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About Jessica
I was diagnosed with acute severe ulcerative colitis in July 2017 and my IBD journey has been a roller-coaster. I went into hospital unwell thinking I'd walk out with the treatment I needed and never could have imagined what was ahead of me. This was my first flare and a major one. It was diagnosed as acute severe ulcerative colitis impacting my whole colon and rectum. I was treated as an urgent case once diagnosed because my bowels were close to perforating. Treatment wasn’t improving my symptoms and every day in hospital I was getting weaker. Being on death’s door is scary for anyone, but to then find out you need to have life changing stoma surgery (in the same week as diagnosis) was soul destroying.
Although my good health today is a roller-coaster, I do not let my illnesses define me! I now focus my time and energy on raising awareness of invisible illnesses and disabilities. I have a website www.makingtheinvisiblevisible.org.uk and Facebook page 'Making The Invisible Visible'.