tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24585714178863064332012-01-24T06:02:58.863-08:00An active lifestyle, happy & healthy with UCJoshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14832264384483523202noreply@blogger.comBlogger651100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2458571417886306433.post-73539768630599719392008-01-08T17:07:00.000-08:002008-01-08T17:36:04.828-08:00

Well, they cannot all be good. The weather has warmed up a little in New England so I went for a 10-mile road run on Sunday. It was the first time in nearly a month that I was able to do a workout outdoors so I hit the road enthusiastically; perhaps too enthusiastically. By the time I reached the four-mile mark I began to fall behind pace and start to have some minor cramps, foot sores and

Joshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14832264384483523202noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2458571417886306433.post-18238910766417518342008-01-06T08:49:00.000-08:002008-11-12T20:58:42.092-08:00

Nearly every sports page in the United States is talking about the heroics of Jacksonville Jaguars’ QB David Garrard (even in Pittsburg) yesterday. This is mostly because he had a game clinching 32-yard rush, setting up a field goal, and advancing the Jaguars in the NFL playoffs. His performance last night and all season makes him an inspiration to many. However, I doubt many of the reports

Joshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14832264384483523202noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2458571417886306433.post-11368869034362911502008-01-02T17:24:00.000-08:002008-01-02T17:25:37.127-08:00

Do you know of an inspiring UC patient? If you have UC, has somebody helped in your struggle to confront the daily challenges of UC? A family member, friend or health care provider, for instance?If so, please check out www.ucsuccess.org and enter in the essay contest. I think this is a great avenue for UC patients (and those around them) to learn from each other. You could win a free trip to

Joshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14832264384483523202noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2458571417886306433.post-67060897626385268552008-01-01T16:30:00.000-08:002008-01-01T16:35:31.983-08:00

We (Noi, Jaixai and myself) kicked off the new year with a day trip to Boston. Jaixai has really missed going to the park in the past few months, so we surprised her and went to the Boston Children’s Museum (essentially a 3-floor park)! It was a treat for Noi and I as well; we went to two of our favorite restaurants (Emperor’s Garden and Flameporeria).Hope 2008 had a good start for you!

Joshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14832264384483523202noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2458571417886306433.post-27137157436318328202007-12-31T08:58:00.000-08:002007-12-31T08:59:09.769-08:00

Amidst the parties, countdowns, and fireworks the tradition of making a resolution on New Years Eve is usually the main topic of discussion on this day. Whether 2007 was a good or bad year for you, like most people, you probably wish for 2008 to be a better year. I love the concept of the resolution because it positions the individual to take charge of a particular improvement to make 2008 a

Joshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14832264384483523202noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2458571417886306433.post-11675197409617767452007-12-30T03:35:00.000-08:002007-12-30T03:56:58.781-08:00

Four weeks from now I will be well into the Miami Half-Marathon. I have been able to keep up with my training despite the cold New England weather. I hope to still make my goal of running 1:34 or faster. The Team Challenge team has done a great job with fundraising. I am on the ‘virtual’ team since I am the only participant in New England and the virtual team is close to raising $200k for IBD

Joshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14832264384483523202noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2458571417886306433.post-38034868502497287082007-12-28T10:42:00.000-08:002008-11-12T20:58:42.213-08:00

Last week we started a new family tradition: an annual family rib night! This was an idea I had many years ago, but never followed thru with it until this year. The idea is to order white t-shirts that say Family Rib Night, the year and location (and of course a cute logo). Next, we all wear the shirts out to a rib house and get a big ol’ plate of sloppy BBQ ribs and dig in. There is only one

Joshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14832264384483523202noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2458571417886306433.post-10928782723675145082007-12-23T17:07:00.000-08:002008-11-12T20:58:42.272-08:00

Joshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14832264384483523202noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2458571417886306433.post-61060558811687018212007-12-21T07:26:00.000-08:002007-12-21T07:43:29.671-08:00

In a recent conversation with another IBD patient the CCFA Got Guts? armband came up. I had been talking to this individual for nearly a half-hour about a topic related to my UC before she mentioned that she also had UC. The very next question was, “Do you wear a CCFA Got Guts? armband?” I responded enthusiastically, “Everyday.”I love the idea of the armband! It not only reminds me that I

Joshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14832264384483523202noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2458571417886306433.post-82343181389667135752007-12-19T18:56:00.000-08:002007-12-19T19:28:23.641-08:00

A few days ago Jaixai, my 2 year-old daughter, said something that made me conscientious of what I say around her. Two year-olds are good at forcing self-reflection, as they will repeat nearly everything you say, even if you only say it once. In this particular case it made me reflect on how I view the impact my UC has on my family.The statement Jaixai made: “Daddy, I have to go use the potty.

Joshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14832264384483523202noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2458571417886306433.post-33177416926564960972007-12-13T06:05:00.000-08:002007-12-13T06:27:35.781-08:00

As I begin my training program for CCFA’s Team Challenge I needed to set my personal goal. This is necessary so that I know what pace I should be doing my training runs at and it helps to motivate my training.My goal: to complete the Miami Half-Marathon in 1 hour and 34 minutes.This is a high goal on many levels. To start with it is my PR (personal record, the fastest I have done this distance)

Joshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14832264384483523202noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2458571417886306433.post-67007765168616725322007-12-12T08:23:00.000-08:002007-12-12T08:33:27.086-08:00

I have recently decided to participate in the CCFA Team Challenge and run at the Miami Marathon in January. This is another great CCFA initiative and more information can be found at www.ccteamchallenge.org. This is a great way to raise money, awareness and community for IBD.Since this is only a little more than a month away I decided to hit the road and start my training yesterday with an 8-

Joshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14832264384483523202noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2458571417886306433.post-25966478837443443312007-12-11T05:50:00.000-08:002007-12-11T06:02:33.800-08:00

The CCFA has launched a new essay contest sponsored by P&G Pharmaceuticals to honor those affected by UC (patients, family/friends and healthcare providers). I encourage all of this blogs readers to submit an essay! Here is the press release: CELEBRATING UC SUCCESS ESSAY CONTEST SEEKS INSPIRATIONAL STORIES OF PEOPLE LIVING WITH ULCERATIVE COLITIS (UC)Nationwide program honors, educates and

Joshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14832264384483523202noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2458571417886306433.post-59597366528889338652007-12-11T05:30:00.000-08:002007-12-11T05:47:24.954-08:00

The past few months have been both very exciting and very busy. I have finished my triathlon season, travelled with my family to Taiwan, participated in two CCFA Guts and Glory walks (NE and Westchester chapters), and have been traveling a ton for work and faculty interviews (I have already been given a few offers!). I even went to Austria for a week to learn new surgical techniques. It has

Joshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14832264384483523202noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2458571417886306433.post-65312638730923924452007-07-15T20:00:00.001-07:002007-07-15T20:03:38.932-07:00

A question that I have asked myself ever since I was diagnosed with UC and began treatment is, what is normal? Or how should I feel? I did not begin to experience symptoms of UC until I was 24 years of age. Having gone so many years symptom free (~85% of my life thus far) it may seem strange that I cannot even remember what a normal bowel movement is. This is worth thinking about since

Joshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14832264384483523202noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2458571417886306433.post-750046585689504532007-07-14T13:11:00.000-07:002007-07-14T13:12:52.932-07:00

The trip out to the USA Triathlon National Championship was quite an experience (a stressful one). Due to bad weather all along the east coast my original flight was cancelled. This resulted in my journey to Oregon taking 2 ½ days as I went to a total of 6 airports. I did finally arrive in Oregon the day before the race, but my luggage did not arrive until late that afternoon. This did not

Joshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14832264384483523202noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2458571417886306433.post-3078720091730660332007-07-13T07:26:00.000-07:002007-07-13T07:28:36.880-07:00

Following the disappointing performance at the Triathlon National Championship I requested an earlier flight so that I could just get back home. This change in flight plans made for a connection in Cincinnatti, Ohio. This made for a great trip home not only because I got home a day early, but also because it created a great reflection, discussed below, that recovered my ego after the bad race

Joshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14832264384483523202noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2458571417886306433.post-77392670762520126052007-07-12T06:11:00.000-07:002007-07-12T06:14:30.983-07:00

There was one race this season that I was particularly looking forward to and gearing my training towards: the USA Triathlon National Championship in Portland, Oregon. The race took place on June 30th. I had hoped of placing in the top twenty of my age group and qualifying for the Triathlon World Championship in Hamburg, Germany. Unfortunately the race did not go as well as planned and I

Joshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14832264384483523202noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2458571417886306433.post-49658255386450625042007-07-11T06:34:00.000-07:002007-07-11T06:35:17.616-07:00

