A letter to my younger self

A letter to my 13 year old self

Dear 13 year old me,

I know you’re lying awake right now, staring at the hospital ceiling, tangled up in questions no one seems to have answers for. Life feels heavy. Your body feels like it’s failing you, and nothing about it seems fair. Right now, the word “stoma” is tied up in confusion and fear.

You will have tough days. Living with a stoma won’t always be easy, and there’ll be days when you’ll feel overwhelmed – when the looks, the questions, and the endless doctor visits weigh on you. You might even feel betrayed by your own body and want to give up. But please, keep going. This stoma, as strange as it seems right now, is going to save your life.

You’re going to grow up, and over time, you’ll stop seeing your stoma as something that holds you back. Instead, you’ll learn that it’s made you resilient, compassionate, and incredibly brave. It’s taught you to see yourself beyond the surface, to appreciate health, and the good days.

And here’s the thing you can’t imagine now: one day, you’ll wake up and realise that all those difficult moments were leading you to a life you truly love. There will be days when you forget it’s even there because you’re too busy living. You’ll laugh, you’ll travel, you’ll build memories filled with more joy than you can imagine.

One day, you’ll even feel grateful for the journey. You’ll understand that everything you went through made you who you are – someone you’re proud of, someone with strength and resilience. It won’t be an easy road, but you’re not alone. Every moment you’re struggling, I’m there with you. And I promise you, one day, you’ll see that it was all worth it.

Love,

Your future self

Ange (@thebaglife_) x