article_snippet.sent: The cause turned out to be ulcerative colitis but the symptoms had been fobbed off as "women's troubles" for years.'
article_snippet.sent: For the first few weeks I was unable to look down at my stomach without wanting to cry. '
article_snippet.sent: I've become more understanding, and now all I want to do is raise awareness for IBD [inflammatory bowel disease] and ostomy.'
article_snippet.sent: It was as if for that amount of time none of this year had happened, no surgery, no stoma, no bag.
article_snippet.sent: I was a little breathless as it was the most exercise I'd done in a while.'