Dealing with disease part of routine for Hawks' Pisani

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It's also where the former Oilers and current Blackhawks winger was born and where he disclosed he was living - and playing - with the often debilitating disease of ulcerative colitis.

The disease isn't talked about often, but those who have it understand the toll it takes on a body.

According to the Mayo Clinic, ulcerative colitis is an inflammatory bowel disease that causes chronic inflammation of the digestive tract. It's similar to the more well-known Crohn's disease and can lead to life-threatening complications. Symptoms include fatigue, cramping, weight loss, bleeding and diarrhea.

First diagnosed in 2005, Pisani didn't feel the full brunt of the disease until a few years later. He played two seasons - including 2005-06, when he scored a career-high 18 goals in the regular season and another 14 during the Oilers' run to the Stanley Cup finals - before the symptoms became so unbearable, he had to miss the first 26 games of the 2007-08 season.



"I had to take time off because I'd lose too much weight and feel sluggish and have no energy at all," Pisani said Tuesday, shortly before the Hawks departed for Edmonton, where they begin an 11-day, six-game trip Wednesday. "When you get into situations like that, you have to do the smart thing and just stop all physical activity because you can spiral and it can get a lot worse."

That's when Pisani decided to let the world in on his problem.

"Once I decided to go public with it and tell people that's what I had, I was really surprised at how many people have this disease or know somebody who has it," said Pisani, 33, who signed with the Hawks as a free agent on Aug. 24. "Obviously, it's not something people like to talk about or deal with, but the people in Edmonton and the organization were great to me in helping me deal with it and find a way to manage it."

Pisani receives medicine infusions every eight weeks to control the disease, and he must eat foods that won't activate the symptoms. As he becomes more settled in Chicago, Pisani and his wife, Heidi, plan to get involved in the community in bringing the disease to light.

"It's nothing to be ashamed of - it's a disease," Pisani said. "There are a lot of people who have it, especially young kids. You feel bad for kids going to school and having to go through that.

"Kids can be very difficult at that age and cruel and teasing, so I want people to be aware of it and be comfortable talking about it and ultimately find a cure for it."

Pisani has two goals and two assists this season and has been a valuable member of the penalty-killing unit while playing in all 20 games. More important, he hasn't been limited by the disease that has no cure but can be controlled with proper treatment.

"Knock on wood, everything's been good so far," Pisani said. "It's just a part of life now that I deal with and try to manage and control. I've been feeling really good up to this point."

ckuc@tribune.com

Additional information:

Ulcerative Colitis Cure
Ulcerative Colitis Symptoms, Diagnosis and Cure
Medications to cure ulcerative colitis
Qigong Practice Ulcerative Colitis and Crohns Disease
Ulcerative Colitis Information Centre
The Colitis Cure You've Been Looking For
How to Treat Colitis Naturally eHow.com
Ulcerative Colitis Finding Your Cure Associated Content from
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