I had j-pouch surgery to treat dysplasia and ulcerative colitis when I was 26 years old. That means my colon and most of my rectum were removed. A part of the last section of my small intestine (the ileum) was used to create a “pouch,” which functions like a rectum to hold stool. The part of small intestine is folded back on itself and attached to the rectum in the shape of a “J.”

This surgery makes my life easier. This surgery makes getting healthcare harder