Alive & Kicking

Hi everybody. My name's Brian Siman, and I have an ostomy. Well, when I first heard about ostomy surgery, I said, that's not gonna happen to me. I'm in good shape.

I'm young, not possible. And then the reality started to hit and it was going to happen, and my world started to unravel. I started thinking of all the things that would go away because of this surgery. My job was to travel around the world with a camera, taking pictures of extraordinary athletes doing extraordinary things in exotic and extreme locations.

I was wondering if that was all gonna go away. It was all new to me and I couldn't believe it was gonna happen. Would my life ever be the same? And that's all I thought about.

But the clock keeps ticking and life goes on, and sure enough you recover. And sure enough, I needed a job and called the guys back and said, well, I'm ready to go back to work. Well, let, let me show you what I was doing because then you're clear about what, and remember when you're watching this, I have a pouch shop. So just take a look Right down the lens, okay?

And that'll be cool. You got really to the right there. I want you to keep coming towards me. Chair.

I want to see at the top again. I like this. I like the conditions, shooting the justice to it. That was me on location shooting.

And uh, yes, I do have a pouch attached to me. In fact, one of the times after the surgery when I had a pouch, I was assigned to go to Antarctica. I said, Antarctica, oh my God, what am I gonna do? So I called up people that sold me, the, the appliances, the pouch, the paste, everything else that goes with it.

And I said, this does, will this stuff work at Antarctica? And they said, I don't know. Nobody's ever gone there before. So I, um, do the fully put in all the appliances in the refrigerator, in the freezer part overnight.

And the next morning I tried it all on. And sure enough, it worked. And sure enough, that afternoon I said, I'll take the job to Antarctica. When do we leave?

And so I'm sure I was the only guy and maybe still to this day, showing up in Antarctica with the posh. But that was me and it all worked out well. How about my love life? Is that gonna be the same?

Well, let me tell you, I really, truly believe, believe those who love you won't care. But go out live life, have fun. You just went through something awful. It's a bad bump in the road, but you will survive.

But, uh, nothing really changes. Um, you guys, feel free to get in touch with me anytime you got any questions. I've been through a lot of it. I always learn something about it, but get in touch with me.

I'm having to talk to you and nothing changes. Trust me. Nothing really changes. So have fun.

Good luck out there. It's a rough hurdle, but you made it through. You probably through it already. And, uh, hang in there.