Good to hear from you!  I've wondered how you've been feeling. Thanks for posting.  Giving up caffeine is a big deal.  I never drank coffee but had a serious diet coke and diet pepsi problem for decades.  One of the guys I worked with in the late 80's said that he envisioned me with a Big Gulp in my crib   I use to say I was from the "pepsi generation" when asked if I wanted coffee   

About asking challenging questions, it isn't because I'm brave but more like I'm scared  Everyone on this site has helped me the last 4.5 years. I don't know how I would have made it to this point without you all.  

I've been reading many professional studies lately.  I ran across one that was written by my GI at Mayo's.  There was a paper that discusses measles and UC.  To make a long story short -  I'm a worrier and have been worried about passing on UC to my children and now grandchildren.  Noone else in my family tree had IBD, that I know of.  I can't describe the relief I am feeling.  I had measles twice.  Once at age 3 and then again at 6 or so. 

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10894583

From the link:

Conclusion: Early measles infection is associated with an increased risk of developing Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis. The risk may be higher with earlier infection.

I am pushing 60 so it was common that we all had measles and mumps.  The vaccinations for them were developed in time for my children to have them and their children are even getting vaccinated against chicken pox too.  (Both of my kids had chicken pox.)

So for those that don't believe in giving children vaccinations here is one more positive  reason to do so!  I'm not saying that I know what caused my UC, just that I am hoping it this reason. I was fortunate to get the Polio vaccination then too.  It was first used the year I was born.  I know people that had polio and lived with limps or weaknesses elsewhere their entire lives.  

I am in a lot of pain but am feeling a lot better about these nasty diseases not attacking my children and grandchildren.

Thanks

Ugg, thanks, I don't think of myself as inspirational. I had no choice. My pouch made the decision for me. I'm having a hard time recovering. Besides hating this bag, I'm so damn tired, beyond tired, little appetite. I guess when you get older you don't bonce back so fast.

I hope it's just time, but my mind plays head games with me. 15 years with my pouch, all the surgical complications to get it right. All the meds I've been on!  And now I get to relive everything over again. I wish I could be more up beat like a lot of the others that lost their pouch. Mine is still there, I hope I never need to remove it. I'm done with all this.