From Diagnosis to Determination: Meghan Brown's Inspiring Path to Ostomy Empowerment

The Beautiful Bag

Join LeeAnne Hayden and special guest Meghan Brown for an inspiring and informative episode of "The Beautiful Bag." In this conversation, they explore their journeys living with ostomy bags, discuss the challenges they've overcome, and share valuable insights on topics like pregnancy with an ostomy and the power of a positive mindset.

Segment 1: Meghan's Crohn's Journey

• [00:00] Intro: LeeAnne Hayden introduces Meghan Brown, sharing their mutual admiration for each other.

• [02:37] Meghan's Crohn's Diagnosis: Meghan's journey with Crohn's disease began at a young age when she was diagnosed at 13. She endured a year of misdiagnosis and the struggles of managing her health while navigating high school.

• [04:15] Remission and High School: After starting Remicade, Meghan experienced significant improvements in her health. However, she reflects on the challenges she faced as a teenager dealing with steroids and rumors about her absence from school.

• [07:27] College and Recurrence: Meghan's life took a positive turn when she met her husband, but her sophomore year of college marked a recurrence of her illness. She explored various treatments, including Remicade, but encountered complications.

• [08:42] Decision for Surgery: A routine colonoscopy revealed precancerous signs, leading Meghan to make a challenging decision. She discusses the emotional and mental aspects of choosing to undergo surgery and embracing an ostomy bag to eliminate the risk of cancer.

• [09:37] Mental Health and Support: Meghan emphasizes the role of mental health throughout her journey and the importance of her parents' unwavering support. She shares how her family's positive outlook helped her during difficult times.

Segment 2: Overcoming Challenges and Acceptance

• [13:10] Balancing Vanity and Health: Meghan and LeeAnne discuss the difficult decision they faced regarding surgery and ostomy bags. Both admit to struggling with the idea of having an ostomy bag due to aesthetic concerns.

• [16:06] Perspective Shift: Meghan reflects on the moment her perspective shifted during a conversation with her surgeon. He highlighted the importance of considering her future as a young mom and how her decision would impact her loved ones.

• [20:09] Privacy vs. Openness: LeeAnne and Meghan discuss the balance between privacy and openness regarding their ostomy bags. Meghan commends LeeAnne for being open on social media and showing her ostomy bag.

• [22:15] Meghan's Social Media Journey: Meghan shares her reasons for joining social media after her surgery and how sharing her journey helped her heal, find acceptance, and connect with others facing similar challenges.

• [24:06] Embracing Acceptance: Meghan describes her social media journey as a healing process that allowed her to accept her body and gain body confidence. LeeAnne shares her own experience with healing through acceptance.

Segment 3: Pregnancy with an Ostomy and Self-Advocacy

• [28:11] Hidden Community: LeeAnne and Meghan highlight the curiosity and lack of awareness surrounding ostomies and the need for more visibility.

• [29:53] Pregnancy and Ostomy: Meghan shares her remarkable journey of having two healthy pregnancies with an ostomy. She emphasizes the need for more information and awareness around pregnancy with an ostomy.

• [35:03] Postpartum Challenges: Meghan discusses postpartum challenges related to her skin's reaction to ostomy products after childbirth and the importance of self-advocacy during life-changing events like pregnancy.

• [38:01] Self-Advocacy: LeeAnne and Meghan underscore the significance of self-advocacy, particularly for individuals with ostomies facing pregnancy. They stress the importance of open communication with healthcare professionals.

• [43:31] Mindset and Positivity: Meghan emphasizes the power of a positive mindset in coping with challenges and shares her personal journey of transforming her outlook.

Segment 4: Embracing Life and Conclusion

• [46:06] Embracing Life: LeeAnne and Meghan discuss the importance of embracing life, even in the face of challenges. They acknowledge the value of returning to a positive perspective after moments of sadness and frustration.

• [46:55] Outro: LeeAnne Hayden expresses gratitude to Meghan Brown for sharing her experiences and insights on the podcast. She invites listeners to stay tuned for more episodes of "The Beautiful Bag" and the valuable stories and discussions it brings to light.

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