UPDATE 1:20 p.m. Thursday: We've added a video of Diekman post-surgery to the bottom of this post.

Rangers reliever Jake Diekman on Wednesday took the first step in the long road back to pitching

According to the the Crohn's & Colitis Foundation, ulcerative colitis is one of a group of chronic inflammatory bowel diseases that affects up to 1.6 million Americans.

Diekman, who has dealt with the disease since he was 11, had a flare-up in December that caused him to lose nearly 20 pounds in two weeks, leading to the decision to finally undergo the surgery.

Diekman is one of about 100,000 or so patients diagnosed as kids. Early on he suffered wince-inducing stomach cramps, nausea during and after eating, weight loss and constant trips to the bathroom.

Long involved with the Crohn's and Colitis Foundation of America, Diekman has agreed to share stories of his road to recovery with SportsDay in the form of video diaries. In November, Diekman was the featured speaker at a CCFA dinner during which I interviewed him. One of the first questions: How long has it been since you had a flare up?

Here's the first entry in Diekman's diary:

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On Thursday, Diekman shared a post-surgery video to his Instagram account. He's seen moving around the halls of the hospital with the assistance of a walker.

Other Diekman Diary chapters

Chapter 2