.
• Upcoming Speaking Engagement: LeeAnne shares her upcoming visit to Hollister’s manufacturing plant in Virginia.

Connect with LeeAnne:

• Website: LeeAnneHayden.com
• Instagram: @leeannehayden
• TikTok: @leeannehayden1
• Facebook: @leeannehayden07

Free Resources:

• Confidence Building Affirmations for Ostomates: Sign up and download affirmations designed for ostomates.
• Embracing Wellness Guide: A guide to help start the new year with wellness-focused practices.

Next Episode Preview: Stay tuned for more inspiring stories and empowering discussions in our next episode.

Remember to subscribe, share, and leave a review for 'The Beautiful Bag Podcast'!

• LeeAnne Hayden, host of "The Beautiful Bag Podcast," welcomes listeners to Episode 118, expressing gratitude for their continual support and encouraging them to share the podcast on social media.
• Reminder: LeeAnne encourages listeners on Apple Podcasts to leave ratings and reviews to help promote the show.

Guest Introduction:

• Crystal, a double ostomate, sarcoma cancer survivor, and Crohn's disease fighter, shares her compelling journey.
• The episode focuses on her diagnosis, the challenges she faced, and her resilience in overcoming adversity.

Crystal’s Journey:

• Diagnosed in February 2022 after a severe bladder issue, leading to an ER visit and subsequent discovery of her condition.
• Underwent multiple treatments and surgeries, including chemotherapy and a complex procedure resulting in a colostomy, urostomy, and partial hysterectomy.
• Emphasizes the importance of self-advocacy in healthcare, as Crystal pushed for a CT scan against initial medical advice.

Challenges and Recovery:

• Discusses the mental and physical challenges post-surgery, including adapting to life with ostomy bags and managing related complications.
• Shares strategies for coping with mental health issues, including finding comfort in ASMR and Reiki videos.
• Crystal highlights the value of the ostomy community on social media for support and advice.

Life After Surgery:

• Returning to work and the accommodations made for her comfort and convenience.
• Discusses her first vacation post-surgery, a cruise, addressing the challenges and adjustments required for traveling with an ostomy.
• Shares a humorous story about managing her ostomy in an unexpected situation.

Final Thoughts:

• Crystal’s advice to listeners: Take time with healing and don’t rush the recovery process.
• LeeAnne discusses her own experiences with sarcoma, emphasizing the rarity and complexity of the condition.

In this week's episode I discuss tips and tricks for swimming with an Ostomy. 

• Finding confidence to do it
• Personal story on my first time in the pool 
• What to wear
• How to make sure everything is on correctly 
• How to avoid leaks 
• The benefits of swimming 

www.steathbelt.com

Follow LeeAnne on Instagram @leeannehayden , on Facebook @leeannehayden07 or on her website leeannehayden.com

This episode is chock FULL of information about how to deal with hydration and blockages directly from Dr. Joga Ivatury, Chief of Colorectal Surgery at Dell Medical School at University Of Texas Austin, and my surgeon.  

We all have so many questions about life in our ostomies so I thought it would be great to create some ASK THE DR episodes.

So get ready to listen in and learn how the body handles hydration issues when you are in an ileostomy and colostomy.  

We also discuss what to do in the case of blockages and how to prevent them. 

Ashlyn is 1 year out from having her Ostomy and from her perspective, it has really been a year of acceptance for her.

After going in and out of remission with her UC over the years, it finally got to a point where it was truly a life or death situation. The last thing that had to be done to save her life as the medications and treatments stopped working was to get part of her colon removed and have an Ileostomy put in. 

The year post-op was a battle with multiple hospitalizations following her surgery, losing all of her hair, and then working on how she can find herself again and adjust to this new normal and accept herself and her situation.

We can both agree that the mental aspect of recovery is one of the hardest when it comes to this.  But just really ensuring that you have this community around you that supports you and is there for you is so needed to thrive in this new life. 

“Believe in yourself and finding a way to love yourself is the key to sort of everything else. For me, once I was able to accept myself and my new body and my new hair, and all these things I was going through.  I felt like the rest kind of just came naturally. And I think other people can sense that as well.”

You can find Ashlyn on Instagram @ashlynlaskey as well as her youtube channel, The Roaring Redhead. 

Heather's journey started as a young child with stomach issues and doctors always telling me nothing was wrong.  Fast forward years down the road and Heather was in constant pain with Ulcer Colitis, then faced a Crohn’s diagnosis.

Receiving these diagnoses lead her down a long path of healing holistically and doing things to get her life back. She learned about the importance of a clean, organic and holistic lifestyle and diet and started making changes to her everyday life.

