Spreading Hope

I noticed on facebook that today is Iris' one-year anniversary (from the day she had her takedown surgery) and she has posted a new video that marks her progress and success with her J-Pouch. She also posted another video last month about her scars and what they look like 11-months post-takedown surgery. Her scars look very much like mine, so I am hoping that mine will heal as well as her's have!

Iris has been a huge source of inspiration for not only me, but many other Ulcerative Colitis sufferers and panproctocolectomy patients around the world. I have had a couple of people reach out to me, asking if I would be willing to answer questions or speak with others about my experiences or to answer questions about U.C. or my surgeries. The answer is an emphatic YES! I would be very, very happy to speak with anyone at all and answer any questions they might have....I find it comforting and encouraging myself to know that there are others out there like me and that I can perhaps help them in some way. I am going to begin documenting my progress through photographs, to give people going through this (or those that are curious) an idea of what they can expect.

One other note of great news is that it seems as though Iris' band and my brother Mark's band are going to team up in August to play a show to benefit the Crohn's and Colitis Foundation of America (CCFA). So please check out Iris' new links and her band's website, and also please check out Mark's band's website as well! More details on this to follow and here are the links:

Iris' videos:

http://www.youtube.com/user/IrisUCVlog#p/u/5/vROdqr7lI0o
(anniversary video isn't on YouTube yet, I'll post it when it is)

Iris' band:

http://roadsband.com/

Mark's band:

http://thealphabetsband.bandcamp.com/album/cats-dogs