Shamisen Subs

Here’s the letter from my mom:

My team and I will be participating in the Bloomington Take Steps for Crohn’s & Colitis Walk on Sunday, May 17, 2009 We have made a bold commitment to raise much needed funds to find a cure for digestive diseases. This is the first year we are participating in this event. The team consists of my husband Mike, my children Greg, Jeff, and Alissa and Kaitlyn Gartner. Our team name is The Copper Pots.

One in every two hundred people suffer daily with digestive diseases. For those who live with these chronic diseases, life is a roller coaster of active and remitting disease. However, the opportunity to make life more manageable for patients who live day to day with intense pain, the threat of long term hospital stays and multiple surgeries, has never been greater.

For those of you unfamiliar to what Crohn’s disease is, here is some information. Crohn’s disease is infection and inflammation of the digestive system. It be found anywhere in the digestive tract from the mouth all the way to the anus. It can cause uncerations, gas, bloating, fistulas, massive amounts of pain and eventually blockages. These blockages are caused by bouts of inflammation over and over in the same area which scars. This scarring over and over thins down the inside of the bowel wall causing the pain as normal digestive habits are affected. There is currently no cure for Crohn’s. When a blockage occurs, surgery is required to remove it.

There are also several embarassing every day complications, such as large gas build-ups, mouth sores, and joint pain. Crohn’s disease really does affect every part of a person’s life, and even the thought of having some sort of cure for it is an amazing thought. People that get this disease end up suffering for the remainder of their life, from diagnosis to death, both physically and mentally.

A similar digestive disease is Ulcerative Colitis which affects only the large intestine. Our friend and neighbor in Wisconsin has this disease. We are also walking for you, Sherry!

I was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease in the spring of 1984. This disease has caused me a lot of discomfort and pain throughout the years with two surgeries to date. I really hope a cure can be found so that others don’t ever have to live with this disease. Please consider donating to this very worthy cause.

We are asking you to help by supporting my fundraising efforts with a donation. Your tax-deductible gift will make a difference in the lives of the 1.4 million patients suffering with digestive disease! You can make your donation online by simply clicking on the link at the bottom of this message. If you would prefer, you can also send your tax-deductible contribution to the address listed below. Another option is to contact me and I’ill gladly pick up your donation.

Any amount, great or small, helps in the fight! We greatly appreciate your support and will keep you posted on our progress.

Dooms, your friend is very lucky to have almost no symptoms… it really is as Trevor says, you have the good, bad, and hell years. My mom has been pretty lucky – she’s had mainly good years, but the past 2ish have been pretty bad, which is why she went through a surgery in December… first one in 14 years!

Sorry for my idiocy… didn’t look at the page well enough. I’ve added a link to a page that should be a bit more clear. (It looks a bit different when you’re logged in as a walker versus not… I think)

Thanks for the comments guys!! It means a lot

As interesting as he might be… I’d have to argue against most of what he says, on principle. I just got done with a Nutrition class (took my final today, actually) and a few things stand out.

“Stop eating shitty foods like Dairy, Wheat, Sugar, Greasy foods, and so on. Dairy is terrible for you, if you think otherwise your an idiot.” <– Dairy is a very important part of our diet, especially milk. It provides us with a LOT of goodies that are hard to get elsewhere, and is the main provider of calcium and dietary Vitamin D. Wheat is also pretty good for you. (Sugar and greasy foods are bad for you, so I won’t argue there)

Also, dude, it’s “you’re”, not “your”

“Take quality vitamins, no the stuff from the local pharmacy is shit.” <– A well balanced diet, which helps a LOT of stuff, does not require supplements.

And as a child, my mom didn’t have much milk, actually, so the chances are pretty slim for that, since she was diagnosed at 16. :/

But yeah… interesting read. He might be a bit more believable if he used less… language and got a good editor.