After a cancer diagnosis, Heather was forced to have surgery to have an Ileostomy, but continuously stayed positive throughout it all!  This is not a roadblock for her.  And throughout her whole journey, she always felt that people should not feel sorry for her.  But through the whole journey, she thought, “1) What am I supposed to learn from this… And 2) this did not happen to me, it happened for me. It made me a better person all the way around. It has given me the knowledge I didn’t know before, and a passion to help others. To me, I find this a blessing!” 

Heather’s journey has given her the freedom to do things again and she is living her life the way she wants, helping people go through what she has and teaching them the knowledge she gained during her journey. 

Definitely take a little time today to check out her podcast, it's a good one!!  

You can find Heather here at @heathermoffatthealing on IG and Facebook

Coming

The ways in which language affects how stoma care nurses interact with patients and colleagues is the subject of a conversation between Jennie Burch (St Mark’s Hospital, London), Anna Boyles (King’s College Hospital, London), Carolyn Swash (Hollister) and Benjamin Wakefield (Stomatips and Gastrointestinal Nursing), first broadcast at the 8th National Gastrointestinal Nursing Conference 2021.

JD is a true fighter and he is alive today to talk about it.

After a motorcycle accident that left him clinging to life with breaking more than half the bones in his body, being in an induced coma for over a month, and being told he would never walk again, he is defining the odds and really has an incredible story to tell.

The accident also left him with an ostomy. But he has decided to not dwell on this and he reminds himself every day that this all happened for a reason. It happened so that he can talk about it, he can share his journey, his struggles, and encourage others to shift their perspective and mindset when life changes so drastically like this. Because without that change in your thinking, you will give up and not see your true potential.

“Anyone going through anything physical or mental in your daily life or job, keep persistent, keep resilient, keep pushing because everything starts from the mental aspect. Once you let yourself break down completely mentally, then that is when everything is gone. So keep consistent and keep trying your best every day.”

You have to listen to this story of perseverance after being on the brink of death. We are so honored that JD is here to talk to us about this today.

JD on Instagram @thesbkid1

LeeAnne on Instagram @leeannehayden

#ostomy #ostomyawareness #thebeautifulbagpodcast #beautifulbagpodcast #secondchanceatlife

Michelyn Caldwell founded the company, NB Products (Na'Scent.com) in 1998. This company came to fruition after a close family friend, Linda, needed an ostomy when she was in her 20’s and learning about her struggles inspired Michelyn's journey and dedication to help Linda and others!

For those that are unfamiliar with the product, Na`Scent is an Ostomy Odor Eliminator for use in all ostomy pouching systems.

Over the last 23 years, she has learned that this product has made a huge difference in a lot of people's lives and this has been their main inspiration and motivation to keep things going over the years.

"This work has given me appreciation in life. And I think the one thing I have noticed especially in the Ostomy community is that a lot of these people have been given another life. To hear their stories and the courage they have shown and the resilience in moving forward has just been incredible."

To learn more about Michelyn and the work she is doing to help people in an Ostomy take a listen because this product has really changed so many people's lives giving them the confidence to live their lives the way they want!

It's Thanksgiving week!   I wanted to take a moment in this podcast to thank you for being a part of the community, also so tips and tricks around eating for Thanksgiving to avoid blockages and a little fun around the NYC parade.   I hope you all have a fantastic Thanksgiving!  

Instagram handle @leeannehayden 

"The Ostomy has saved your life and has given you life, but it is NOT YOUR LIFE. You are separate from it. Yes, it has helped define who you are like; it has helped me and allowed me to feel confident in myself. But it is not what makes me, me. And I think that it is important to understand that for everyone else out there. There are other things out there that make you who you are. It's just a part of you." - Jessica Grossman.

Jessica has had an Ostomy since she was 13 years old after battling Crohn's for over four years as a child. And she has done so much since then!

She is an actor & model; she owns a digital marketing company, is the founder of @uncoverostomy, and has been happily married for five years!

Growing up, she forced herself to be comfortable speaking about her Ostomy; it helped her open up and grow into this remarkable woman and bring awareness to her Ostomy.

And through the years, she has come to realize that the Ostomy doesn't define who she is; it has just helped her to be able to be who she is today.

"It's not why I am who I am. It's not something that holds me down because I have it. I can do all of these things because it kept me alive and because it saved my life! BUT I am all these other things because I am alive because of my Ostomy!"

Jessica has such an inspiring story of finding who you are because of this life-saving device and that you can still do what you are meant to do on this earth because of it!

