Turning the Tide

Malisa (also known as Missy) Padgett of South Carolina has worked in the medical field since 2006 and has been a National Registered Medical Assistant since 2012. But after her ileostomy surgery in 2013 and a total proctocolectomy in 2014, she wondered if she would be able to continue to heal others.

“I thought everything I loved and used to do would be gone,” says Missy.

This 43-year-old caregiver has battled Crohn’s disease since 1999 as well as kidney cancer. She also lost her dad from a massive heart attack during this very overwhelming time.

The unconditional support of her family, friends and strong faith helped her through the tsunami of emotions, but she had no idea how to connect with the ostomy community. She learned how to change her pouching system by herself and affectionately named her stoma “Violet” after the character in her favorite movie, Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (the Gene Wilder version).

As she pushed through, the tide began to turn. She eventually found various support groups on Facebook where she met kindred spirits.

“After talking to others, I knew I would either have to accept Violet or stay in bed under the covers,” explains Missy.

She went to a United Ostomy Associations of America (UOAA) National Conference in 2015 and learned new ways to cope with her ileostomy. She then found a new way to use her caregiving skills—as a Committee Member of the 30+ Network, a virtual peer mentoring support group affiliated with the UOAA for people over age 30.

“It’s very rewarding for me to help bring people together with the same issues and offer support,” says Missy. “It gives me the sense of security that I will never walk alone.”

“I told myself I wasn’t going to let my stoma own me, I was going to own it,” says Missy.

As a self-proclaimed beach fanatic, she’s back to one of her favorite places on earth — the beach. She now has the confidence to strut her stuff and not worry about what people think about her ostomy.

In her downtime, she spends time with her friends, family and boyfriend (the love of her life) of seventeen years who stuck by her throughout her illness. “My ostomy doesn’t bother him,” says Missy. “Even though I look like I’ve been through a paper shredder, my scars tell a story like tattoos do.”

Her new story is just beginning. The next chapter of her adventure includes skydiving and traveling (since her boyfriend works for an airline). There are even whispers of getting married in the future! Missy looks forward to it all.

“You only live once, and I just want to keep living,” says Missy.