Tea at Four - Living With A Rare Disability - Everyone Thinks I'm Contagious

Episode Date: September 10, 2026

Everyone thinks I have cancer - but that's not my condition.In this episode of Tea At Four, Lauren & Christie sit down with Jess to talk about living with disability with extensive venous malf...ormation, a rare condition she was born with that affects her veins, causes arthritis and chronic pain, and means she now uses crutches and a wheelchair.Jess opens up about why her condition impacts her more mentally than physically, growing up feeling treated like a child at school, the concert accessibility horror story where she was told her wheelchair wasn't allowed and ended up sat on the floor, and the daily reality of being a wheelchair user in the UK - from broken Tube lifts to strangers asking if she's contagious.She also gets honest about dating with disability, going viral on TikTok, dealing with hate comments and death threats, and how sharing her story helped her build confidence, raise disability awareness and connect with others living with chronic illness.

Transcript
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Starting point is 00:00:00 People so often assume that I'm contagious, so you guys are going to turn blue soon. What in the Smurf era? Hi guys, welcome back to T-It-4. I'm Lauren and I'm Christy. And this is the podcast where we talk all things that normally stay in the group chat. Today we are joined with a special guest. We are here with Jess. Everybody say, hey! Woo!
Starting point is 00:00:24 Jess, thank you so much for joining us. We can't wait to speak to you. You're born with a red condition. For everybody listening, could you please explain what it is? Just tell us a bit more about it. I've got Venus malformation and it's basically a condition where my veins don't form properly and they don't have much structure and it's like, to put it simply, because not everyone's a medical professional because there's no structure. If there's a like flow of blood then they'll
Starting point is 00:00:46 swell up and if there's not enough blood then they'll collapse. When did you first get the malformation? Was it something you were born with? Was it something that happened later in life? I was born with like a little patch on my elbow I think and then got sent home from the hospital and all that jazz and then started developing over like the first two weeks I was born. And then the doctors had no idea what it was. So then I got sent up to Great Ormond Street in London. They were like, well, you've got venous malformation. And that was that.
Starting point is 00:01:12 That's how it all kicked off. That's how it all kicked off. Yeah. Something I love about you. You've got great humour. Yeah. You're a funny gal. You're a funny gal.
Starting point is 00:01:20 So you've got this venous malformation. What are the physical symptoms of your condition? Some of the main physical symptoms is that, because the blood leaks into my joints, I get arthritis, which then, restricts the movement, like I can hardly move my ankle, I don't have full movement in my leg or elbow. And then because of that, then I need the crutches in the wheelchair because I can't wait there. Is it a common assumption people obviously see on the outside what's going on and they don't think that there are extra parts to your disability? Yeah. Yeah. Like people would just assume that I just, it's just a looks thing.
Starting point is 00:01:55 But then there's so much going on inside. Like at the moment I've got this proper problem, but like my throat swells up and I struggle to breathe. That's just been a quite recent thing, like, since December. Are you doing okay? I'm alive. You're alive. Are you getting treatment for that? Is there treatment? No.
Starting point is 00:02:13 At the moment. They're doing tests, but hospital takes a long time to do their tests. Have you always faced the same kind of, like, physical challenges? Like, from example, having a venous malformation when you were younger compared to now, how has it kind of changed? Well, things have got worse over time. Like, I used to be able to walk when I was little. and then because one of the like main things in my condition is I get clots, not like dangerous
Starting point is 00:02:37 clots but just little blood clots and they cause a lot of pain. So one of the like when I was little I had one on the bottom of my foot which then caused me to like not be able to walk which then resulted in me not using my leg for a while then like if you don't if you don't use it you lose it kind of thing like I just stopped being able to use my leg because it hadn't used it in so long you've got to maintain the strength and I didn't manage to maintain it. So physically I've got a lot worse and also looks wise like it's spread so much from when I was little like I never used to have that lump I never used to I don't know this just spread like it's got worse as I've got older how common is the condition it depends because I've got extensive venous malformation
Starting point is 00:03:15 I know it's quite rare but like I don't know statistics but I know just venous malformation because some people have a little bit on their pinky some people have like little patches my dad's got a tiny patch on his thigh. So technically he's now got Venus malformation, like a patch like that big. So cases like that, they're more common. I think I searched up as like one in 10,000 or something. But then extensive venous malformations are a lot worse. When they were talking about it, when I was younger, I was like one of three in the UK with it this serious. I'm not sure though. Don't hold me to that. And do they know what causes the malformation? I don't think they know what causes it, but I know it's genetic. I don't get how genetics work because like someone just spawns with it.