The newly designed Asacol website (www.asacol.com) has a few UC patient success stories that are very encouraging to read. Recently, they have posted a story about me [link] and the “Going the Distance with UC” program [link] that we have partnered to form. Check it out and make sure to read Larry’s and Angela’s stories a well. It is great to read about how others have overcome the challenges

Joshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14832264384483523202noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2458571417886306433.post-19201671788073432522007-07-10T11:51:00.000-07:002007-07-10T11:52:33.106-07:00

Having UC and being a triathlete I have learned many lessons in humility and dealing with adverse situations. Here is one area that those two roles come hand-in-hand. I am not sure if the triathlon training and racing has helped me deal with humility and adversity that comes with UC or if it is the other way around. My UC symptoms started around the same time I started my triathlon training (I

Joshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14832264384483523202noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2458571417886306433.post-36707108889404132612007-07-04T17:43:00.000-07:002007-07-04T17:44:25.482-07:00

Being open about UC has been one of the best things for me therapeutically, but everything comes with a drawback.One negative thing about being open with others about my UC is their over asking. I know that it is only out of concern and has every good intention, but it is annoying. By over asking I mean people constantly asking me if I need to go use the restroom, is it ok for me to eat this,

Joshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14832264384483523202noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2458571417886306433.post-56250068145316357282007-07-02T05:09:00.000-07:002007-07-02T05:10:42.385-07:00

Particularly when I was experiencing a flare, I had many problems with urgency. It was always a challenge to get to the restroom in time. When the urgency arose I remember that I always wanted to just get up and run as quickly as I could, but that plan often backfired. Running just gets things moving faster! The solution: I developed what I call the bathroom walk. It is a lot like speed

Joshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14832264384483523202noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2458571417886306433.post-7427286258806601862007-06-26T08:08:00.000-07:002007-06-26T08:14:31.257-07:00

I just learned of a book that is produced by the Asacol brand that is a traveler’s book detailing where public restrooms are and even ranks them by cleanliness, etc.! The title of the book is “Comfort Zones.” In yesterday’s blog [link] I suggested that somebody should do this and I am excited that somebody actually did! In fact, I will be handing them out at the Triathlon National

Joshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14832264384483523202noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2458571417886306433.post-68164302562849390422007-06-25T09:22:00.000-07:002007-06-25T09:27:31.351-07:00

So anybody who has UC knows that when the time comes to use the restroom there is not always one readily available. I was visiting Boston one day and experienced just how hard it can be to find a restroom even in a large, highly developed region like Boston (it probably would have been easier in an underdeveloped third world nation).I do not like to take chances once I feel that I need to use

Joshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14832264384483523202noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2458571417886306433.post-8547930604958166442007-06-24T05:03:00.000-07:002007-06-24T05:07:41.949-07:00

On the front page of last Sunday’s, June 17th, New York Times was an article about a technology that I helped to developed and am an inventor on one of the patents. The story, “Erasing Tattoos: Out of Regret or for a New Canvas,” [link] mostly discusses the current tattoo removal process and need for a better solution. While consulting for Freedom 2, I have worked on a solution – described in

Joshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14832264384483523202noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2458571417886306433.post-56869071821757252152007-06-22T07:03:00.000-07:002008-11-12T20:58:42.902-08:00

On June 10th I had my first triathlon of the season; and my only triathlon before the National Championships. It was the New England Triathlon in Worcester, MA and consisted of a 0.5 mile swim, 12.8 mile bike and 3.2 mile run. I was feeling pretty sick (sore throat and headache) that morning and did not really feel like doing a warm-up. So instead I just took my time setting up my transition

Joshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14832264384483523202noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2458571417886306433.post-87241423667927553822007-06-08T06:13:00.000-07:002007-06-08T06:18:15.537-07:00

I lost a total of 33 pounds in the first two months after I began to experience symptoms of UC (No, this is not an endorsement for a weight loss program and was rather unpleasant). As an athlete I was already slender and perhaps a little underweight to start with. This large amount of weight loss left me feeling weak and frail, as much of the weight lost was muscle mass. For this reason, I have

Joshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14832264384483523202noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2458571417886306433.post-38219493670069063722007-06-07T05:33:00.000-07:002007-06-07T05:34:37.363-07:00

