About IBD

After hearing from my 10-year-old daughter, it's now time to hear from my 13-year-old son. My kids are in hybrid school, and for my 8th grader, this means he goes to school in person two full days a week, with 3 days of distance learning at home. We are managing it as well as I think we can expect. However, my son brings up a small wrinkle in regards to the "return to normal" to which we are all looking forward. It is going to be challenging for us to go back to our prior pace and there will be new struggles along the way. Be sure to listen to the end to hear my son's tips for parents on how to talk to their kids.

Find Amber J Tresca at AboutIBD.com, Verywell, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram.

Find IBDMoms on IBDMoms.org, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Credits: Mix and sound design is by Mac Cooney. Theme music, "IBD Dance Party," is from ©Cooney Studio.

How often do you check in with your friends and family about how they're doing during the pandemic? Families have had to make difficult choices regarding school, playdates, and extracurricular activities. We are all concerned about how our kids are faring during the pandemic. But are we asking them about their worries and concerns as often as we should? Amber sits down with her 10-year-old daughter to talk about hybrid school, concerns about getting sick with COVID, what kids are missing right now, and what they want to do when the pandemic is over.

Concepts discussed in this episode:

• 7 Random Acts of Kindness for Kids
• The Benefits of Altruism for Stress Management
• How to Practice Gratitude This Thanksgiving

Find Amber J Tresca at AboutIBD.com, Verywell, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram.

Find IBDMoms on IBDMoms.org, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Credits: Mix and sound design is by Mac Cooney. Theme music, "IBD Dance Party," is from ©Cooney Studio.

Do you worry that inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) will get in the way of finding a romantic partner? Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis can make dating challenging but they can also simplify it. It becomes clear pretty quickly if a potential partner is going to struggle to cope with chronic illness. This episode focuses on communication, as Amber and her husband, Mike, discuss how he reacted to his first introduction to ulcerative colitis and why it's important to check in with your partner before discussing IBD outside of the relationship. After more than 20 years, they finally put an incident of miscommunication to bed, and Mike gives his tips on being a supportive partner.

Concepts discussed in this episode:

• Advice for Partners of People With IBD
• How to Create Your IBD Elevator Speech
• The Differences Between an Ileostomy and a J-Pouch
• How to Prepare Yourself for Ileostomy Surgery
• Overview of J-Pouch Surgery
• What You Can Say to Your Friend With IBD
• Pregnancy and Inflammatory Bowel Disease
• Living With Prednisone

Find Michael Tresca on Facebook, Twitter, and Patreon.

Find Amber J Tresca at AboutIBD.com, Verywell, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram.

Find IBDMoms on IBDMoms.org, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Credits: Mix and sound design is by Mac Cooney. Theme music, "IBD Dance Party," is from ©Cooney Studio.

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) affects more than the digestive system. Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis can also affect the eyes, joints, and skin. Jordan Ditty was diagnosed with IBD as a child, though her diagnosis floated between Crohn's and ulcerative colitis and she had j-pouch surgery due to a colonic perforation. Recently, she had her j-pouch removed and a permanent ileostomy placed. Surgery gave her with a better quality of life but also a new diagnosis of a skin condition related to IBD, called pyoderma gangrenosum. Learn how Jordan remains hopeful through her long journey with IBD and a host of complications.

Concepts discussed in this episode:

• The Differences Between an Ileostomy and a J-Pouch
• Fistula Types, Diagnosis, Treatment, and Prognosis
• How to Prepare Yourself for Ileostomy Surgery
• Mouth Ulcers (Aphthous Stomatitis)
• Overview of J-Pouch Surgery
• Pouchitis After IPAA (J-Pouch) Surgery
• Proctectomy Surgery for Inflammatory Bowel Disease ("Barbie" butt or "Ken" butt surgery)
• Pyoderma Gangrenosum as a Potential Complication of IBD

Find Jordan Ditty on Instagram.

Find Amber J Tresca at AboutIBD.com, Verywell, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram.

Credits: Mix and sound design is by Mac Cooney. Theme music, "IBD Dance Party," is from ©Cooney Studio.

I'm taking some time off from producing new episodes of About IBD. But I don't want to leave you without great Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis content for your ears. That's why I'm sharing another podcast with you, called PSC Mami. PSC stands for primary sclerosing cholangitis, and it's a liver condition that is related to IBD, and ulcerative colitis in particular.

PSC Mami brings you stories at the intersection of PSC and parenthood. You can find PSC Mami in any podcast app as well as on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. The host of PSC Mami is Monika Aldarondo, who talks to parents about their perspective on life with IBD and PSC. Subscribe to PSC Mami in your favorite podcast app, including Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, and Soundcloud.

Find PSC Mami on her web site, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

Find Amber J Tresca at AboutIBD.com, Verywell, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram.

Credits: Mix and sound design for About IBD is by Mac Cooney. Theme music, "IBD Dance Party," is from ©Cooney Studio.

I'm taking some time off from producing new episodes of About IBD. But I don't want to leave you without great Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis content for your ears. That's why I'm sharing a new IBD podcast with you, called Crohn's Veteran. You can find Crohn's Veteran in any podcast app as well as on Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, and Twitter. The Crohn's Veteran hosts are Jordan McConnell, CJ Cabrera, and Renika Wood, who give their perspective on life with IBD and interview guests from the IBD community. Subscribe to Crohn's Veteran in your favorite podcast app, including Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, and Anchor.

Find Crohn's Veteran on their blog, Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, Twitter, Twitch, and their merch store.

Find the Crohn's Veteran hosts on their personal Instagram accounts: Jordan McConnell, CJ Cabrera, and Renika Wood.