Starting point is 00:03:55 You get what I mean? Because if it's genetic, then that means it's passed down from everyone. But then what if someone doesn't have it? That means someone has to get it. Oh my gosh. Genetics confuse me so much. Oh, my dear, darling. I was terrible at science at school.
Starting point is 00:04:06 I do medical science. I should know this. Oh. Is that one of the reasons the kind of questions that you had with your own condition that made you want to go into that profession? Yeah, but I don't want to it anymore because I didn't like the A level. Perfect. Good.
Starting point is 00:04:19 Yeah. So, well, well. So great. Yeah. Can we just like talk about. like your school experience. He said that it started when you were quite younger. Yeah.
Starting point is 00:04:29 So how was going to school and growing with your condition? How was that experience for you? Primary school was great because I had like a best friend and she was, I've had her since like the second day of reception. And we've been together literally the whole time till now. We're still best friends. So I think school was okay because I had her. And also I never really noticed like me being treated differently by other kids.
Starting point is 00:04:52 It was more like the teachers that would treat me differently. Because other kids don't really, I guess they just accept it and then they just treat you like everyone else. But it's the teachers. Some of the teachers, they don't know how to treat you so they either over compromise or just completely ignore you. Right. Because they want to treat you similar to everyone else. So they either go above and beyond to like make you feel there. But then you feel excluded from how much they're treating you differently.
Starting point is 00:05:15 Yeah. Or some of them just completely ignore you. So like they don't pick on you like for questions. Like if I'm in class and everyone else is getting answered a question. ask the question, then I won't get asked a question. That's happened with some of the teachers. Mostly it's them going above and beyond, but there have been some that just ignore me,
Starting point is 00:05:31 pretend I don't, not there. I know this sounds so silly, but it must be a question that you get on social media because we haven't gone into that, but you share your life on TikTok. Do people assume that you're not mentally fully there? Oh my gosh. That's one of the most annoying things on this planet.
Starting point is 00:05:46 People do assume that too much. And I get treated like I'm a child, like I don't know what I'm doing. like I don't know how to sort things out for myself and mostly that's in like the school environment because I've had teachers in mostly secondary school and college
Starting point is 00:06:03 that have been like whenever we're doing a task they'll come over, they'll explain it to a whole class and they'll come over to me and go so do you understand what we're doing and I'll be like yeah I think just like everyone else that's crazy so you've got the competency there was and they just never spoke to you directly about like the extent of your condition?
Starting point is 00:06:23 No. None of them ever bothered, like none of them ever get to know me so they treat me how they think they should treat me. But I feel like if they got to know me then, then no. She can think like everybody else. Maybe I shouldn't treat her that differently. Just why I appreciate you talking about it more
Starting point is 00:06:37 because people kind of overcompensates that this is what I know about somebody that has a chronic illness. So I'm going to go by this way, but you're not literally allowing yourself to be like, let me be a person as well. And then ask the questions you want to know about me then I can educate you about it. Yeah.
