Hi, Peter, me again. Since I read this blog..it's all I think about. I'm 58, well past my years of reaching my goals and finding true love. Goals change a lot over the years and then tend to not be so important. True love, well, thought I had that a few times. Married a man close to it, if not it - but he's gone now. However, I HATE this whole set-up. What you are trying to provide would make whatever life I have so much better. I can only imagine the things it would do for a 19, 30 or even 40 year old. Sorry, I can't declare I am happy my life was saved by this surgery. My family does, I do not. I don't feel it left me with much of a life. I have had to make do, get over, deal with , etc. etc. etc., so many things in life. Probably not much different than most people. Sorry, I'm not going to pretend I'm okay with this. The doctors did not and can not prepare you for what life is going to be like after this surgery. If this happened to me in my 20's - I probably wouldn't be here. So much for saving my life. I have been trying to imagine what this is going to be like. We would still have the alien peeking it's way out of our stomach ? The thing would be attached somewhere inside to that ? There would be a bag similar to what we see on the outside, inside collecting our crap ? How would it keep clean ? Would we be worrying about infections because we can't clean it every time it gets full? How would we know it's full and we need to press the button? I have had this since last July (2013) and there are many many times I don't even know I've crapped until I feel the warmth or look to check. I am constantly feeling the stupid tape to make sure it hasn't come up; some times I find out then it needs cleaning. Can the bag burst and cause all kinds of wonderful new problems ? I don't think this is going to happen in my lifetime and if it does, I am, obviously, pessimistic I will be able to benefit from it. But I think it's something that can and will make life so much better for a lot of people until they invent the artificial butt hole. (I am not scientific or have a high enough IQ to put that more eloquently.) I have read so many stories of people losing their, supposedly, better half because of the bag of shit on their stomach. Or that potential mates flee when they find out. Not only do we have to deal with this crap on a daily basis - but we have the fear the no one will want us because of it. And I wonder, if it never happened to me - if I'd be able to start a relationship with someone who had it? What you are proposing/working on - would make those odds a lot better. I could feel much better looking at myself in the mirror with a little patch or something similar over the alien than this whole attire I have to deal with. I could, at least, wear my favorite jeans again. To some women, that's half the battle. Anyway, I have those questions and may come up with more as I ponder this. Thanks for answering us so quickly. I hope this isn't the only site you are on - there are quite a few stoma sites on the airwaves.