My name is Issac from Toronto, Canada. I'm 11 months post op, back in the gym, and working for a mortgage brokerage. I would like to network With fellow J-pouchers from Toronto and all around the world. If you would like to show some support please visit my facebook page and give me a LIKE. http://www.facebook.com/pages/...scom/188459404534335

Issac

Used to be a carpenter... think ill have to change work now due to the disease, i want to study and become a specialist-nurse!

I work in real estate both as an agent and in property management (managing single family rentals for owners).

Nice to meet you all!

Hello colitiskilla,

I am a Graphic Artist and Illustrator. My life has taken a wonderful turn a few years ago. I have been doing Music Therapy for people with Special Needs and Senior Citizens. I play the guitar, piano and sing. Being a musician was just a hobby and for my own pleasure but now I get to make people happy with my gift of music and it is fantastic.

There is another topic on here that is very similar but I don't remember where it is. Lots of j-pouchers with lots of interesting professions. Maybe someone else can tell us where that is.

KangaRoe

I would love to know what everyone does for a living.
I was trained as a police officer, but never employed as one. Not a good profession with UC!

Still have restroom issues since having J-pouch surgery appr. 7 years ago. Can't even imagine what kind of work I could do with these issues, so hearing what everyone else does may give me some ideas.
I'd also like to know how each of you mangage your restroom issues if you still have them. Thanks!

-Roni*

I am an elementary school teacher. I am out on a one year leave of absence due to having my k pouch surgery in November. I am planning on returning in September....although I wish I could go back sooner. Now that I am not battling incontinence and frequent bathroom trips, I am going stir-crazy being out of work!

Fascinating to hear about everyone's jobs! (Maybe that's just because I'm so nosy.) I'm a theatre Stage Manager (which is slightly different here in the UK to the US). Had UC very early on, so it slightly steered my career direction, but I'm very happy with what I do now.

I'm a professional business coach, professor (english, business, management...) and a personal life coach and facilitator...keeps in line with my lifestyle too...it allowed me to go where I was needed and work when I could but now I need my clients to come to me...hard to find.
Funny how our carreer choices were often decided by our diseases.
Sharon

I've been unemployed for the past year. From my perspective, it seems that God knew 2011 was to be the year that my 20yr battle with UC would come to conclusion. So I was blessed to be able to live with my parents (hard to do when you're 40-ish) and be able to just focus on treatment and recovery. It was not easy as I lost my house & became ostracized by many who do not understand what I was going through (see my blog titled " You don't LOOK sick

So my "job" was being a full-time patient. My "job" was to learn to be humble and accept the grace of others willing to help me. My "job" was to lose my arrogance and accept that I could not do it all myself.

And God's timing is always perfect. Two days after my take-down surgery, I received a call for a position I had applied for six months earlier. I had forgotten all about it since it had been so long from when I applied. I have since been offered a position as a field technician for repair of casino gaming systems. Great pay. Excellent benefits. Solid company. Trustworthy people to work for. God gave me my life back and a great career to go with it! Amen, indeed.

Hello everyone, My name is Tammy & I have had crohns since 1988. Recently lost my colon and learning to live again with this Jpouch. I work in the Lab @ the local hopsital. Which is really good because I know all the doctors and they are right there for me to ask lots of questions. I have just stumbled upon this site and I feel so blessed already to know that someone other than me are dealing with lots of the same issues. I haven't read it yet but as soon as i make this post I'm going to read the "You don't LOOK sick" I get that all the time. Alot of friends only call when they want me to do something for them and it oh your sick again. I was wondering why you hadn't been at work. Well I'll talk to you later and let you rest. I'm like "Really" I'm excited to read more tomorrow.

Hi All, my name is Nigel and I have been fixing flight simulators for the past 30 years, both in and out of the Air Force. I suffered with UC for 25 years before having a pan-proctocolectomy and j-pouch formation on 29 Jul 11. It has been an ideal career being an indoor job with no heavy lifting and of course easy access to the loo.
My J-pouch is due to be activated on 29 Feb 12 so it will be interesting to see how working a 3 shift pattern effects my pouch.

I have been a Firefighter for the past 18 years. I had to give up repsonding in trcuks as they don't come equipped with toilets. I now work as a training officer and still enjoying my career

Hello everyone - I am a medical coder and work for a local hospital have been able to work from home (which has helped when in a flare). I am on LOA in the middle of a robotic proctocolectomy 2/29/2012 to ileostomy. Soon to have reattachment in a couple of weeks to j pouch. I am not sure how long I will be out as of yet due to surgeries. Hopefully, be amongst the living soon! I am certainly going to be looking at the blog "You don't LOOK sick" boy do I get that all the time!
Roberta

Hemingway love your blog site!

Thank you -
Roberta