Take a listen and be sure to give Jess a follow! @jessgrossman

Talking with Kimberly gave me goosebumps… Her inspiration is so profound and it is such a beautiful thing how she is reclaiming her life after beating cancer and receiving her Ostomy.

"This device doesn’t mean it is the end. It's actually a beautiful beginning. My ostomy has given me 5 extra birthdays with my family." - Kimberly Coleman @kimberlyhcoleman on IG

We talk all about her life after cancer and how she was not going to stop living. It actually gave her the push to try new things, LIKE POLE DANCING AND BURLESQUE!!!

Get it, girl!!!

We also chat about ways we can help others and inspire others by just letting them know we are here, we are living and they can too!

There is always someone out there who you can talk to. Who can help you, just know that you are not alone!

“Don’t let having an Ostomy stop you from living your life and THRIVING!” -Ryan Van Voorhis

In today’s podcast, I got to sit down with @rvanvoorhis who is a Chron’s survivor and has had his Ostomy for just over 20 years!

He is also the owner of @nudedudefood and he is doing what he loves and what inspires him! (you have to check him out, the food on his page…. I get hungry every time he posts something new!)

Ryan didn’t want his Ostomy to define him. He wanted to continue to live his life, find his passions and help others as much as he can!

Whether it's cooking & feeding people good, healthy, and local food out in Chicago, or helping others in our Ostomy community, Ryan is doing what lights his soul on fire!

Take a listen to today’s podcast! We dive into food and eating with an Ostomy, fitness, and some tips Ryan has for staying hydrated all day!

“The biggest thing is to have a positive and supportive community of family, friends, and other people in an ostomy. This is the number 1 thing to help you succeed in life and thrive with an Ostomy. Always know that you are not alone in this!”

To celebrate World Ostomy Day on October 2nd, I have a very special guest panel of some pretty amazing ladies on today's podcast!

Jearlean Taylor episode #27, Stephanie Bension episode #16, & Krista Nickerson episode #6 are on The Beautiful Bag and I am sooo excited for this chat!

Today we talk about, what World Ostomy Day means to each of us and as a whole, confidence in front of people, the top 3 tips for taking care of your skin, dressing for success, and our go-to outfits.

Plus we are going to talk about what questions we are asked the most and how we answer them!

Follow them on social media! They are so inspiring and really helping others!

Hollister Virtual Panel - link.hollister.com/panel

Working out & yoga, women empowerment, health & nutrition, getting your mind right, and Intuitive eating! All things we talk about in today’s podcast with the amazing Nina Hayes!

If you have ever wondered or worried about the quiet yoga studio and your ostomy acting up, or learning more about proper nutrition, or even traveling with an ostomy, you will want to take a listen. We cover so much and I had such a wonderful time learning more from her in this episode!

Check her out on Instagram on both of her accounts, @ninahayesmission, and @blossomostomy give her a follow! She even has a free guide to intuitive eating that you can grab right on her IG account as well!

World Ostomy Hollister Panel discussion link.hollister.com/panel

Stoma Sticker - link.hollister.com/stomasticker

Kya’s story started as a teenager and was definitely a wild ride for a few years!

She went from having an Ostomy to a j-pouch, then while she was pregnant with her first child, had surgery for an Ostomy.

She is such an inspiration and has so much courage speaking on this and helping others so that they are not afraid to ask questions and talk about their ostomy.

"In hindsight, everything definitely looks better. At the moment we tend to sit there and forget that we are ok. You are sitting there and you are going to be okay.

Have confidence with it all and ask questions. There is never a stupid question. There is never an awkward question. Message me with something weird if you have it! I have heard it all!

Just embrace it. It is you and you are not alone at all. There are so many people that have Ostomy's. We just don't like to talk about it. I want to be the person who talks about now because I was the person who didn't for years.

Embrace your situation and look around for ways you can help other people." - Kya

Find Kya on Instagram @itskyajeub

Angie is a special guest because she is actually our first guest that was pregnant when she had her early stages of Ulcer Colitis!

And shortly after giving birth to her son, she had to have a life-saving surgery which resulted in having an Ostomy and she has had one for 39 years!

Angie also plays a huge part in our Ostomy community, just being there to support people and uplift them. She truly is an amazing person and I am so grateful that I know her and we got to speak on this podcast.

"You can find true love. You can find someone that will accept you and love you for who you are, not is what is wrong with your physical body. You can have a normal life and have a successful carrier."

Definitely take some time today and listen to her story. She is so inspiring and has to most amazing advice for anyone going through this!

Hollister Secure Start Services eNewsletter - link.hollister.com/beautifulnews