Starting point is 00:06:51 It's all very generalised how you should treat some, how people think you treat someone with the illness. In regarding what you just said, especially when it comes to teachers, friends and people, like strangers as well, what qualities do you value the most in people that support you? One of the things that I love most for my friends
Starting point is 00:07:04 is that they genuinely treat me as if there's nothing wrong with me. They don't see me for my condition to the point where like, when we're planning things and stuff, they'll be like, oh, do you want to do this? And I'll be like, wait, guys, I can't do that. And I like that because that means that they forget that I'm disabled and they see me for me. Yeah. And they think, oh, Jess can do this, just can do that. Even though I can't,
Starting point is 00:07:23 I still like the fact that they don't see me for what I'm limited with. Yeah. That's gorgeous. Yeah. What about you? How have you been able to support your own self mentally when everyone else was kind of seeing a different version of you? How have you made sure that the Jess inside you stays authentic and like strong, I guess. I don't really listen to anyone else. I just don't take anything in. I love that. Period. Period. That's good. I can give less of it. I can. I can. I I couldn't care what anyone else thinks, to be honest. Yeah. Did you have anyone to kind of look up to and with people with venous malformation in that community?
Starting point is 00:07:58 No one with Venus malformation. There's someone called Nikki Lilly who has arterial venous malformation. She's the only person that I know that, like, has got a condition similar to mine. But then, because it's also so different to mine than I was just alone, like I had no one to really look up to because I don't know anyone with this condition as serious as mine. Like, I know a few people that have got it, but, like, tiny little bits. Any just, like, general role models anyway, like, like, who do you look up to? Alison Hammond. Yeah, great answer.
Starting point is 00:08:32 Anoint that you didn't get her on this morning. Oh, my gosh. Don't even. Don't even. So we've got to talk about this. So you went on this morning because you've started documenting your experience with your condition on TikTok. Yes. You've gone viral, basically.
Starting point is 00:08:47 And the feedback has been amazing. I was looking at the clip on this morning interview. Could you just talk a bit about why you decided to start shart? Great. Whoa. Wow. Wow. Whoa.
Starting point is 00:09:00 Sorry there. Could you talk a bit about why you'd started sharing your life online? I didn't intentionally start it ever intentionally start it. I had no intention of going, guys, I'm going to put myself out there. But I did a video related to my condition. And it was a trend like two years ago. And then that kind of went viral. And then I thought, oh, I could do something with this.
Starting point is 00:09:23 So I did. And then it just grew and grew and grew from there. But I never really intended to like start social media. It just happened. And I'm happy it happened. Yeah. Because it's gone very well. It's going really well.
Starting point is 00:09:35 Yeah. Do you think social media for you has become more healing? Like a healing process for you as well. No. No. Because some of the people on there are horrible human beings. The amount of messages I get on a daily about like, how I look horrible and
Starting point is 00:09:49 and nobody loves me and stuff and I can't get death threats. I'm like, people message me going oh, you should die and it's like, okay buddy, glad I'm not you, but whatever. Yeah, so I don't think social media's healing in the slightest.
Starting point is 00:10:01 Like, I think social media is for the people with like tough skin. I don't think anyone that wants a healing journey should do it on social media. That's funny you say that because I feel like that's a very brutally honest experience.
Starting point is 00:10:14 Especially when you have something quite unique about you. Yeah. A lot of people might say, yeah, it's been amazing to kind of share myself, but you find it difficult. Yeah. Yeah. If there's nothing physically wrong with you or, like, looks-wise, I feel like social media is fine because people aren't going to be as horrible. Do you regret sharing your story online?
Starting point is 00:10:33 I don't regret any of it. Can I ask how old you are? 18. You're 18. Yeah. When did you start sharing on TikTok? 2024. Christmas time.
Starting point is 00:10:41 2024. Because it's my granddad's Christmas ruffle when I blew up. Love that. Love that. Niche. So between you starting then and kind of sharing online, I guess you meet more people maybe that have a similar condition to you. I've never met anyone.
