Let’s Get Jess Home

A number of us will be attempting 3 peaks in 3 days challenge (Snowden, Cader Idris and Pen y Fan). We are fundraising to get our lovely Jessica Shannon-Ennis out of hospital and back home with her family. Jess, once a happy, healthy, active wife and mother has been in hospital since June, unable to walk, experiencing daily seizures and other painful symptoms.  She is unable to return home to be with her family as their home will need to undergo modifications, which of course costs money, money that they don’t have. We want to help alleviate the financial burden so that when Jess is well enough to leave hospital, everything is in place ready for Jess to go home to her family, this is likely to be a number of months yet. 

It’s worth mentioning that Jess and her husband Conan have regularly devoted much of their spare time to a number of projects to benefit their local community of Gelligaer, including setting up a local football club for adults of which Jess is founder and secretary, mini ballers football club for 2-6 years olds, a ladies netball club,  Community fun days and a monthly children’s disco, just to name a few.  Jess is determined to continue her hard work in supporting her community once she is home and settled.

 

Please see below to read Jess’ story in her own words;

Hi, I’m Jess! Up until quite recently, I’d have said I was the happiest, luckiest woman in the world, I married my best friend, soul mate and absolute rock Conan and between us we have Caylan aged 11, Cassidy aged 3 and Savannah aged 2. Life really couldn’t have been more perfect.

Back in October last year, I started feeling very odd, I experienced intermittent times where I felt very tired and unable to stay awake, suffered aches and pains, pins and needles in my arms and generally felt unwell. I then went blind in one eye and started feeling very unsteady on my feet, I began to have splitting migraines, my limbs felt very heavy, almost too heavy to move, I could barely stay awake most days, some days I slept right through the day. I had various medical tests but nothing showed up, eventually I was told I had fibromyalgia and I continued like this for 6 months or more. I did have rare days where these symptoms were bearable, thankfully I was able to enjoy my 30th birthday in June this year, my husband and friends had organised a surprise party for me, it was one of the best birthdays I’ve ever had, little did I know that just 3 days later my life would change in a way I could never have imagined.

I was really struggling with the pain on this particular morning, I ran myself a hot bath hoping it would help, however when I tried to get out of the bath I realised that I couldn’t move my legs. In a panic I phoned my mum who helped drag me out of the bath, an ambulance came and that was the last time I saw my own home. I’ve been in hospital ever since. I’ve since been diagnosed with FND (Functional Neurological Disorder) however, despite my diagnosis, my symptoms have worsened, in addition to not being able to walk or move my legs, I’m having multiple seizures a day - it feels as though lightening bolts are running through my body, my throat closes and I can’t breathe while I’m having them. The pain that I feel when having a seizure is immense and leaves me absolutely exhausted. I’m also stuttering and struggling to get my words out and have involuntary spasms in my right arm which is making any upper body tasks even more difficult given that I am right handed. I also have hyper sensitivity meaning it’s agony to be touched, this is particularly distressing when I want to hug my children or they want to hug me but can’t. They don’t understand as they’re so little. The only thing keeping me going is the need to get home to my family, to be a wife and mother, we’ve never been apart before and I’ve already missed out on so much. Saying goodbye to them after they visit is the hardest thing about this situation, much harder than accepting I’ll likely never walk again.

In order for me to go home, we need to get my seizures under control, then my home will need to be adapted to accommodate my disabilities and give me some independence back. There is little to no funding available to make this happen.

I’m so blessed to have such wonderful friends and family willing to trek up 3 mountains to help raise funds to get me home. If you are able to sponsor this cause, you’ll be helping me fulfil my dream of getting home to my family, my husband and children who are my sole reason to keep going. I thank you from the bottom of my heart x