Dinky Downes

After years of Emma telling me to get on TikTok to share our life (which I've been doing on our business Instagram stories for ages), I finally took the plunge!
Give me a follow if you're interested in learning about our travels, life with a new stoma, my campaign for maternity safety, home educating our little boy & learning to love life after life changing trauma ❤️

LifeWithLeonnie on TikTok 242 Followers, 263 Following, 371 Likes - Watch awesome short videos created by LifeWithLeonnie

Hello 👋🏼
It's been a while!
I'm still here, recovering & learning to live as an ostomate whilst navigating some new mobility issues as a surgical complication.
We're still here, waiting to reopen - still aiming for a full blown Dinky Christmas 🎄
I just wanted to say hello & that we're still here.
We also recently decided to home educate our son alongside Dinky, which we'll also be navigating too. Spending time in ICU really makes you realise that life is too short ❤️
Hoping to have a reopening date soon, will keep you all updated!

Dinky's 6th birthday 🎂
Usually we mark today with a cake & lots of offers to celebrate having built a business we're proud of. I'm not sure today is much to celebrate with everything that's happening and our current closure, but I wanted to take this opportunity to celebrate our followers, despite being closed. The amount of support I've received these past couple of weeks have been incredible, from both the stoma community and otherwise. If I didn't have Dinky, I wouldn't have that support, and I'm extremely grateful that 6 years of hard work has built that - a supportive community. This one's for you guys - thank you for being there every step of my journey. Here's to reopening, hopefully one day soon 🥂

Day 10 post stoma surgery, real life body edition 💪🏼

4 days since my last update... I'm pretty sure I was extremely drugged up on pain relief when I wrote about our reopening 😅 things haven't been great & progress has been much slower than predicted due to an accompanying spinal complication from the surgery. After 4 days on intensive care, I finally got moved onto a normal ward, but I'm still in hospital & struggling an awful lot with my recovery. I'll keep updating - I just want to get my life back on track & get Dinky reopened when I'm ready ❤️
Fellow birth trauma survivors - never forget how incredible you are, you absolutely warriors 💪🏼

Good morning, I thought I would give an update on where we're at.
I had stoma surgery on Thursday & I've been in Intensive Care since coming out of theatre.
I've had a few complications but I'm hoping I'm heading in the right direction, albeit slower than expected.
Obviously it depends on how my recovery is, but I'm hoping maybe in September we might reopen?
For now, the main aim is to get me out of Intensive Care & onto a normal ward 🤞🏼
I hope everyone is doing ok & keeping healthy ❤️
Leonnie # # #

I've spent the past few days wearing an artificial stoma & bags to help me prepare for surgery in 2 weeks. There have been lots of tears, but today is a good day & I feel ready to continue smashing the stigma around birth injuries ❤️

Well, an update on Dinky I'm not too sure I want to give.
I had surgery 3 weeks ago, which unfortunately failed. As a result, I now require stoma formation surgery & have a date for it in 6 weeks time. Although I knew this was on the cards, it's still hit me pretty hard.
I hate to give this update, but it is extremely unlikely that Dinky will reopen before the second half of the year now due to the extended recovery period following this surgery.
I'm gutted and very scared, to be quite honest. However, I do understand the long-term benefits that should come from having a colostomy, which will also enable me to put my all into Dinky again. It also means we'll be back for a Dinky Christmas 🙌🏻
Once it's done, it's done, and I'll be raring to go in the second half of the year ❤️
Much love, as always,
Leonnie 🌈

Thought it was best to do another update as we're in March now... not too sure where time is going!
Unfortunately, I'm still no further forward in giving a more concrete update.
I won't be returning to work by the end of March, which means we completely miss Easter - another blow for Dinky 😢
I'm having surgery on Thursday - third one in just over a year 🤦‍♀️ I'm hoping I can give more of an update end of March in regards to even more further surgery & how I'm doing with my mental health too. Fingers crossed, although I do feel like I'm saying that every month currently 😞
I hope everyone is OK - we miss our Dinky Family ❤️

❗️UPDATE❗️

It's been a month & a half since my last update, so I thought it was only fair to bring everyone up to speed as I was due back to work today.
Unfortunately, I'm still currently off sick. Today, I've had a surgery date for the beginning of March. I will obviously need the surgery/recovery off, too, but I'll be having more surgery very rapidly after the first surgery. As of now, we're unsure whether this will be stoma formation surgery or a permanent implantation of an electrical device.
I wish I could give more of a timescale of when we're looking at being back, but I just don't know. At the earliest, it would be 1st April, but as I'll need more surgery quickly afterwards, it's likely to extend past this too.
It's honestly breaking my heart not working. I wish more than anything that I was well enough to work & wasn't facing what I am. I miss Dinky so much and our wonderful customers.
I will continue to give monthly updates, and I hope you'll continue to support Dinky once we reopen 🌈

❗️IMPORTANT INFO❗️

I've made no secret of the fact our family has had a challenging year, filled with both surgeries & mental health issues. My health has got progressively worse since October, both mentally & physically, and we've made the decision to temporarily take a break from work.
We were due to begin work again on the 8th January, but that will now be pushed back to at least the 1st February, with a high chance of that being pushed back again, especially as I'm awaiting further surgery & a lot of mental health input.
After 6 years of non-stop work, it breaks my heart to have to write this post, but I know that we have no other choice right now 💔
Sometimes the hardest thing you do is the best thing for your family, and it's ok to take a break & prioritise your health.
See you real soon ❤️

❗️ LAST FEW HOURS TO ORDER ❗️

After tonight we are closing until the 8th January for our Christmas break 🎅🏼

It’s now or never to get your Christmas orders in and save some money ❗️

https://www.dinkydownes.com/black-friday

❗️Last chance to order to guarantee Christmas delivery 🚚 ❗️

Christmas Eve crates or family crates are the perfect addition to your Christmas this year, fill with lots of Christmas treats or Christmas fun for you and the whole family! 🎄🎅🏼

Great size & very sturdy meaning you can use them year after year 🥳

https://www.dinkydownes.com/product-page/wooden-christmas-crate

❗️2 DAYS REMAINING UNTIL CHRISTMAS CLOSURE ❗️

We are only 2 days away from closing for our Christmas break but the bargains keep on coming 🥳

Christmas Eve boxes now just £4.99 lovely for filling with Christmas Eve treats for you and the family before snuggling down ready for Santa!

https://www.dinkydownes.com/product-page/christmas-eve-boxes

🎄🎅🏼 CHRISTMAS CUT OFF 🎅🏼 🎄

CLOSING FOR CHRISTMAS ORDERS ON 30th NOVEMBER 🎄

Well, today, unexpectedly, I hit the headlines 💪🏻 I'm in The Sun, Wales Online, LEP, MSN, Yahoo - just to name a few.
After several media appearances recently, today's have just gone 'further', with multiple news outlets reporting my story.
I'm sharing on here for the same reason I share my story - to make mothers feel less embarrassed about their birth injuries.
I'm grateful to be able to use my voice so other mums feel less alone.
For those struggling with Birth Trauma/Bowel Incontinence/PTSD - the contact details for Birth Trauma Association - UK are at the bottom of Yahoo article 👇🏻

Mum on her life-changing incontinence after birth trauma left her with third-degree tear Leonnie Downes was left with 'life-changing' bowel incontinence and urgency after a difficult birth.