Stoma Site + Loving Your Body
Hannah has a feeding tube since the day after she was born. She has a medical condition that prohibits her from swallowing, so that little feeding tube has been sustaining her for 28 years. You may think by now she would get along great with the tube, but she still has daily issues with leaking, irritability, and pain [enter Bedrock Balm, our barrier cream for stoma]
More from Hannah:
“The little tube that sustains me can often be the bane of my existence. Some days it leaks and hurts terribly, but most days I’m grateful it keeps me alive. It allows me to work out and run miles and lift heavy things and eat every day.
I love my body. Like, really really love her. I’m not ashamed of her, I don’t try to hide her and I unapologetically love her. Even if I wanted to hide her I couldn’t unless I wore a ski mask all of the time and that seems hot and socially weird.
If pressured, I’m sure I could come up with things I don’t like about my body or things I’m insecure about but that’s not how I’ve ever lived. I spend a lot of energy making sure people feel comfortable around me and can understand me and I don’t spend energy thinking about the things I don’t like.
Yes, my body doesn’t look like everyone else’s. Yes, people stare at me ALL DAY EVERY DAY. No, I can’t swim because I can’t go under water. But this body has done incredible things.
I’ll be honest. Sometimes I have approximately 0 empathy for people who DON’T love their bodies. Especially 100% able bodied people. Once I almost threw my remote through the TV while watching celebrities talking about how insecure they were with so many parts of their bodies. I thought, good gravy, if they can’t love their million dollar dollars but I can love my body with its tubes and issues what the heck is happening?
It reinforced to me that this acceptance and self love of my body is all on me. Clearly no amount of money or fame can aide women in loving themselves so it’s all on us. So I’d encourage you to speak kindly about your body.” --Hannah
You can find Hannah inspiring her fans with daily movement @feedingtube.fitness – Hannah, so happy to have you on the B-team. Hannah loves Bedrock Balm because it's the the best barrier cream for stoma.