Some decisions in life are taken in a heartbeat, while others even after long periods of consideration leave us worried. Even if our choices make sense and have been thought through carefully, they sometimes seem to consist of unwanted alternatives.

About four years ago, I was faced with this gruelling type of decision. I clearly knew that there were no other options possible for me to be able to live fully and healthily, but deep down I wished it could be otherwise.

When I was 18, I was diagnosed with inflammatory bowel disease. At that moment, I was convinced that taking medication during on a regular basis would enable me to have a normal lifestyle and a stable health condition. However, the disease evolved rapidly and the symptoms were so tiring leaving me no rest.

My runs to the bathroom went on for only one year, but felt like a marathon where I would never manage to arrive to the finish line.  The constant treatments and the long stays at the hospital deprived me of the strength needed to heal the pain that the disease was causing me.

I am now 22 years old and I am proud to have put a stop to this arduous marathon by deciding to get an ileostomy.  This experience is what gave birth to ANA, an enterprise founded by my boyfriend and myself, Which offers a collection of chic and feminine underwear specially adapted for women post ostomy.

 ANA was made for me, but also for all the women out there that have had a ostomy. The idea behind this creation is to help women like us accept themselves and regain their confidence. It is my belief, that we all deserve to be beautiful and proud to have chosen to take control of the situation rather than be a victim of this disease.

 ANA and me, is an alternative blog that was started in order to introduce articles that share touching real life stories just like this one. As the articles will be posted you will discover the stories of our collaborators that want to make a difference for the women that are suffering in silence. This blog also has an important role in informing the population of the benefits of this operation. This would hopefully reduce the number of people that choose to live in pain or even die rather than undergo the procedure of a ostomy and be able to enjoy life at its fullest.

 In the goal of making specifics of this disease known to as many people as possible, health specialists will be informing you about inflammatory bowel diseases and the necessity of having the operation. Finally, I hope that this blog will reduce the prejudice that society currently holds towards ostomies.

 ANA and me welcomes you to its universe.

Andréanne

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Article sponsored by our partner : La boîte.