Generally, I dress for comfort (a true graduate student) and have found that some details of my style of dress have changed over the past two years as a direct result of my UC. And no mom, I do not mean how my cloths are loose due to weight loss ;-). For instance, I rarely wear a belt. Prior to experiencing UC symptoms I often wore a belt because I believed it looked nice and prevented my

Joshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14832264384483523202noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2458571417886306433.post-59534331979698447062007-06-06T06:21:00.000-07:002008-11-12T20:58:43.017-08:00

I have made a few changes to my 2007 race season schedule. I have added a few races and dropped one due to a conflict. I will not be doing one of my most favorite races, the Falmouth Road Race.I have also added a link to Endurance Planet on the Favorite Links page. Endurance Planet is a daily podcast relating to endurance sports and is a great resource for triathlon tips through the experience

Joshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14832264384483523202noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2458571417886306433.post-17164203531950993432007-06-04T09:51:00.000-07:002007-06-04T09:53:58.450-07:00

It has been more than 3 months since I have experienced my last flare-up of UC. From my experience with UC I have found that flares tend to arise suddenly and then take many days or weeks for the symptoms of intense abdominal pain, bleeding and frequent-uncontrollable bowel movements to gradually subside. This trend has made me realize the importance of discipline in handling UC. I want to

Joshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14832264384483523202noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2458571417886306433.post-25279104673199098422007-05-10T04:01:00.000-07:002008-11-12T20:58:43.145-08:00

I have been very fortunate this year to have the Asacol brand sponsor my athletic season. At all my races I will be wearing a jersey with the Asacol logo on it. In my first race a few individuals asked me about Asacol and I met another UC patient, as posted in an earlier blog [link]. This will hopefully spread awareness of UC and inspire other UC patients to keep an active lifestyle.

Joshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14832264384483523202noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2458571417886306433.post-73364850156831955932007-05-07T20:27:00.000-07:002007-05-07T20:58:22.666-07:00

This past weekend I decided to run a local 5k road race. A week earlier I ran into my former track coach and he suggested I run in a race that he was organizing. Knowing his personality I perceived this as a "lets see what you have" dare. This was only one of the reasons I had to do this race.A second reason was that the race was a memorial run for Dave Zucconi, a former athletic director at

Joshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14832264384483523202noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2458571417886306433.post-59038098043595962992007-05-02T05:39:00.000-07:002008-11-12T20:58:43.335-08:00

I have recently started a new blog page. The new blog, Crohn's and Colitis Blogs, is meant to be a collection of online resources for patients, their family and friends to visit and navigate with ease. This will not replace this blog, but just serve as a supplimental site to be used as a tool. Check it out, give comments and tell me of other online resources that I should post!

Joshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14832264384483523202noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2458571417886306433.post-80790578818446724162007-05-02T03:42:00.000-07:002008-11-12T20:58:43.605-08:00

Wow! I let a whole month go by without posting...the days just fly by and I have already began my racing season!The season started off great at the Wrentham Duathon in Wrentham, MA. It was a 65-degree partly cloudy morning; you couldn't ask for better conditions (not even any wind). In short, it was a great start to the season as I finished 3 minutes ahead of my target time and took 4th place

Joshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14832264384483523202noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2458571417886306433.post-13489375679912893732007-03-26T06:54:00.000-07:002007-03-26T07:35:34.837-07:00

When talking to other individuals with UC, the issue of stress often enters the conversation. It is well known that stress can induce a flare in the disease. Stress has been indicated to worsen or even cause many maladies involving the immune system. It follows from this that some hypothesize that stress is a cause of UC. This has not been proven (and in my opinion, not likely), but it

Joshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14832264384483523202noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2458571417886306433.post-20320481219517356722007-03-24T20:10:00.000-07:002007-03-24T20:24:53.276-07:00

I found a great new website to use as a training aid. It is mapmyrun.com or mapmyride.com. This website is interactive with Google maps, is loaded with features and is free! You can plot workout routes and it will give you back the distance, elevation profile (although I have not had success with this feature), and even save your routes. I learned of it yesterday and have had way too much fun

Joshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14832264384483523202noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2458571417886306433.post-67036573491164086712007-03-14T16:19:00.000-07:002007-03-29T17:08:31.915-07:00

Embarrassment: it is a part of life! Today I was reminded of this fact that nobody really likes. Having UC is a reason to stress over the possible situations that may result in embarrassment; particularly if you are having a flare. Today I remain in remission, but still had an embarrassing moment relating to the big "#2".The daily morning routine is my wife, daughter and I all pile into the

Joshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14832264384483523202noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2458571417886306433.post-84800308704027471692007-03-04T11:57:00.000-08:002007-03-04T12:11:56.898-08:00

Wow! What a busy week I have had. I will not bore readers with the details, but in short, the week ended with an hour-long scientific presentation to my department at Brown University (this included nearly all members of my thesis committee) and began with my computer crashing on Monday losing all software and files. That explains the lack of posts this week. Reflecting back on it, I am

Joshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14832264384483523202noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2458571417886306433.post-73031817558355853662007-02-25T13:52:00.000-08:002007-02-25T14:01:01.820-08:00

It is always a good thing when you have a partner who can help you tag-team parts of your life. My wife and I have both been very busy with work this week. If taking care of our daughter, Jaixai, fell on only one of our shoulders it create a huge stress load; despite the fact that spending time with Jaixai is something we both enjoy. We both have deadlines and this weekend we tag-teamed care of

Joshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14832264384483523202noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2458571417886306433.post-47608591315344223872007-02-22T18:11:00.000-08:002007-02-22T18:52:18.361-08:00

Ok, as a warning, this post is serving as a type of vent for something I overheard and frustrated me.I was leaving my GI doctor's office and I overheard a conversation that one patient was having with a nurse in the waiting room (of all places). The patient was a man, probably in his mid-thirties, and was dressed well (successful business-man look). I overheard the conversation due to the brash

Joshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14832264384483523202noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2458571417886306433.post-46867275259643768932007-02-21T17:29:00.000-08:002008-11-12T20:58:43.847-08:00

The official 2006 USAT rankings were published yesterday. I had a ranking of 79 points in the duathlon. The point system works by percentage (best = 100, worst = 1) and is formulated to consider individual times, places and the difficulty of the courses raced. The ranking of 79 is not too bad and means that I am in the top 21% even though I only did two races. This is a good improvement from last

Joshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14832264384483523202noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2458571417886306433.post-28629465690284006422007-02-20T20:34:00.000-08:002007-02-20T21:07:30.810-08:00

The New England weather is beginning to get warmer! I was able, for the first time in over a month, to do a workout outside. It felt good to be able to open my stride and get into a rhythm; something that just does not happen on a 200m track. Not only is the warmer weather exciting from a training perspective, but also from the family perspective. Jaixai, my 2 year old daughter, loves going to

Joshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14832264384483523202noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2458571417886306433.post-86614185126204198352007-02-19T05:55:00.000-08:002008-11-12T20:58:44.132-08:00

My daughter's day care is closed for the holiday. This gives me the excuse to take the day off myself and just enjoy it with her. The current temperature is -6 F, so we will be indoors the whole day. Craft bucket here we come!!!

Joshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14832264384483523202noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2458571417886306433.post-75186110692459207902007-02-18T18:56:00.000-08:002007-02-18T19:31:01.940-08:00

My first tribute goes out to the first person who learned of my disease: my gastroenterologist. I'll call him Dr. K, for the sake of anonymity. I often stress the importance of a good GI specialist for any UC patient on this blog. Good communication helps to individualize treatment. As mentioned in an earlier post [link], good communication does not only mean articulation and thorough

Joshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14832264384483523202noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2458571417886306433.post-14155307867023366822007-02-18T08:27:00.000-08:002008-11-12T20:58:44.311-08:00

Happy Chinese New Year!!! 2007 is the year of the pig (boar). Whether you are Chinese or not, the Chinese New Year is always fun to celebrate. The food, music, fireworks and dragon dances are always enjoyable and entertaining. However, an additional reason to celebrate is that the worst weather of the winter is behind us. The Chinese calender is a lunar calender and the New Year is a pretty good

Joshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14832264384483523202noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2458571417886306433.post-87270600083843126612007-02-17T09:19:00.000-08:002007-02-17T09:41:26.213-08:00

As I was leaving work in my lab last night I unexpectedly ran into my GI doc. Although this was the first time we have seen each other outside of his office, it is not that unusual (he is a medical school professor and I work in the medical school building). He immediately recognized me , called me by name and asked specifics about my research, training and family. With any health care provider

Joshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14832264384483523202noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2458571417886306433.post-60416852505697231362007-02-15T19:26:00.000-08:002008-11-12T20:58:44.416-08:00

I added NeoEarth tool to the top of the blog yesterday. This is a tool that tracks the location of viewers of this blog. I mostly put it up as a fun and cool toy, but also to get an idea if people did visit this page. After only one day with the tool I had three location hits! I know one is my mom (Hi Mom!!!) and one is probably a friend of mine. Give comments on what you think about the tool.

Joshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14832264384483523202noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2458571417886306433.post-13820807461851511142007-02-11T13:40:00.000-08:002008-11-12T20:58:44.695-08:00

One of the most frustrating aspects of ulcerative colitis is the variation of the disease from one person to another. I was reminded of this individuality of UC a few days ago when a friend of mine, who also has UC, saw me eating a pasta dish and asked in surprise, "that doesn't give you problems?!" Not only has this dish never affected me, it has become a regular sure-bet food for me and a dish

Joshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14832264384483523202noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2458571417886306433.post-41320017467833816302007-02-10T11:49:00.000-08:002008-11-12T20:58:44.889-08:00

Women's ice hockey player Carly McNaughton at Colgate University has become one of the nation's best collegiate players despite having Crohn's disease. Read her story here [link] on how she overcame a hard year in which she was diagnosed, had a rough surgical experience and had to skip a year of competitive hockey play. Even though she has led Colgate in two wins this year over Brown University (

Joshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14832264384483523202noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2458571417886306433.post-63159807651387944002007-02-04T19:18:00.000-08:002007-02-04T19:28:25.209-08:00

I am able to maintain an active lifestyle with my ulcerative colitis for a variety of reasons. However, one particular factor has enabled me to keep my lifestyle: the many supportive people in my life. Whether they serve as somebody to talk with, someone who can relate, someone who helps in hard times, somebody who helps reduce my daily stress or just simply someone who is understanding, my

Joshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14832264384483523202noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2458571417886306433.post-12644053803132938222007-02-04T18:27:00.000-08:002007-02-04T18:36:41.031-08:00

The causes of ulcerative colitis are largely unknown, but many potential causes are hypothesized. I will write a series of posts that discuss the potential causes and how they relate specifically to my experiences. I hope these topics spark interest in the readers of this blog to share some of their own stories.

Joshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14832264384483523202noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2458571417886306433.post-576614116912167842007-02-03T15:43:00.000-08:002007-02-03T16:09:23.935-08:00

Asacol, delayed-release mesalamine tablets, celebrated their fifteenth year on the market on Wednesday January 31st. This is longer than any other ulcerative colitis medicine! It is always comforting to see a drug pass the tests of time (you probably remember the recent Celebrex and Vioxx, used as medications for many inflammatory ailments, problems that hit the news after they were on the market

Joshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14832264384483523202noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2458571417886306433.post-34863570071057125252007-01-24T19:28:00.000-08:002008-11-12T20:58:45.031-08:00

Check out the new GOT GUTS armbands from CCFA. Armbands have proven to be a great instrument of awareness in addition to raising funds to support CCFA initiatives and Crohn's and colitis research. Make a donation and get some arm bands to spread awareness! Click here [link]

Joshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14832264384483523202noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2458571417886306433.post-2214891693392479262007-01-21T12:17:00.000-08:002008-11-12T20:58:45.201-08:00

Early morning exercise It is never easy waking up at 6am and starting a workout. My daughter, Jaixai, is a great coach. She makes sure that I never sleep in and always pushes me to do "more, more, I want more!" despite how tired she may be at the time. Some of her favorite pre-dawn activities (in addition to jumping on our bed and eating everything she can find) include doing stretches, push-ups

Joshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14832264384483523202noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2458571417886306433.post-5705948058282162132007-01-10T17:44:00.000-08:002008-11-12T20:58:45.315-08:00

The cover of yesterdays (Jan. 9) Wall Street Journal Personal Journal section featured a story on Crohn's disease. The article was general and surveyed all the current, and up-and-coming, treatment options. Despite the brevity and vagueness of the article it was nice to see attention drawn to the disease. Public awareness is helpful in giving those with the disease confidence. Click here to read

Joshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14832264384483523202noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2458571417886306433.post-15286479664620837242007-01-08T13:04:00.000-08:002008-11-12T20:58:45.398-08:00

Finish line, 2006 Duathlon World Championships It took a little longer to get there than I wanted, but I was happy at the finish. This moment has been re-played in my head nearly every day since it happened. I proved to myself that I could compete at a high level despite having ulcerative colitis (perhaps the highest athletic level I have ever achieved). There were a few rough moments in this

Joshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14832264384483523202noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2458571417886306433.post-40430028005867863442007-01-05T11:36:00.000-08:002008-11-12T20:58:45.537-08:00

Congratulations to John Dermengian on successfully finishing another Ironman! John had ulcerative colitis that resulted in a colonectomy, but continues to stay active completing the 2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike and 13.2 mile run of the Ironman competition. Read more about his story here [link].

Joshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14832264384483523202noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2458571417886306433.post-1683986833036731912007-01-04T18:08:00.000-08:002007-01-04T19:47:03.176-08:00

What better way to kick off the New Year than to begin a blog! Today, in between annual check-ups with various doctors, I did a hill ride on my bike and surpassed my 27th mile of the year. Healthy visits to the doctor and a 50+ degree day (in January in New England!) make it easy to get out for a workout.The New Year always brings up resolutions. I was never one to make resolutions; at least not

Joshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14832264384483523202noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2458571417886306433.post-595230937757729602007-01-04T17:07:00.000-08:002008-11-12T20:58:45.947-08:00

These are just a few links to pages that I frequent.Relating to ulcerative colitis Asacol brand website. This medication has been instrumental in my treatment and their site is very informative and helpful. Crohn's and Colitis Foundation of America website. Has news, information, events and much more relating to IBD. National Institute of Health ulcerative colitis information website

Joshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14832264384483523202noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2458571417886306433.post-18592554450223321672007-01-03T18:19:00.000-08:002008-07-26T11:54:48.478-07:00

"A weakness can serve as your greatest strength." From the day that I was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis I began to live under the philosophy that I can draw strength from my "weakness." I am young and lead a very active lifestyle as a professor, triathlete, husband and father. However, there have been many moments in which it was difficult to find any strength. This blog was developed to help

Joshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14832264384483523202noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2458571417886306433.post-41413052427639430912006-12-28T17:30:00.000-08:002006-12-29T07:03:27.109-08:00

1. Stay ActiveStaying active has actually been a two-fold therapy for me. First, doing some level of physical activity (no matter how hard the day) has helped me gain confidence in overcoming my condition. This can vary upon how I feel: an intense training session on a good day, a simple walk on a bad day, or even just push-ups and crunches at home when I am suffering a flair. Secondly, I have

Joshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14832264384483523202noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2458571417886306433.post-65919344206953142772006-12-28T08:11:00.000-08:002008-11-12T20:58:46.084-08:00

Due to successfully qualifying to represent Team USA at the 2006 Duathlon World Championships I have had a few news articles written about me. A couple of these stories are available electronically and I have provided the link below.Gary Franchi, a columnist at the Pueblo Chieftain, headlined one of his columns with a short story that was later featured on the Southern Colorado Runners website.

Joshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14832264384483523202noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2458571417886306433.post-48285373084870910852006-12-24T12:34:00.000-08:002007-06-06T06:45:13.795-07:00

22 April - Wrentham Duathlon (R3mi, B11mi, R2mi) - Wrentham, MA5 May - Dave Zucconi 5km Run - Providence, RI10 June - New England Triathlon (S0.5mi, B12.8mi, R3.2mi) - Worcester, MA24 June - Lions Club of Rumford 5km Road Race - Rumford, RI30 June - USAT Triathlon National Championship (S1.5km, B40km, R10km) - Portland, OR 8 July - SoBe Mossman Triathlon (S0.5mi, B12.5mi, R3.2mi) -

Joshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14832264384483523202noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2458571417886306433.post-47344436650474538302006-12-24T10:48:00.000-08:002008-11-12T20:58:46.277-08:00

Joshua ReinekeFamily I am fortunate to have two beautiful women in my life; my wife Noi and daughter Jaixai. Noi is a very loving, passionate and hardworking person. Although, when asked what she does I usually respond that she is waiting for me to graduate. Somewhat true, but she is also a talented web designer (among other things). Noi provides much of the motivation I have in my life. Jaixai

Joshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14832264384483523202noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2458571417886306433.post-33299338186804236282006-12-24T09:50:00.000-08:002006-12-24T10:01:41.535-08:00

This is it; my first blog post. Starting a blog has been on my "to do" list for awhile and now, with some extra time during the holidays it is finally getting done. This particular blog is mostly for formatting purposes as I arrange my site. Be patient and check back as it will be updated regularly as I complete the construction phase.

Joshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14832264384483523202noreply@blogger.com1