A 2nd chance at life is the icing on the cake, the cherry on top. In this book I share a first person account of arriving at the brink of death, survival, and living with a permanent colostomy.

In order to deal with an ostomates life journey, I began to write about what was happening to me and how I felt about it.

With humour and inspiration, the book walks the reader through my experiences, my laughter and tears, while trying to live with my new life partner, my stoma “Percy”.

What genre is it?
“Better With A Bag Than In A Bag“, is a non-fiction autobiographical tale of one woman’s journey from the brink of death to recovery.

Who is it aimed at?
This book was initially written for people who are on a physical and/or emotional health journey, their caregivers, medical professionals, and their advocates.

After it was published in 2012, I began to receive exciting feedback not only from ostomates, (people with ostomies), but also from people in general. Filled with humour and inspiration, this book  is appealing to anyone who is interested in the human spirit and our drive to live a joyous quality of life, in spite of it all.

If you don’t mind talking about yourself in the third person, tell us about the Jo-Ann in the book.
Jo-Ann L. Tremblay, an ordinary woman taking a stand against an extraordinary nemesis called diverticular disease finds herself lost in the mysterious landscape of misdiagnosis. Who will help her…What does she do to save her life….Time is running out!

The Doctor who carves her into a survivor, creating a colostomy she affectionately calls, “Percy”.  A Colostomy is a beginning again!

Without Percy, she would not be alive, her pungent little life partner is  filled with life’s misadventures that makes us laugh as we get on with life in spite of it all.

Tell us more.
As adventures go, I have had many. But, nothing prepared me for the odyssey I embarked on in 2008. By July 21, 2011, I found myself in a hospital emergency room, 1 hour from certain death.  If not for the amazing skills of a team of 8 doctors over an almost 8 hour surgery, I would have been placed in a body bag.

Instead, they repaired me and then they created a permanent colostomy. My physiology is changed and now I poop in a bag, for life. As life situations go, I rather poop in a bag, than be in a bag.

There’s more to you than just your illness, we’re sure.
I am an ostomate, blogger, mother, grandmother, speaker, author, life coach, water colour/oil artist and photographer.

Where do you blog?
Visit my blog “THE OSTOMY FACTOR“as part of my committed effort in support of ostomy awareness that is intended to benefit people with bowel disease, colorectal cancer, fellow ostomates, their caregivers/advocates, medical professionals, and our community of humanity around the world.

THE OSTOMY FACTOR, is a remarkably candid blog telling the story of the adventures of an ostomate from both mine and Percy’s (stoma) point of view. With a mix of humour, inspiration, and a large dollop of empathy in celebration of 2nd chances at creating and living a full and joyous quality of life, the blog shares everyday stories that will give you a chuckle as you enjoy a good read.

Have you written any other books that we should read next?
I authored, “The Self-Coaching Toolbox” – Six tools for personal and professional growth & development.

How can we follow you on Twitter and/or Facebook?
Twitter @joanntremblay.

What’s next?
The adventures continue! Better With A Bag Than In A Bag: The Sequel is scheduled to be released in 2014.

My life is saved and Percy has joined me on this odyssey.

It’s July 22, 2012, the day after the first anniversary of my lifesaving surgery, and my Celebration of Life Day is now history. The candles have bee blown out, the cupcakes devoured. Percy’s gem-studded bag has been thrown away. Time to move on – or so I thought. As I look forward to my future, on the horizon there’s another storm brewing.

“Oh, another surgery, you say.” I repeated the doctor’s statement as a queasy feeling slowly spread through my stomach and down my legs.

“Yes, the Modified Sugarbaker Technique,” she said.

Wow, they sure come up with some doozy names. Must be their way of sugar-coating so their patients don’t faint from fear.

“We will open your abdomen again from your belly button down, then we’ll head in for the repair…” The doctor’s voice started fading, as my brain got fuzzy. “We’ll insert a mesh. Percy will be in a type of sling…”

Where does this real-life story go?