This week I have seen some comments on other stoma advocate’s posts that have upset me. I don’t mind the odd joke about my stoma as I am very open and a lighthearted joke or two lightens the mood. I can laugh about it quite happily with my friends and family.
But get me a stranger being rude and unkind and it makes me think that it is what everyone really thinks deep down. People commenting with the puking emoji on seeing a stoma is one of those. But the very best of the bad bunch is one that my friend The spoonie mummy mentioned on social media this week. It was from Twitter and the person concerned is a nurse in America I won’t be naming though, they can’t help being an arse ( excuse the pun)
Comments such as ” I can deal with anything in the nursing field…but a trach and an ostomy I just can’t do” ( puking face)
(A trach is short for a tracheostomy which is an opening created in the neck through to the windpipe so that a tube can be inserted to help with breathing, it is a different type of stoma hence the ending of ostomy.)
” I gag every time I hear I have a patient with one ” ( puking face).
” They are both nasty as FK to me and stink sooo bad” ( puking face)
What are their mentors teaching them? I hope these comments are seen by their employers so that they can decide if nursing really is the job for them.
Now don’t get me wrong , I can assume a lot of people might find stomas difficult and even scary, but putting such things on social media for the world to see really does make me feel sad to the point that I think if they feel like that then does everyone? Am I kidding myself that I can change the negative thoughts of people by being an advocate for raising awareness? These kind of comments really sets things back a few steps, but we must push through them or we end up hiding.
A similar comment on another post by Mr Colitis Crohns of eight puking face emojis this time from a primary school teacher. With the added poetry of ” F…ing gross”. Can you imagine if your child had a stoma and was under her care? hmmmm.
You may think, why are you telling us if it can be upsetting? well I think it is important to know that our job is to teach these ( luckily only a small few) people that their words and thoughts are inappropriate and really don’t help new stoma patients to overcome their fears. Exsisting ostomates are slightly more thicker skinned and we need to be the voice to let the world know that having a stoma of any description is perfectly fine and not dirty, smelly or any other discriminatory remark that these people think.
I have also read on an Australian site that there was a case that found a comment relating to the physical manifestations of a disability ( in this case a stoma ) at a workplace, the person had comments from her boss that were classed as discrimination, and acting in an insulting manner, so I urge these people to think before they speak.
Just as an extra note, I know you get derogatory comments in all walks of life not just stomas.
An excellent post, thank you!