FormaFormally known as JPouch Warrior! Same girl new name :)
My Life living with IBD!
Welcome to The Good the Bag and The Ugly!
My blog sharing my experiences and journey through Crohns, Colitis, Ileostomy Stoma and Jpouch surgeries, JPouch excision, total Proctectomy (aka Barbie Butt) and beyond!
20 years, 2 Children, numerous ASA drugs, Jak Inhibiters, Immune Suppressants, Biological Therapies, Numerous invasive therapies, serious allergic reactions, fertility treatment, miscarriages, Drug-Induced Lupus, Mast Cell Activation Syndrome, pioneering Ileostomy Stoma surgery, single incision JPouch Surgery in one stage - and more recently, Jpouch excision, complete anus removal and permanent Ileostomy Stoma! Covering treatment-resistant Cuffitis, blockages and more!
Not forgetting family, laughter, love, partying, Kayaking, Mountain Climbing, Paragliding, Cycling, Camping and so much more in-between!
This Is ME!
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About My Blog!
What You Need to Know
Hi, my name is Andrea, I'm 51 Years old and live in Sussex in the UK with my fantastically supportive husband, Stuart and my two gorgeous boys aged 17 & 20! I work 37.5 hours a week as an Senior Administrator within the Healthy Child Programme at a local hospital for the amazing NHS, a role I completely love and find challenging yet extremely rewarding. I was diagnosed in 2004 initially with Crohn's and then changed to Indeterminate Colitis in 2016, and now back to active Crohns in 2023, as a result, I have had numerous surgeries, including JPouch creation and excision 2.5 years later when it failed. I now have a permanent Ileostomy Stoma with a 'Barbie Butt' (no anus or rectum).
For years, I have served as a useful source for those seeking information, help, or advice about my experiences living with bowel disease. I finally decided to own that role and be intentional about it. I started writing about my experiences, my thoughts, and what I feel others can benefit from being shared. I founded Stoma Warrior in 2018 with a mission to give others a taste of what goes on in my mind, and I have been at it ever since.
Please take some time to explore the blog, read something interesting, and feel free to reach out if you would like to know anything more about a particular blog or feel you can assist me on my journey. I will no doubt jump from style to different layouts - I'm no professional and often write more driven by passion than planning and hope you find it as exciting and informative to read as I hope it will be to write.
My personal goal whilst writing this blog is to put some order and clarity in what I have experienced - I will endeavor to cover different aspects of my journey as it continues to unfold.
Thank you for visiting! Andrea x
