Welcome to UCVlog.com! Here you will find TONS of information about living with inflammatory bowel disease, an ostomy, a J-pouch, and other bowel diseases. Take it from two young people who have been through it all and aren’t afraid to share their stories.

Emptying an ostomy–Laura’s way
May 28, 2012Emptying an ostomy might seem like old hat to some of you, but to others, you might find this video useful. Laura shows several ways she empties her appliance. Everybody is a little bit different, so if you find something that works for you, stick with it!
Keep fighting,
~Dennis

C3Life Blog: Take Steps Dallas
May 25, 2012Last weekend was the real Take Steps walk that I was excited about. Take Steps Jacksonville earlier in the month was fun, but Take Steps Dallas was even more so.
My co-host Nadia, our mutual friend Hannah, and I have been organizing our team for months. We set a goal of raising $3,500, which was significantly higher than the previous walk Nadia and I did in which we raised $1,500. As it got closer to the walk, it was looking less and less likely that we’d meet our goal.
But inflammatory bowel disease is never static, and even though all three of us were feeling pretty decent when we started the team, by the time of the walk, all of our health situations had changed.
Keep fighting,
~Dennis

Ostomy Outdoors: Spring rock climbing in the canyon
May 24, 2012Heidi proves once again that an ostomy doesn’t have to limit you from anything you do!
Keep fighting,
~Dennis

Colonoscopy video tour: Journey through a healthy colon
May 21, 2012Many of us with IBD have very unhealthy colons (or no colons at all!), which is why I found this video from the American College of Gastroenterology so fascinating. It guides us through the entirety of a healthy colon. If you are curious what your colon is supposed to look like, watch this short video. The bowel preparation was perfect, so all you’ll see is healthy, clean tissue.
Keep fighting,
~Dennis

C3Life Blog: Surviving the heat of Take Steps Jacksonville
May 15, 2012Last weekend I took part in the Take Steps for Crohn’s and Colitis walk in Jacksonville, Florida. I’ve never been to Jacksonville before, so what better time to visit than for a CCFA event? The walk was held at the University of North Florida, a very beautiful campus.
For months, I’ve been signed up for a different Take Steps walk, the one in Dallas, Texas. However, in February, I assumed leadership of the CCFA support group in my area. The support group had been in a period of decline, so this year’s goal has been to get the group running again.
Keep fighting,
~Dennis

Treating diverticulosis and diverticulitis
May 15, 2012Two videos here explaining the difference between diverticulosis and diverticulitis, and how this condition is treated. The second video has a great animation of laparoscopic surgery to remove an infected portion of the colon.
Keep fighting,
~Dennis
Question: Have you had diverticulitis? How was the problem treated? Share your story by responding to this post!



