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C3Life Blog: Getting Through the Night

ucvlog — Wed, 30 Dec 2009 17:47:04 +0000

Hey everybody, I have one last blog entry before the turn of the new year. This one discusses one of my favorite medical topics, sleep, and some strategies I use to get through the night. With constantly waking up to go to the bathroom, nights can be rough for a lot of people.

I hope this entry helps in some little way!

Keep fighting,
~Dennis

My Scars After One Year

ucvlog — Mon, 28 Dec 2009 13:41:59 +0000

It’s been one year since my last surgery, so time for an update on what my scars look like. All in all, I think they look pretty good. People seem to be very fascinated by scars, but I probably won’t do another video like this until next year at this time. My scars really haven’t changed much at all the last six months.

Keep fighting,
~Dennis

Question: How did your scars compare after a year? Reply to this post!

C3Life Blog: One Down, Three to Go

ucvlog — Sun, 20 Dec 2009 15:23:24 +0000

Another blog entry up on C3Life.com. I don’t talk too much about my personal life through that site or this one, outside of medical experiences, but I thought it appropriate to update you on what I’ve been doing the last four months of my life, since the choices I’ve made are a direct consequence of living with ulcerative colitis.

Keep fighting,
~Dennis

The Partial Portion; How Illness Affects Choices

ucvlog — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 14:52:33 +0000

Another great video from Nadia. This semester, her first year in school, has been very rough with hospitals stays and missed school. So she’s decided to try college again next fall. Only having a partial portion of what you want, as she says, can be very frustrating and difficult to accept but so life goes with IBD.

Send this kid a message if you get a chance! We could all take something from the positive attitude she continues to exhibit in spite of all her setbacks.

Keep fighting,
~Dennis

C3Life Blog: The Beginning of the Yes Paintings

ucvlog — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 14:08:01 +0000

A new blog post is now available on C3Life.com. This one describes why and how I began my first series of therapeutic paintings, the Yes Paintings. You get a small part of the story here on this vlog right here, but through this C3Life blog I hope to explain more thoroughly the meaning behind some of my favorite paintings.

If there’s any painting in particular that you want me to discuss next, let me know.

Keep fighting,
~Dennis

Is There a Cure for Ulcerative Colitis?

ucvlog — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 12:15:37 +0000

If you’ve been following my vlog for awhile you may already know what I believe about this. There are many on the Internet that claim a certain supplement, treatment, or medicine can COMPLETELY cure your ulcerative colitis without surgery. I’ve thought before about exposing such nonsense but I think even acknowledging such dubious claims gives them too much credit.

This video covers the real deal: the difference between cures and remission, and how surgery, while substantially reducing symptoms, is an imperfect cure at best.

Keep fighting,
~Dennis

Question: Where am I going wrong? Is there really a cure that I am not seeing? Please respond to this post and share your thoughts!

Crohn's Disease: One Day at a Time

ucvlog — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 16:05:53 +0000

This is a sad story about a veteran who is basically immobilized because of his Crohn’s disease. The number of medications he takes his incredible, and he still has problems with Crohn’s. This video just goes to show how bad these diseases can get at times.

For those of you who are able to maintain a life in spite of IBD, consider yourself very fortunate.

Keep fighting,
~Dennis

2010 GYGIG Dates Posted

ucvlog — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 14:16:57 +0000

Get Your Guts in Gear, the annual bike riding fundraiser for Crohn’s and colitis research, recently posted the dates for the 2010 rides around the country. The dates are as follows:

New York, NY: 11-13 June 2010
Seattle, WA: 6-8 August 2010
Wisconsin: 1-3 October 2010

If you would like to be a part of this amazing fundraiser, now is the time to start thinking about next year’s dates and to start training. The bike ride is 210 miles, averaging 70 miles a day, so you better be prepared!

Keep fighting,
~Dennis

Catalan Subtitled: Second Surgery

ucvlog — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 12:50:43 +0000

After translating the video describing my first surgery, why not my second surgery as well? This is the third video translated into Catalan, a language from Spain.

Again, if there’s anybody who wants to assist in this Translation Project please let me know. It doesn’t matter what language you know as long as you know it competently!

