Wrentham Duathlon - mile 478

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 in my age group. My total time was 1 hour, 5 minutes and 21 seconds for the 3 mile run, 11 mile bike, 2 mile run race.

Not only was this the first race of my season, it was a first in many other aspects. Most notably it was my first race wearing a jersey with the Asacol logo as they have kindly sponsored me for the season and will be partnering with me on a fundraising campaign to raise money for UC awareness and research (as I will discuss further in a later post). Most exciting was that a few people actually commented and asked about Asacol and UC and even one spectator had UC and also takes Asacol. I felt like I was already spreading awareness, even if it was on a small scale!

It was also my first race doing a shoe-less transition (my cycling shoes were on my bike and instead of changing shoes in transition I changed while cycling). I had not had the chance to practice this, but I decide this race would be a valuable practice opportunity so I decided to just try it. Surprisingly, it went well and I never really thought I would get into an accident (my biggest fear). I did have to adjust my shoes mid-race, but overall I probably saved time.

I used a time-trial helmet for the first time as well. I do not know if it actually made a difference, but regardless, I felt fast.

Overall, it was a great race to start the season and I look forward to the racing season and, particularly, racing for Asacol.

"Old-man's Disease" - mile 161

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 tone with which he was speaking. Mostly because the tone and mannerism seemed unfitting for his appearance. However, it was his words that truly caught my ear.

Speaking with anger, the man stated that this was an "old-man's disease" and that he was too young to be experiencing it. Not knowing the rest of the conversation I assumed that he had recently been diagnosed with Crohn's, UC, diverticulitis or some other GI malady. I acted as though I had not heard anything; much like the faces of others in the waiting room. However, this comment was not something that left my mind easily.

My first reaction was one of agitation. Perhaps I was feeling self-conscience about my own difficulties. I am a good deal younger than that patient and his "old-man" comment hit home. I began to wonder if others in my life would view me as an incapable "pre-elder." I still have a lot of ambition and goals for my life and this comment made me revisit my own doubts (that life could be normal) when I was first diagnosed.

That is when my thoughts about the situation changed. I realized that the patient was probably recently diagnosed and going through the normal frustrations that come with the experience (although, the patient would have been better off discussing this in private with his doctor). Ironically, witnessing this event turned into further inspiration for me. I realized that, despite currently feeling well, I had once been in a poor condition. Coming out of that was something to my credit, but mostly it made me want to share my experience and hopefully encourage others to work through the rough periods. You can live a happy, healthy, active life with UC and an occasional reminder of that is helpful.

Tributes - Dr. K

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 description, but also active listening. My appointments comprise mostly of me telling Dr. K how my condition is, any patterns I recognize, my suspicions about treatment or happiness about treatment, my eating habits, financial constraints, how UC affects my family life, how my research is going, how my training is going and how my condition is during different types of training, the level of stress that is in my life, and the list goes on... This is a lot to listen to for a busy doctor. I have been fortunate to find a doctor that does take the time to listen and even tease it out of me if I feel shy at the moment. He listens well and takes all of these factors into account when deciding and modifying my treatment. I know Dr. K does this because he then takes the time to explain how he arrived at the best treatment regimen for my life; including examples from the mostly one-way discussion I just had with him.

However, rather than just facilitating a good recovery and maintenance of remission through treatment, he also becomes a part of the treatment. Dr. K actively participates in my treatment by reducing stress. He is soft spoken and creates an open environment that allows me to speak freely about UC. Most importantly, this confidence translates outside of Dr. K's office. Being able to speak about UC in his office has gradually made me comfortable to speak about my condition with others in the various aspects of my life (family, friends, colleagues, etc.). This has greatly reduced my stress and improved my condition. Being apprehensive to discuss UC created more stress and worsened my condition. Fortunately, the practice in Dr. K's office has enabled me to over-come the apprehension, reducing stress and aiding my treatment.

Thank You Dr. K !

Causes - Intro

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.

Happy Birthday Asacol!!! - Mile 85

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 for ~7 years). This is of particular interest to me as it is the medication that I used to induce remission of my UC and that I currently take to maintain remission and my active lifestyle. The Asacol brand, owned by Proctor & Gamble Pharmaceuticals, sent out a news release that was reported in many papers around the world. Check out the report and the cool quote by an ulcerative colitis patient, me ;-). It can be read here [link] in Yahoo! Finance.

GOT GUTS? - mile 80

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]

My Best Coach - mile 72

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, crunches and leg lifts with me. What makes her a great coach is that she keeps me disciplined. She is also great in keeping me disciplined with UC. My wife and I share the joy and responsibility of parenting Jaixai. Therefor, there are times when my daughter needs me. This is one reason why I am very disciplined with my handling of UC. I am careful with what I eat, take my medication regularly and stay active. If I fail to do any of these, not only could it lead to my own discomfort, but may also prevent me from being the type of father I strive to be. Let the coaches in your life keep you disciplined.

Just a Finish - mile 38

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 race that I was able to overcome (like dropping my cliff bar, doh!). Daily life sometimes presents itself in the same way and today I was reminded of that. I got little sleep last night and worried that today may be hard. However, I took it at my own pace and made sure I was hydrated and ate when needed and the day has gone very well.

Congrats to John Dermengian - mile 28

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].

Starting the New Year - mile 27

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 on a yearly basis. I believe strongly in resolutions, but on a continual basis at the moment when an issue to be resolved arises. This being said, I will make a resolution for this year: to enjoy every moment of my good health and not take it for granted. Healthy appointments and a good ride today reminded me of the level of satisfaction a good day brings.

My high school football coach coined the phrase "don't count the days, make the days count." That is what I plan to do each day of health; enjoy my family, work to complete my dissertation and continue training. This is also what I plan to do each day that I may feel less than 100%; be disciplined with my diet, medication and preventing excess stress. I will not measure my year with a tally of good days and bad days, but rather in levels of achievement and happiness.