Starting point is 00:10:57 You've never met anyone. However, I've had so many people reach out and be like, oh, I've got this or like my child's got this. And genuinely you've helped so much. Like, thank you for raising awareness. And I've also met other people that like I've become friends with online just because they're not like, they don't have my condition, but like they're still, they've got things.
Starting point is 00:11:16 And then I've become friends of so many more. people because of it. Is it like from sharing your experience with it as it meant more research as being done like do you kind of know what the future is like with with your condition? Well I found out one thing that I don't know if it's going to be any help to me but there's this little girl on TikTok and she's got malformation down her esophagus. I like heard her mum talking about electrosclerotherapy because I've had sclerotherapy to try and that's basically like injections to kill the vein. I'm not too short. Don't hold me to it. But like, yeah, I've had sclerotherapy before. And then she was talking about electrosclerotherapy, which me or my dad had never heard about because my dad does a lot
Starting point is 00:11:55 of research into my condition. Probably more than the doctors do, to be fair. That's the only thing that I've possibly got out of social media, apart from people messaging me going, I could cure you. But obviously, like, they're joking. Well, they're like, yeah. Thank you, Sandra. Yeah, but have there been any one that's reached out, like, with genuine, like, I don't know. No, genuine offering that they can help. Because sometimes you do see that. I've had people saying like, oh, there's a doctor in Germany that I know could help you or there's a doctor in Italy and stuff like that.
Starting point is 00:12:27 But like I've never had anything given to me without me having to do research into it. Yeah. That must be very frustrating. I can only imagine like the whole healthcare system and journey. Obviously now that you're 18, when you're younger, your parents would be the ones that will be, you know, taking you to the appointments and being overseeing all those medical appointments and aspects. But obviously for the future, for you now, how do you, is there hope that things will get better in regards to like, you know, things that you could do to help your condition, etc?
Starting point is 00:12:57 I'm not too sure about like if things will get better. Yeah, I'm not too sure because like it's such a rare condition that there's not much like, obviously there is stuff done to try and help people manage it. But like it's not like, like for example, obviously a lot of stuff being put into cancer research and stuff and like more prominent diseases, I feel like they're focused on more, and then the people that have got rarer diseases, they're not researched much.
Starting point is 00:13:24 Which is understandable, because obviously there's more people in the world with cancer than what I've got, but like it just means there's such little things that can actually help me. Yeah. Do you have to take medication or anything like that to keep things at bay?
Starting point is 00:13:35 Not regularly. Like, I've got a medicine, because I've got really low platelets, meaning that I can just, if I cut myself, I'll bleed out. like not and die but like well I could die but I'm not gonna die I'm not gonna die no your your band artist
Starting point is 00:13:53 but like I'm more likely to bleed or bruise if I like have an accident so there's this thing that I can take that clots my blood for like clots the wound for me and like I have to take it for example I'm going for a piercing or something like that I've got to take it for a few weeks beforehand but there's nothing that I'm on permanently gosh are you able to live independently
Starting point is 00:14:13 No. Do you say do you have a carer? No. I don't have a carer but I wouldn't be able to live independently because I need help with things like sorting my wheelchair out because it weighs about 29 million kilos. Like I just wouldn't want to live on my own in case something happened. And I know that that's not a good way to live like in fear of something happening but I've got such a good reason to have a fear. Oh, absolutely.
Starting point is 00:14:37 Like I don't think I'd want to, I don't think I'd be able to live alone. I can be independent. I've got things in place to help me be independent. Like I've got a hoist in my car for the wheelchair so it can get in and out, but it's still extremely heavy and complicated. Nowhere is accessible, so, like, I can't go out alone in case, oh, I've got to go up to the stairs,
Starting point is 00:14:56 stuff like that. I can't go, I can't be alone, basically. The UK doesn't even rank in the top 10 most accessible countries. What's your experience with that? My brother went to America, and America's obviously quite new. And then he said, like, bless him. It was thinking about me when it was there. It was like, America's so accessible. you'd be able to do it so well.
