Hannah's Story
Hello! My name is Hannah and I'm 26-years-old. l work full time in the NHS and outside of work, I love keeping busy. I've had my feeding tube since I was 19 and have been on continuous feeds since 23. This means my feed comes with me everywhere I go, and whether I like it or not, I'm the girl with the backpack.
Up until about 8 months ago, I alternated between black and red square, bulky rucksacks. The rucksacks served me well, allowing me to go about my daily life whilst staying connected to my feed. However, I wasn’t that fond of them. The bags themselves were bulky and heavy. It wasn’t comfortable and hurt my shoulders. Almost as important, they never matched my outfit and really didn’t suit my life. Imagine going to a job interview in a smart, pinstriped pencil dress paired with a bulky black rucksack, covered in zips, with a huge blue arrow on it. Or going on a night with your mates and feeling like Dora the Explorer.
I'd tried a few different bags that I'd bought myself, clipping keyrings inside and cutting holes in them to try and hold my feed. They never lasted more than a couple of minutes before my pump was alarming or my feed was leaking all over me. I'd searched for custom feed bags for a while but there was nothing out there.
A friend sent me a link to TubieeGo the week it was launched, and I ordered one straight away. I had a detailed chat with Jenni about my regime and she went away and worked out what would suit me best. I often run feed and water together with two pumps which meant using two Abbott bags before my custom bag. When I did this, I couldn’t really go anywhere. They were able to take some measurements and work out a system that let me run them both together in the same bag or just one and ensured the weight was evenly balanced on
my shoulders whatever I was running. Not only that, I was able to pick from so many colours and patterns to find my perfect bag.
My new bag made a difference to me straight away. It’s so much lighter than my old bags. I chose a bag with a floral pattern on which goes with pretty much everything in my wardrobe and feels much smarter for work. I work in cancer services and every day I meet people affected by cancer as part of my role. I like to be colourful as I think it makes people feel brighter.
My bag has seen a lot. I like to stay active - going walking, cycling, gigging and travelling. The chest straps help to protect my shoulders whilst I'm exercising and they're pink! In November, I went to Iceland – my first holiday with my new bag – and we spent a lot of time exploring. I felt just like any other tourist (a bit trendier?).
My favourite thing to do is go to gigs. My rucksack can often attract quite a bit of unwanted attention at gigs which can make me feel self-conscious. But my new bag makes me feel much more confident in doing the things I love and helps reflect the person I am.
When you’re wearing a bag all the time, it’s so important to have one that you love. It affects my energy levels, my pain levels, my confidence and my mood. People never ask me anymore: ‘is it annoying carrying that thing round?’
Here's to many more adventures with my wonderful bag!
For more information about our bespoke service visit us at www.tubieego.com/collections/bespoke-service