Keep fighting,
~Dennis

Nadia's Remicade Infusion

ucvlog — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 12:45:23 +0000

Our friend Nadia has a new set of videos up about her recent trip to get a Remicade infusion. For those who have never been on Remicade, her videos show the basic procedure for getting set up and infused with the medicine. Particularly interesting, yet frustrating, is the nurses’ attempts to start an IV with her small veins. How many of you have been in a situation where you were stuck multiple times with a needle just to get an IV started? Apparently, this is a regular occurrence for Nadia.

I wish her all the best luck and hope that this Remicade keeps her Crohn’s under control.

Keep fighting,
~Dennis

C3Life Blog: A Lifestyle of Thankfulness

ucvlog — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 12:49:58 +0000

Hello everybody, a new C3Life.com blog is now available for you here. This week’s blog is a reflection on Thanksgiving and all that we have to be thankful for. Leave a comment and let me know what you are thankful for!

Also, you’ll see on the right a new page featuring an archive of all my C3Life blog entries.

Keep fighting,
~Dennis

Catalan Subtitled: First Surgery

ucvlog — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 12:44:36 +0000

Hey everybody, the translation project is continuing and I have a new video with Catalan subtitles: the video describing my first surgery. More Catalan videos to come. If you know anybody in Spain who might benefit from these videos, please let them know! I know Catalan is not the most popular language in the world but the people who speak it still get ulcerative colitis.

Keep fighting,
~Dennis

2010 Colondar

ucvlog — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 15:26:22 +0000

As the year winds down, it’s time to start thinking about next year–and the latest edition of the Colondar! This amazing work of art features models under the age of 50 showing off the scars left after being diagnosed with colon cancer and having their colons removed. This calender will certainly make a statement in your house and is a great conversation starter.

To learn more about the models in this year’s Colondar, click here.

Keep fighting,
~Dennis

Happy Thanksgiving!

ucvlog — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 14:32:10 +0000

For all my American viewers, today is the day to be thankful for all that we have. I know many of your are going through intense physical struggles. I still have my bad days and bad nights as well. But there is still much to be thankful for in the midst of pain.

Two years ago I spent Thanksgiving in the hospital on bowel rest, eating nothing but TPN through a PICC line. But even in that situation there was still much to be thankful for.

So spend some time with your family and friends today. Don’t watch any videos.

Keep fighting,
~Dennis

Minnesotan Kid Great Comebacks Winner

ucvlog — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 16:59:28 +0000

Great Comebacks is an awards program recognizing inspiring individuals who have made a difference in the inflammatory bowel disease community. You may remember our friend Nadia won an award earlier this year.

The Comeback Kids program recently announced the 2009 winners, and the winner of the central region was Laurel Schwartz, a camper who I met personally at Camp Oasis this summer. She’s been through a lot with her Crohn’s disease but has really made it her mission to raise money and awareness to fight this disease. Read her story to see how even young people can make a difference if they keep fighting.

~Dennis

New Links Posted

ucvlog — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 12:55:04 +0000

You may have noticed I added some new links to the sidebar this week. If you haven’t noticed…well, here’s what they are and why they are important!

Take Steps This is a fundraiser walkathon sponsored by the CCFA. Many people are involved with it and it has raised millions of dollars for research. If you are looking to get involved, check out the site to learn about the 2010 season. In 2009, Take Steps raised $7 million!

Team Challenge A little tougher than Take Steps, Team Challenge is a half-marathon run/walk that also raises substantial money for Crohn’s and colitis research. The 2009 challenge is almost finished, so it’s time to start looking into next year’s challenge.

ostomysecrets For those having trouble with their ostomy bags, ostomysecrets offers underwear and swimwear to help with your troubles. They sell great products and are certainly worth checking out.

J-Pouch.org This J-pouch community site is very popular. One of their most useful features is the extensive forums, so if you have questions about your J-pouch and want to talk to others who have one, check out this site.

Those are all the links I have for now. As I come across more useful sites I will let you know.