Find Amber J Tresca at AboutIBD.com, Verywell, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram.

Credits: Mix and sound design for About IBD is by Mac Cooney. Theme music, "IBD Dance Party," is from ©Cooney Studio.

Kids with chronic illness face special issues when going back to school because they're at risk of their accommodations becoming eroded. In particular, children who live with Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis, might be in danger of not being granted appropriate bathroom access. I speak with Dr Brad Jerson, a Pediatric Psychologist in the Division of Digestive Diseases, Hepatology, and Nutrition at Connecticut Children's and an Assistant Professor of Pediatrics at the University of Connecticut School of Medicine. We discuss the worrying behaviors that parents should watch out for in their kids and how we can help kids who feel scared to go back to school.

Episode transcript: https://bit.ly/AIBD78

Concepts discussed in this episode:

• How to Practice Active Listening
• How Is Your Child Coping With COVID-19? Here's What to Look For
• Managing Family Stress During COVID-19
• Template Section 504 Plan for Children with Inflammatory Bowel Disease

IBD Patient Advocacy Organizations

• Connecting to Cure Crohn's and Colitis
• Crohn's and Colitis Australia
• Crohn's and Colitis Canada
• Crohn's and Colitis New Zealand
• Crohn's and Colitis Foundation
• The European Federation of Crohn's & Ulcerative Colitis Associations
• Girls With Guts
• IBDMoms (Amber is a co-founder)

IBD Apps

• Gali Health (Affiliate Link)
• The Mighty
• Healthline IBD (Includes Podcasts Hosted By Amber)

Find Dr Brad Jerson on Twitter and at Connecticut Children's.

Find Amber J Tresca at AboutIBD.com, Verywell, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram.

Credits: Mix and sound design is by Mac Cooney. Theme music, "IBD Dance Party," is from ©Cooney Studio.

Back to school will be quite different for families across the United States and the world this year. There aren't many answers to be had to our questions, yet we must make decisions with the best information that we have at this time. I speak with Dr Brad Jerson, a Pediatric Psychologist in the Division of Digestive Diseases, Hepatology, and Nutrition at Connecticut Children's and an Assistant Professor of Pediatrics at the University of Connecticut School of Medicine about how we can prepare our kids, and ourselves, for the school year. We discuss the behaviors we can model for our children, how we can talk to young kids about mask wearing, and how to engage kids of all ages in conversation about their fears and anxieties during this time.

Concepts discussed in this episode:

• A Checklist to Help Parents Decide: Send Kids Back to School or Keep Them Home During COVID-19?
• Is It Safe to Send Your Child Back to School During COVID-19? Advice From Connecticut Children's Physician-in-Chief
• Ask a Pediatrician: Is It a Good Idea for My Child With Asthma to Go Back to School or Day Care During COVID-19?
• 7 Ways to Introduce Your Child to Wearing a Mask
• Coronavirus and IBD Reporting Database

Find Dr Brad Jerson on Twitter and at Connecticut Children's.

Find Amber J Tresca at AboutIBD.com, Verywell, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram.

Credits: Mix and sound design is by Mac Cooney. Theme music, "IBD Dance Party," is from ©Cooney Studio.

While everyone who lives with inflammatory bowel disease (Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, indeterminate colitis), or IBD, has their own story, there are major themes. Finding someone whose story is similar to yours is both validating and empowering. This is why Amber Tresca, who lives with ulcerative colitis and a j-pouch, developed the About IBD Podcast. IBD is not only isolating but it also affects every aspect of the lives of those who live with these diseases. It touches relationships, finances, and careers. On About IBD, Amber talks to caregivers and people living with IBD to get their stories so that they can share what they've learned from their journey. She also talks to healthcare providers and other experts to get their perspective on a wide variety of topics including research about IBD, improving relationships with physicians, becoming a critical thinker, and how to get involved with healthcare activism. Amber wants to give people touched by IBD the information they need to live a better life, as well as feel less alone while navigating the ups and downs of the patient journey. Subscribe to About IBD on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, or your favorite podcast app. Find Amber J Tresca at AboutIBD.com, Verywell, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram. Credits: Mix and sound design is by Mac Cooney. Theme music, "IBD Dance Party," is from ©Cooney Studio.

What's in your microbiome and how does it interact with your IBD? The bacteria that's in the gut of someone that lives with IBD is different from the bacteria in the the gut of someone that doesn't have IBD. This is a major area of study because it may help researchers not only in developing new treatments but also in better understanding IBD. That's why I asked Arielle Radin, Director of Clinical Research for Gali Health, to talk to me about the Footprints Program. The Footprints Program is an ambitious research project that is going to sequence poop and saliva from IBD patients. It's being used in conjunction with the Gali Health app, which is made especially for IBD patients to track their symptoms and connect with other people who live with Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis. Participants in the Footprints Program will get access to some information about their microbiome. They can then look at the changes over time and see if there are any trends with the symptoms that are kept in the Gali app. It sounds pretty amazing, which is why I signed up for the program. Arielle Radin, who answers my questions about Gali Health and the Footprints Program, and on a personal note, tells us about getting married during the pandemic.

Concepts discussed in this episode:

• Research Studies & Clinical Trials in IBD Roundtable

• The Footprints Program

• Download the Gali App (affiliate link)

Find Gali Health at GaliHealth.com, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube, and Instagram.

Find Amber J Tresca at AboutIBD.com, Verywell, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram.

Credits: Mix and sound design is by Mac Cooney. Theme music, "IBD Dance Party," is from ©Cooney Studio.