So I've been wanting to write a blog post for the past three months but didn't really know where to start. There's been so much going on and I'm only just about getting my head around it all. Life went from hospitals and doctors, to taking it easy in recovery, to living my absolute best life and not looking back! There's so much I want to talk about, so much that I want to do but I'm just going to start by sharing some moments over the past three months of the new and improved Lucy Jane...

1. Creating the Bag Ladies

If you don't know, the reason I've become the new and improved Lucy Jane is because in February 2019 I had my colon removed and I now live my life with an ileostomy bag. Throughout my journey with Ulcerative Colitis I was constantly sharing online and reaching out to other people in the IBD community, when the prospect of surgery became very real I knew I needed to find support online so I didn't feel so alone. It astounded me how many people similar age to me reached out and offered their advice and words of support. I always say it and I'll say it again but if it I hadn't have had people their to look up to or to chat to about what was going on, I know I wouldn't have handled having surgery in the same way.

A few weeks after surgery, my friend Alisha (who also has a bag) and I came up with the idea of creating an instagram account which was like a girl gang but for ladies with stomas. We came up with the name The Bag Ladies and the account was made straight away! 
The support we are receiving is incredible and I hope that big things are to come for these girls and I, I treasure them all so dearly and honestly think they're some of the most inspirational people in my life!







2. I did some photoshoots... IN MY UNDERWEAR

I'd never class myself as a model but here I am having done a few photoshoots and absolutely loving it!

Pre-bagged life I was pretty insecure about my body, I was always wanting to loose weight, get more toned and if I posted any exposing pictures online I had to look a certain way which you can tell by some of my posts last year. It's sad but social media wrecked my perception of myself and I never valued my body for how amazing it actually was. 
After my operation I sort of had an epiphany. 
My body has been cut, battered and bruised and now I've been given the chance for it to shine.
I'd look in the mirror and feel a sense of comfort and happiness by what looked back when I'd previously thought what I'd feel would be disgust and shame. 
My bagged bod was a healthy bod and no summer body goals could ever compare to what that felt like!

When I was asked if I'd be involved in an underwear shoot 6 weeks after my operation I was terrified but thought to myself...
'Lucy, if you can do this 6 weeks later, own your bag and wear it with confidence, who knows what you'll have achieved in 6 months time! This bag doesn't define you but it makes you unique and if the world can't appreciate that then cyaaaaa!'
So I did it, bared my bag and it felt amazing. 
I'll always think of that day as a big milestone in my recovery and the girls who were involved made me feel so at ease, it was a day of celebrating all our bodies and girls supporting girls!
WE SHOULD DO THAT MORE OFTEN!


3. I HAD MY OWN FESTIVAL PARTY

I turned 20 and had the festival party I'd been dreaming of for the past two years, LSB FEST CAME TRUE!
All my friends came and to be surrounded by the people who I care about so much for the first time since surgery felt incredible, a lot of these people were the reason I kept a smile on my face the past two years and I thought I may as well throw a sick party to thank them!
My birthday was the first birthday in a long time that I loved and will remember forever.
Fuck Coachella, it's all about LSB FEST!!

4. Sally took her first trip abroad!

I went on my travels to Budapest and I'm off again to Cyprus tomorrow eeee!

Travelling for the first time after surgery made me a little bit nervous I won't lie, but as soon as I jumped on that plane I knew everything would be fine. I think the saying fail to prepare, prepare to fail is so true when travelling with a bag as if you plan for every possible outcome then nothing will come as a surprise!

Budapest was probably up there with one of my favourite places I've ever visited, it was so much fun and I think I'll do a few posts on what I got up to as I snapped so many pics I want to share them.


So that's a quick update on me, I'm 3 months post-op and pretty much living my best life. I'm making the most of waking up everyday happy and healthy and I don't think there's anything wrong in that.
After what I've been through, I deserve some fun!
I'm considering starting a youtube channel as I want to write more posts about my hospital experience/what I've been through but I feel it'd be so much easier to put across on camera, plus everyone seems to want to see more Charity Shop DIY's over on insta so may be I'll get into doing those!
Who knows where life will take me but I'm happy, healthy and having the time of my life!!

Lucy Jane