Keep fighting,
~Dennis

Simple Blood Test for Digestive Organ Cancer diagnosis

japannews — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 22:53:24 +0000

Kanazawa University announced on 19th November that their researchers have discovered a method for detecting cancer of the stomach, intestines, liver or other digestive organs using only a blood test. Having learned that digestive system cancers share a distinctive genetic trait, this discovery led to a method for detecting cancer. The new method is expected to be more effective than standard procedures up till now. The aim is to introduce the test as a standard part of regular civilian health checks.

The researchers first discovered the genetic abnormality in cancerous digestive organs and then, focusing on the genes’ distinctive features, conducted tests on a group of 53 people – 40 patients already diagnosed with cancer and 13 healthy individuals. Out of the total of 53 people, tests were accurate in diagnosing the existence of cancer in 48 of the patients, which represents a success rate of approximately 90%. Ten percent of those diagnosed with cancer, using the new system, turned out not to have it.

Further testing revealed that of the 40 patients with cancer of the stomach or large intestine, 70% were accurately diagnosed using the new blood test; 70% of the patients afflicted with pancreatic cancer, which is notoriously hard to diagnose, were also correctly identified. Research will now focus on how early in their development cancerous cells can be identified.

Testing on 150 patients to identify the tell-tale proteins associated with cancerous tumours led to less precise results with only 20% of patients being correctly identified.

The main strength of the new blood testing method developed at Kanazawa University is that test results are returned within 3-4 days. Furthermore, no special medication is required nor the use of X-ray equipment; the test can be implemented for less than one hundred thousand yen, which is around half of the cost of diagnosis using positron emission tomography (PET).

Cubix, the company set up to deal with the commercial potential of the Kanazawa team’s research results, will manufacture a ‘DNA chip’ – which will be able to identify the genetic irregularity associated with cancerous cells. The company hopes to introduce public testing (at patients’ own expense) by the end of next year.

A professor at Kanazawa university says “our research this time has been into cancer in the digestive systems of the body, but we think that the new test could have applications with cancer of the lungs or womb as well. We want to see this test become part of regular health testing to enable early treatment of cancer patients.

[ Asahi Newspaper - 20th November 2009 ]

Brock Lesnar Update: Dana White says Lesnar had a hole in his intestines

Stinger — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 18:17:02 +0000

New updates regarding the health of UFC Heavyweight Champion, this time from an interview Dana White conducted with Yahoo Sports. Dana reveals that Lesnar had a hole in his intestine.

“We don’t know if he’ll ever fight again… He had a hole in his intestine, the (stuff) was leaking into his stomach. That’s what was causing him so much pain. That and he had abscesses… The doctor told him he hasn’t been right for a year. His immune system has been trying to fight this thing and that’s why he was susceptible to getting sick.”

Lesnar did undergo a successful surgery is feeling better and currently recovering at his Minnesota home, but it’s still too early to tell whether he will fight again, although his trainer said Lesnar should make a full recovery. Dana said they’re taking Lesnar to the Mayo Clinic in a couple of days, I would guess for examinations and test, and that they should know a little more next week.

In the meantime, White said he will not make any decision regarding an interim heavyweight champion until he knows how long Brock Lesnar will out for/if he’s able to return. We’ll keep you posted.

Videos: The DAVE Project

ucvlog — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 12:46:18 +0000

All of us have had colonoscopies, but how many of us were awake when it happened, or saw a video of it afterwards? If you are curious about the inner workings of the colon, intestine, and the rest of the digestive tract, check out this video website for gastroenterologists called the DAVE Project. “DAVE” stands for Digital Atlas of Video Education and features hundreds of videos from scopes done through the body. There are videos of every type of colon and digestive problem you can think of. There are videos for colitis and for various other problems that one may develop in the course of his or her disease.

Only those with an iron stomach and an intense curiosity of such things should visit the site. I can’t stand to watch the videos for more than thirty seconds, but some might find it interesting.

Keep fighting,
~Dennis

C3Life Blog: My Return to Deer Hunting

ucvlog — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 12:39:09 +0000

This week’s C3Life.com blog is about my experiences deer hunting last weekend, and how surgery and ulcerative colitis have kept me from this activity the past two years. For those who would like to see a concrete example of how surgery can change your life for the better, this entry gives a good overview.

