Welcome!

While I have traditionally shunned new technology and clung white-knuckled to outdated forms of communication and organization, I also believe firmly in accomplishing the greatest amount of work with the least amount of effort. Hence the blog. To be honest, I was also rather intrigued by the idea of having a captive audience. Rather than allow everyone to scamper about gathering information about my recovery (yes, I do think that I occupy such a pivotal role in the daily lives of my family members and casual acquaintances alike), I thought that I would provide updates straight from the proverbial horse's mouth. This is where the disclaimer comes in. While I constantly aspire to create Pulitzer-worthy material, a combination of starvation, pain, and narcotics may leave me with less control over my faculties than normal. This is when the truly interesting updates will occur. Either that or just nonsensical ramblings about social reform.

Here is a brief background for those who inevitably are still confused and uninformed. I have Ulcerative Colitis. Let's break it down. Anyone know Latin? Here we go anyway, everyone should know the suffix -itis. If just means inflammation, just like arthritis, meningitis, laryngitis, yada, yada, yada. So Colitis is inflammation of the colon. Ulcerative means having ulcers. So basically my colon is inflamed and has a bunch of open sores. Sweet. Inflammation is caused by the immune system. Everyone still with me? This is just like when someone gets a fever. Usually this is a normal and healthy body process. Sometimes things get a little wacky and the immune system attacks areas that are working just fine. So basically my body is attacking my colon. The most effective treatment for this is to lower the immune system (lymphocytes specifically) so that it does not attack said organ. I have taken a whole battery of immunosuppresants. Basically at this point, they have stopped being effective, and there really is no foreseeable benefit to taking more than I already am. The point of diminishing returns has been reached. So now we are just going to get rid of it.

I know what you are thinking. How is that possible? Well, through the miracle of modern science it can work. Here is a link that describes the gory details.
http://www.surgery.wisc.edu/general/patients/ileal.shtml

Monday, June 2nd I will be going under the knife for this wild ride at the UW-Madison Hospital. The recuperation time varies dramatically, but one thing is for sure, it sure is going to suck. At some point this will probably turn into a medium for me to complain about pain, my ostomy(more about that later), or any number of unforeseeable complications. In the meantime, I will let everyone know how it is going. I welcome comments and questions, but I do have one stipulation. If you are going to post anything remotely related to a medical concept, please be sure to research it. While it is widely understood that I loathe science as a discipline, I have been obligated to learn a great deal about the specifics that relate to me. I really, really do not want to hear anything about a "miracle cure," or possible causes. I can almost guarantee that it will only make you sound less educated in the end. And we all know that I would rather accomplish that goal on my own.