:What?! Three blog posts in one day? This is madness.

Yet, it’s true. In an effort to get back into this and continue to truly try to help others, I’m going to try and participate in this challenge this time. It might not be a blog post every day, so check me out on Instagram because I’ll probably post more there as I’m still learning the ins and outs of WP, and the ‘gram is just easier sometimes.

Without further delay, let’s get started with day 1 of the November HAWMC.

Q: First, Let’s get to know each other! What drives you to write about your health? What do you want other Health Activists to know about your condition and your activism? Reflect on this for 15 to 20 minutes without stopping. 

Hi! My name is Jacklyn and I started this blog as a place to share the struggle I was having facing the diagnosis of Ulcerative Colitis. In 2013 I was diagnosed, and by 2014 I was hospitalized as we were not able to manage the symptoms of my disease. Over the years I have tried multiple medications, diets, stress management tools, support systems and everything I possibly could to fight this disease. When I was given the diagnosis, I was told that there was no cure, but the goal was remission and we would try everything we could do to get there. Eventually I was stable enough to start Remicade, and I have been getting infusions every 8 weeks ever since. I am currently in remission.

The physical symptoms of Ulcerative Colitis are terrible. The pain can be unbearable at times and the complications and side effects from medications, all of these things are important in understanding the disease, but that’s not why I’m here.

My mental health had a bigger impact. I was depressed, anxious, angry and grieving my old life. I was 24 years old and I was just starting to begin my adult life. I had dreams and plans and they were all, it seemed, stolen from me because of the diagnosis of this disease. I had no idea how to cope with that. I told one doctor of my anxiety, and she shrugged and said “that must be rough” and moved on with her day.

I started this blog in the middle of this process to convey my struggles, to put words to my feelings, and to show others that there still can be a life with a chronic illness. There may not be a cure, and life may certainly not be what you see on TV or what you thought it would be like, but it’s a life. And there’s good to be found in it.

The whole concept “Flareup Hope” started with a conversation with my dad. I told him I was starting a blog to help raise awareness and to connect with other people who were going through the same thing. We brainstormed, and came up with this because in the deepest darkest moments of my last flareup, what I held on to was hope: hope for healing, hope for getting through one more minute, one more sunrise, one more day. Finding hope has become my mantra. I search for people who are willing to share their stories (message me if you would like to) in order to inspire others to keep fighting.  I share my own thoughts and challenges and medical experiences.

I do not claim to be an IBD expert, or an advocate, or to have the answers for you. But I am a real human with Ulcerative Colitis, an autoimmune disease that does not have a cure. I am a patient, a daughter, a spouse, a dog mom, and someone who loves to write, take pictures and go on adventures and starting projects. I have dealt with depression and anxiety and I have grieved the life that my chronic illness stole from me. I’ve developed a sense of gratitude for this new way of living, and I share some of my methods and coping mechanisms for dealing with all the feels these conditions bring.

My mission here is to provide sparks of hope to people that need to keep fighting. It only takes a spark to light up a room.

Thanks for bearing with me on this first ramble of a post. Can’t wait to read everyone’s day one intros!