Keep fighting,
~Dennis

Does God Cause Ulcerative Colitis?

ucvlog — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 14:02:46 +0000

A new video is available, and this one is a little different than most I’ve done. In this video I take a step back to ask about questions of faith as they relate to ulcerative colitis. Specifically, does God cause ulcerative colitis, and if not, why doesn’t He heal us? Also, how does having ulcerative colitis affect one’s life of faith? I don’t have many answers to these questions but certainly they are questions many people ask themselves.

Some interesting discussion is already taking place on the YouTube page, so if you want to check it out double click on this video to go there. Or, comment to this post and start a discussion with others reading this site. Everybody’s views are welcome, just try to be respectful and understand that not everybody is at the same place spiritually.

Keep fighting,
~Dennis

Question: How has inflammatory bowel disease affected your relationship with God? Reply to this post!

Spanish Subtitled-Changing Ostomy Appliance

ucvlog — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 13:00:33 +0000

Hey everybody, I’ve got a new video here for the Translation Project, the two-part video on how to change an ostomy appliance. This video is my second most popular so it’s great that the Spanish-speaking world can now understand it.

Thanks once again to Martin for translating this video.

If you want to get involved with the project, send me an email telling me which languages you are proficient in and we’ll go from there. Upcoming are more videos translated into Catalan, and hopefully German as well.

Keep fighting,
~Dennis

Get Gutsy Month in Canada

ucvlog — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 13:18:18 +0000

The Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation of Canada has decided that November is Get Gutsy Month. This is an ongoing project by the CCFC to raise awareness about Crohn’s and colitis, and to recognize individuals who have the guts to live in spite of their diseases.

If you’re a Canadian who knows somebody who lives passionately in spite of IBD, consider nominating them for the Gutsiest Canadian Award.

All throughout the month chapters of CCFC are holding education symposia and fundraising events, so there’s no reason not to get involved.

They’ve also produced this video highlighting Canadians with IBD, particularly a young boy and hockey player Fernando Pisani.

Keep fighting,
~Dennis

Thinking About Ulcerative Colitis Constantly

ucvlog — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 12:46:46 +0000

How do you avoid thinking about this incurable and debilitating disease? Is it even possible? With flare-ups, medicine, hospital visits, and everything else that comes with having inflammatory bowel disease, it’s hard not to have this disease constantly on your mind.

Keep fighting,
~Dennis

Ce face apa daca e bauta inainte de a manca si imediat dupa masa!

editm — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 16:17:51 +0000

Un articol foarte bun.Nu doar despre apa calda dupa mancare,dar si despre atacul de cord.Chinezii si japonezii beau ceai fierbinte in timpul mesei,nu apa rece. Poate e timpul sa adoptam obiceiul lor la masa.

Pentru cei carora le place sa bea apa rece,acest articol se adreseaza direct.Este frumos sa bei un pahar cu apa rece dupa masa,dar apa rece solidifica hrana uleioasa pe care tocmai ai inghitit-o. Va incetini digestia.Cand aceasta reactioneaza cu acidul,se va rupe si va fi absorbita de intestine mai repede decat mancarea solida. Trece in intestine si foarte rapid se transforma in grasime si duce la cancer.Este cel mai bine sa se bea supa fierbinte sau apa calda dupa mancare. Simptome comune de atac de cord…..Un punct serios referitor la atacul de cord – Ar trebui sa stiti ca nu fiecare simptom de atac de cord este durerea bratului stang. Atentie la dureri intense in zona falcilor. S-ar putea sa nu aveti niciodata prima durere in piept in timpul atacului de cord. Nausea(ameteala) si transpiratia intensa sunt tot simptome comune. 60% din cei care au atac de cord in timpul somnului nu se trezesc. Durerea la falci te poate trezi din somnul adanc.Sa fim atenti. Cu cat stim mai mult, cu atat avem mai bune sanse de supravietuire. Un cardiolog spune ca fiecare care citeste acest mesaj si-l trimite la 10 oameni poate salva cel putin o viata.Citeste si trimite unui prieten.Ar putea salva o viata. Deci fii un prieten adevarat si trimite-l tuturor prietenilor tai adevarati la care tii.