Starting point is 00:15:13 There's no steps. There's lift working everywhere. And then it's like, the UK's just not accessible. But it's so old. Yeah. Like, it's a really, really old country.
Starting point is 00:15:21 It's quite slightly different, but Charlie, sorry, random. Yeah, we did, we did. Basically, a lady came in last week that just had a baby. And she was saying about how, like, things you don't think about
Starting point is 00:15:32 when you don't have a child is, like, tube stations and, like, transport and things like that. Basic, basic things. And then I saw something online about, like, when you go to concerts and everyone's, up in the accessibility area.
Starting point is 00:15:44 I've got concert trauma. Oh no. Oh my gosh. Yeah, carry on. Sorry. No, basically it's just so many different aspects you think that affecting different people. And it seems like there's very little care about. I think it's like, oh, we've done the obvious.
Starting point is 00:15:55 We've done the bare minimum. That's what we can do. But I feel like the more people do speak about accessibility. And just us having that conversation with Charlie, it made me think that all these, all these people that I'm seeing on the road that need the extra help, why is there not money being pumped to? Because they get enough of it from my pockets. Right, and tax that we'll pay in
Starting point is 00:16:13 to help people. Accessibility is seen as a privilege now. Like, I feel lucky when I've gone somewhere with lift. And as you said, tube stations. Me and my friend went to an event a few weeks ago. Oh, my gosh, the tubes were ridiculous. I went into one of the tube stations, and it was like the only one with lifts.
Starting point is 00:16:32 Lyfts are out of order, of course. So we had to get these, like, hunky men to push my wheelchair, like carrying my wheelchair down the stairs. I wasn't complaining, they were really fit. But like, But like, it's, I shouldn't have to do that. I should just, I should be allowed this stuff. Yeah.
Starting point is 00:16:48 Has there been any, like, moments where you've had to, like, miss out on, like, opportunities and, like. One of my main accessibility horror stories was when me and my friends, me and my friend went to a concert. And I booked accessibility, bearing a mind. Um, so I got to skip the queue. Great. All that jazz.
Starting point is 00:17:03 Um, and then when I got to the barrier, this man comes up to me as like, your wheelchair's not allowed to be here. And I was like, I can't, I can stand, but I can't. can't stand for more than about five minutes without feeling like a vote to drop dead. So then he was like, yeah, you're not allowed your wheelchair here. And I was like, okay, fine, I'll go in the accessibility bit. When I go in the accessibility bit, I'm blocked by a podium. So I can't see the flipping stage. So I thought, and then I was like, okay, whatever. I guess I would just like, because the accessibility was here and my, like, where my friend was here. I was like,
Starting point is 00:17:33 I'll just walk in and out, just, you know, miss out a few songs, stand for the others. And then they blocked that path. So I'd have to go all the way around the back of the venue. The worst part was, it was only me that got told that I couldn't have my wheelchair there. About 10 other people in wheelchairs kept theirs. So it got to the point where I was like, I don't want to miss out. I don't want to sit behind a podium. So I just sat on the floor of the venue.
Starting point is 00:17:54 That's traumatising. I know. I know. And we emailed them and we got a, oh, we're so sorry that happened. I feel like people don't advocate enough, especially for people that have a disability. I took the bus randomly was going somewhere. And then there was a lady that had a push chair. Yeah.
Starting point is 00:18:08 And another lady coming in with a wheelchair. And ideally that wheelchair space is for a wheelchair. Oh my gosh. And literally the bus driver didn't do jackish to the point where the lady could actually fold up her pram and hold the child and allow the lady in. I think it's the fact that even those of authority that bus drivers couldn't, you know, be on the side and stand up for the person in the wheelchair. I've had that before. See what I mean? It's crazy.
