It’s something most people don’t want to talk about or even think about. The squeamish blanch at the details; for others the subject is just too intimate to discuss. But the 700,000 people in the U.S. living with a permanent ostomy don’t have the luxury of ignoring the subject of bodily waste elimination. Simply put, an ostomy is a surgical procedure that creates an artificial opening for the elimination of bodily wastes. The waste is collected in bags or pouches. There are three types of ostomies – colostomy (descending colon), ileostomy (ascending colon), and a urostomy (bladder). Some people need to wear two bags – one for urine and another for solid waste. Oct. 6 is International Ostomy Awareness Day. This year’s theme is “Let’s be heard,” and Cheney resident John (Gus) Hall isn’t shy about discussing his surgery/Cindy Hval, SR. More here. (AP file photo: An endoscopy system for colonoscopies)

Question: Have you had a colonoscopy? How bad was it?