Louise Thompson's Emotional Tribute to Life-Saving Stoma Bag
Reality television star Louise Thompson has shared a deeply personal and emotional letter addressed to her stoma bag, marking two years since the life-saving medical device was fitted during a critical surgical procedure. The 35-year-old Made In Chelsea personality, who was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis in 2018, revealed in April 2024 that she had undergone surgery resulting in a stoma.
Understanding the Medical Condition
Ulcerative colitis represents a chronic bowel condition characterized by inflammation of the colon and rectum, where small ulcers develop on the colon's lining that can bleed. A stoma constitutes a surgically-created opening on the abdomen designed to divert the flow of body waste into a medical collection device that the individual can subsequently empty as needed.
Thompson affectionately named her stoma bag Winnie in a playful nod to the beloved children's character Winnie the Pooh. On the anniversary of Winnie's fitting, she published an emotional social media post accompanied by a video that expressed both profound gratitude and occasional resentment toward the life-altering medical apparatus.
The Heartfelt Letter to Winnie
In her poignant written tribute, Thompson expressed: 'Winnie was born two years ago. And we've been attached at the hip ever since. I'm not normally compatible with Aquarius signs but then again this wasn't a relationship that I chose. We were thrown into each other's lives out of necessity...'
She continued with remarkable candor: 'It's been an interesting journey. You've taught me a lot. I think I owe you a lot. Sometimes you're my best friend, other times I hate you... You're clever, stubborn, overly honest - I don't need to know that much detail about my health thank you very much. It's funny to think that you might be in my life forever.'
The television personality reflected on the ongoing adjustment process: 'Clinging on right up until the end. Two years on and I'm still making my peace. Although I did have a massage two nights ago as a Valentine's Day treat and I really resented you... I couldn't be bothered to explain my situation to the lovely foreign massage therapist who thought I said I have stomach problems instead of a stoma bag... I nodded and prayed that she didn't get all up in my groin or she'd have had a right fright.'
Medical Background and Statistics
According to National Health Service information, a stoma represents a surgical opening created on the abdomen to divert the flow of urine and faeces when an individual cannot pass stools through their anus. This necessity typically arises from illness, injury, or digestive system complications.
Key facts about stomas include:
- Approximately one in 335 people in the United Kingdom have undergone stoma surgery
- The procedure can treat various conditions including cancer, diverticulitis, Crohn's disease, or abdominal trauma
- Stomas typically appear pink and moist, resembling the inside of the mouth
- Post-surgical swelling generally reduces within six to eight weeks
- Stomas contain no nerves, resulting in no sensation when touched
- Temporary stomas can sometimes be reversed if the affected bowel area requires healing time
Types of Stoma Procedures
Medical professionals recognize several distinct stoma variations:
- Colostomy: An opening created in the colon (large intestine) where output resembles traditional stool and typically functions one to three times daily
- Ileostomy: An opening created in the ileum (small intestine) producing looser output than colostomies, requiring drainage three to six times daily
- Urostomy: An opening specifically for urine drainage using a section of small intestine attached to the ureters
Previous Challenges and Public Disclosure
Last year, Thompson publicly disclosed experiencing what she described as a 'horrendously debilitating' stoma leak while visiting central London. She recounted traveling to Marylebone with her fiancé Ryan Libbey on his motorcycle for a medical appointment and coffee before a scheduled podcast recording.
Despite what began as a positive day, Thompson suddenly realized her stoma bag had leaked, forcing an urgent visit to the nearest hospital for replacement supplies. She described the incident as overwhelming, with Libbey handling communications while she waited in a bathroom for approximately an hour as staff searched for appropriate stoma bags.
In her anniversary reflection, Thompson expressed gratitude toward medical pioneers: 'I'm sat here writing this and feeling grateful to the first person who ever performed a colectomy... The first recorded colectomy was a right hemicolectomy performed in 1732 by the French surgeon George Arnaud de Ronsil. The EARLY 1700s... I wouldn't wanna be the person on that operating table.'
She concluded her emotional tribute with an open invitation for dialogue: 'If anyone has any questions please fire away as I know it's a little unusual.' The accompanying video presentation featured various clips showing the stoma bag in different contexts, along with mirror selfies documenting her journey with the medical device.
