Blog posts by Nick Axtell

With Father’s Day taking place in June, Nick considers how chronic illness has affected his role as a dad, and what an achievement parenting when ill actually is.

Before Nick became ill he would have described himself as laid back, and never gave a thought to his mental health. In this month’s blog he takes a look back and shares how his physical health has impacted his mental health.

It’s normal to struggle with romance after stoma surgery. Here Nick shares what happened to his self-esteem after becoming an ostomate and how he overcame the resulting sexual problems

Writing poetry isn’t something Nick thought he’d ever do but he’s given it a go to help celebrate National Poetry Day, and we’re pleased he did! His poem provides an emotional insight into his journey from struggling to accept his stoma to the eventual appreciation for his new bag and body.

Nick revisits the time he embarked upon a mountain bike ride to take his mind off of his upcoming surgery, and how an injury turned out to be a great thing!

Nick’s condition means he spends a lot of time doing nothing more than eating, sleeping and watching TV. So when better days finally arrive, he is sure to make the most of them