Linda's 180 Medical Community Story

TRANSCRIPT

What started was that I had a pain in my back, so my GP, my primary doctor, asked for a CT scan. At the end, they had to do the surgery. They called my kids together in case I was going to die during surgery. It was very, very stressful. I didn't have confidence in anybody. It was very painful. I was in the hospital a long time, and they were not helpful at all about anything, so I was very happy to go home.

When I did get home, it was good because they sent me nursing from the hospital—one nurse for everything—but that only works for a couple of weeks. Then you're on your own. I still hadn't learned how to do the pouching, how to put it on without it leaking. Different companies started sending me different pouches. It became difficult for me to call the company. They would never answer the phone. They'd ask me a thousand different questions. It was very, very stressful for me while I was trying to pull my act together to run a normal life.

Actually, it was one of the companies that made the pouches, who suggested I call 180 Medical. I did, and that worked. You guys were a lifesaver. It was always easy to talk to them. They always answer the phone. I always got my pouches on time, which helped me a lot too.

The Convatec closed-end pouches are the best to use. I finish with it, roll it up, put it in a small garbage bag, then put it in another garbage bag and throw it away. Even if I sometimes get diarrhea, it doesn't bother me at all: I know I can change it again. Not the worst thing in the world.

I can really swim for an hour and never have any leakage. I never have any problems. It's like a new life. It makes my life worth living. I can go anyplace and do anything. I can go on a plane with my supplies. I've traveled many places; it has not hindered me a bit. Nowadays, I'm comfortable and livable. I'm happy when I wake up and happy when I go to sleep—that's the most important thing.

180 Medical has been right up there helping me. I couldn't have really done it without the pleasantness when you call. They don't ask a million questions, just, "How many pouches do you have left?" and "What do you want to order?" or "Do you want to change anything?"

It gives me confidence. You have to have a positive attitude: "I can do this, I can do this." Don't let anyone stop you from doing what you want to do. Just carry your stuff with you wherever you go and know you're not the only person in the world. Younger people have it too. I saw someone posted something in a bikini—I think that's marvelous. It gives people confidence to know they're not alone. You can live with this for several years until you die. You can go through any kind of situation and still be happy. You're alive, you're happy, you have a family—there's nothing better than that.

I don't want to change anything. It hasn't taken away any of the joy of my life. Your company is really great. Even when you call your credit card company and they put you on hold a billion times, I've never had that problem with 180 Medical. Someone always answers, calls me back, or writes me back. If it's a wrong order, they straighten it out and send me what I wanted. I don't think there's any other company that would do that; I really believe it. 180 Medical hires really good people—good inside. It's a caring company. I don't know how many other companies are that way anywhere. In a couple months, I'll be 80 years old, so if I say something is good, it's good.