I feel horrible for this poor man. I know a woman who has a colostomy and it changed her life for the worse in the sense that a bag is constantly there. She is very aware that she is now “different”. This stuff has got to stop. Just a thought.
I had to have a diverting colostomy back in March, and I'm still coming to terms with it. Hopefully I'll be able to have it reversed in January, and "have my plumbing hooked back up," so to speak. But your friend is absolutely correct. People do live full lives after ostomies of all types, but it changes your life completely. You have to keep supplies with you at all times, just in case. Your activities will often be limited. And as you said, you're always aware of the change in your life.
Basically I feel as if I'm living in a bad dream that I can't wake up from. And I know that eventually I'm going to have to fly, either for work, or to visit family, and if I'm still wearing this colostomy bag, it's going to be a complete nightmare.
Mark