You're not alone - not by a long stretch!!!  I have named by colostomy Rosebud and she's a very busy critter!!!  In January 2002, I had biliary pancreatic diversion with duodenal switch (fat-ectomy - bariatric surgery) and that surgery has changed the way my body processes food.  Carbs go right straight through me after giving me copious highly fragrant gas!!!  Seems I spend a lot of time just putting my left hand on my pouch to see if it needs to be burped or if it needs to be changed.  Most times I cannot tell when Rosebud is doing her thing, so I have to check.  Was having lunch with a friend at Ruby Tuesday a while ago, and before I knew it, I had a full pouch, so made a bee-line to the bathroom to change it before I had REAL problems.  Don't ever worry about feeling self-conscious because you check your pouch.  I think most of us do and, very honestly, I think you're a fool if you don't.  But that's just me.  Better safe than sorry.

No, Cassoday12, your Lumpy isn't the only one who likes to be naked.  Rosebud LOVES to be naked and she loves the shower!!!  (Rosebud is my colostomy stoma.)  She's happiest when she's naked!!!  (I am too if the truth be told!)

So funny.  Our 3 cats all have to come with me into the bathroom to "supervise" me when I put on a new pouch.  (I wear Hollister closed pouches with Colomajic liners -- and I LOVE them!!!)  Seems I'm not smart enough to change Rosebud without "help"!!!

I LOVE my stoma!!!!  I am a survivor of Stage 3-C Rectal Cancer, two rounds of chemo, one round of radiation and some pretty extensive surgery.  My doctors saved my life, and I am grateful.  My stoma reminds me that I am still alive -- that the cancer did not kill me and is not going to kill me.  My CEA numbers are always around 2.1 to 2.2, so we're VERY good!!!  My stoma's name is Rosebud and without her, I would not be here today.  Rosebud is more important to me than almost anything I can think of and I'm not the least bit ashamed of her.

I use her as a teaching tool when I talk to people of a certain age - or younger people.  I tell them to be sure to remind their parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, in-laws, out-laws, neighbors to go get that colonoscopy.  I tell them that I was way smarter than my doctor - I didn't need a colonoscopy because there was no history of cancer in any of my family.  W-R-O-N-G.  When I lift my shirt a little bit and show them my pouch, it really hits home and I'm hopeful that at least a few have gotten that life-saving colonoscopy.  I had my surgeon put Rosebud above my waist so I don't have to go through a lot of gymnastics to use her as a teaching tool.  No, I am not ashamed.  I feel it is my mission to do what I can to help other people do what they need to do to keep themselves healthy and avoid them going through what I've been through.

Hi, Phil and sgraffrn!!!  You feel about Phil the way I feel about Rosebud.  If I take care of her, she'll take care of me!  Bless your heart!  

Too too funny!!!!  I tell my husband that I have "hot s - - t" and he says, "Oh, please".  I laugh!!!!  When I fart my pouch, he opens the window too, makes these awful faces, and flaps his hands around like something smells awful.  Hmmm.  Wonder what that could be?