99 Calls. As of next week, including my scheduled calls, I will have placed 99 calls as a patient ambassador for Medtronic. In a little less than two years, I have spoken with 99 people regarding my experiences with Interstim. 99 “official” conversations about fecal incontinence have been expounded upon in an open and honest manner. 99 conversations that, prior to 2008, I could have never imagined having. 99 conversations that, on average, are 30 minutes a call, that’s 2,970 minutes, 49.5 hours, a little over 2 full days of talking about an issue that is stigmatized, traumatizing, and devastating to many people.
Modesty aside, I can say, I feel good about that. I feel great that I am able to do something, able to help people at the time where they are questioning their future with fecal incontinence. Able to alleviate fear and provide a sounding board for life’s stresses with fecal incontinence. I feel as though I am providing a service that I so desperately craved at my time of decision, at the time where I was wallowing in the woes and uncertainty of a future filled with severe fecal incontinence.
The most amazing thing for me, however, is that 99 calls is just the tip of the iceberg. The bowel disorders support group that I facilitate, the multiple e-mails I negotiate from my blog, and the conversations I have with people face to face all serve to get my story out there in an effort to let people know they are not alone! To date, this blog has been viewed over 17,500 times. It is hard for me to even wrap my head around that number. It is hard for me to imagine that those 17,500 + views have hopefully helped someone by educating them about my experience and hopefully provided empathy for the viewer’s individual experience.
I am grateful for the opportunity to share my story, and I invite you to pass it on.
Thanks for reading,
Lauren
