I am a 68 year old retired civil servant (fraud investigations). I live with my husband of 35 years in Delta, B.C., a suburb of Vancouver. I had an emergency colostomy following a bowel perforation just over one year ago, after decades of motility and constipation issues. The colostomy only made matters worse and I am now in recovery from surgery for a loop ileostomy, which my surgeon hopes will improve functioning and quality of life for me. So far things are looking good. In the meantime I have two stoma sites, the old colostomy which is inactive and the new ileostomy site. If all goes according to plan, they will go in to remove my large intestine and close up the old stoma in six months to one year's time. I am on a learning curve with my new ileostomy, some things are much the same as with the old stoma, but the ileostomy does pose new challenges. I'm here for support and friendship with other ostomates out there.