The third and last video in the series about blood, this one covering everything you need to know about your J-pouch, and how much it should or should not bleed…and what it might mean if it does bleed. This video, like all others, is based on my experiences with blood, so if you’ve had a different experience comment on the video and let us know!
Keep fighting,
~Dennis
Hey everybody,
It’s hard to believe but one year has passed since my J-pouch was constructed! On Tuesday I’m going in for my first pouchoscopy, so rest assured there will be a video in the near future describing this glorious procedure in all the detail you’ve come to expect from my videos. Hopefully everything looks alright!
Keep fighting,
~Dennis
Ever wonder why somebody chooses to become a GI doctor? I mean, it isn’t the most glamorous work out there. And yet, the work GIs do is obviously very important, as all of us know.
Here’s an interesting story about Dr. Joseph B. Kirsner, who has worked in the field of gastroenterology for more than 70 years. Dr. Kirsner now works solely as a distinguished professor at the University of Chicago. Since he’s been around so long, he’s seen a lot of change in the field, and has played a part in pioneering much of that change.
Keep fighting,
~Dennis
Everybody loves a good sports story. Here’s a great video made about US Olympic kayaker Carrie Johnson, who has Crohn’s disease, but doesn’t let it get in the way of following her dreams.
Her example shows us that we have no excuses when it comes to living our lives in spite of IBD.
Keep fighting,
~Dennis
Two updates in one day…preposterous!
My new blog entry this week is up on C3Life.com. This is an especially great entry talking about Camp Oasis, which as you know I attended almost two months ago now. I’ve been waiting for this blog forum to open up for me so that I can finally talk to everybody about camp!
If you like this, there will be more about camp in the weeks to come.
Keep fighting,
~Dennis
Here’s a story that unfortunately happens all too often. A 9-year-old girl, Tessa Kilian, is undergoing surgery today to remove her colon after suffering with ulcerative colitis for two years. In that time, she has spent 72 days in the hospital. Quite a travesty, by anybody’s measurements.
I wish this girl all the luck in her life ahead.
If stories like these touch your heart, consider donating to Camp Oasis. I have no clue if this girl has been there or not, but certainly hundreds of kids sick like her go to camp every summer. Please consider donating even a little bit as camp is an amazing form of therapy for these kids.
Keep fighting,
~Dennis
For those of you who are going to school or college, IBD University has a video up about dealing with school and IBD. I missed school because of flare-ups so knowing how to talk to your teachers or professors goes a long way in making sure school isn’t an additional point of stress for you.
Keep fighting,
~Dennis
Continuing the series on blood, this video mentions everything you need to know about your ileostomy and blood. How much blood should come from it? What might blood indicate? This video should clear up any questions you have about blood from this artificial orifice.
Keep fighting,
~Dennis
For those of you who have enjoyed my paintings, I have a real treat for you–Series II of the Yes Paintings. I’ve spent months working on these and feel like I really have a solid collection here, much better than the first. I express a lot of themes with these paintings so take some time and think about them.
If you’d like to help support this site most of the new paintings are available for sale, prices ranging from $45-99. Just drop me a line and any of these paintings can be yours!
The artwork section of this website has also expanded in another way. One new page you see is the Submit Your Artwork page. The title says it all. If you have any artwork at all that deals with you moving on from your ulcerative colitis or Crohn’s disease, send me the images and I’ll post them on this site. I want to see your artwork now, and I know others want to see it as well. If you don’t have any artwork, then get to work and make something for us!
Keep fighting,
~Dennis
This is probably the best video so far put out by the Canadian Digestive Health Foundation. Here, Raquel Feldberg of Toronto talks about the challenges of being a young mother with ulcerative colitis, but also the importance of having a good family to help out when things get tough.
For anybody who has suffered with inflammatory bowel disease, you probably know how critical family can be when you are in times of need.
Raquel also talks about how she brought up the issue of ulcerative colitis with her young children, which I imagine is a very difficult conversation to have with a kid who can’t understand fully the nature of these diseases.
Keep fighting,
~Dennis
You are currently browsing the The United Colon Vlog blog archives for September, 2009.