Starting point is 00:18:36 There's a woman with a push chair, a foldable push chair, because her baby, wasn't in the push chair at this point and the bus driver went sorry you can't come on because that wheelchair space is taken and I looked in and I was like that's a push chair and he was like no other space and I was like sorry I've got a miss out on my friend's trip just because someone won't fold the flipping push chair that's gutting it's fine I drive my own car now so it's fine oh come on so you can drive yeah come one that's amazing are there massive misconceptions about you must get loads of those either from people in real life or online what do you think the biggest misconception is. I get so many people saying, have you got cancer? I don't know why.
Starting point is 00:19:13 That's like the biggest misconception ever. It's every single comment on TikTok or every single post will have at least one comment going, oh, I hope your cancer treatment goes well. And it really confuses me because I never said I had cancer. Assuming that as well and writing that with your own fingers and pressing scent is crazy. Also, people so often assume that I'm contagious, so you guys are going to turn blue soon. What? What in the smurf? era. What is mad? What is you?
Starting point is 00:19:43 That is mad. I get so many people think that I'm contagious. Okay. And there's kind of like a cheese touch thing that went around with school in primary school and obviously I was the cheese. That's horrible.
Starting point is 00:19:53 But I wasn't that fast because I was like, guys, this is not true. You would have been blue months ago. So anyways, yeah, they're like the two most common misconceptions. Oh my God.
Starting point is 00:20:03 I mean, contagious and I've got cancer. Neither of them are true. Well, thanks for clearing that up. You're all. listening, that's annoying. What's something people might not know about your condition just from looking at you from the outside?
Starting point is 00:20:13 I think people might not know how much of a mental impact that any conditions have on any people, because you're surrounded by people every single day. Normal, well, I don't want to say normal, but like normal people. And then it's so upsetting and draining knowing that you'll never have that.
Starting point is 00:20:31 I honestly think that my condition impacts me more mentally than it does physically, because obviously I'm quite limited. but like it has such a mental impact. It's so draining, having to live life. And I know we're talking about comparing, but like it's hard not to compare.
Starting point is 00:20:46 That makes sense. You think you're beautiful though. You like, you get so many comments of people saying what a beautiful person you are. Do you like feel that? You should. Sometimes.
Starting point is 00:20:56 Sometimes. All the time, right? You should all the time. And even more, I think it's one of those things that is such an external thing that shines out of you when you have the bravery
Starting point is 00:21:06 to put yourself, out there, like, you've not hidden away. Like, you should be really proud of yourself for that. As long as your inner voice is louder than all the noise in the background. I have a very loud inner voice. I can't stop thinking. There you go. So I think so much. As long as it's positive thoughts and you're all
Starting point is 00:21:21 hyping yourself up. Girl, you're good. Yeah. You are so good. Have you ever found your condition isolating? It seems like you've dealt with it with a good amount of humour with like, you're quite strong. I am. I think, I think the only way to deal with it is like just making positives out of everything.
Starting point is 00:21:39 Because if I dwelled on everything negative in my life, I would have a lot to dwell on. I've got so much to be negative about. But there's no point just focusing on everything negative because why would you? That's just depressing. Yeah, it's a really good point. Yeah.
Starting point is 00:21:54 And I just make a laugh out of everything. Like if I fall over, I tell people to laugh at me, otherwise I'll cry. Like, that's happened so many times. This is an interesting question. I don't know if you've covered this online. Do you, are you dating? No.
Starting point is 00:22:06 How? She said It absolutely goes. Is it something you're interested in doing? Is it scary topic? I'd be interested. But no one's interested in me apart from the old men in my TikTok comments going,
Starting point is 00:22:18 Will you marry me? Oh. Yeah. So I could be married right now to multiple men. Ah! Okay, so we're not interested in them. No. No.
Starting point is 00:22:31 Surprisingly. No. Is it, is it, so do you like you on the apps and things like that? No. Can't be asked. Too much effort. Yeah, valid.
Starting point is 00:22:39 It's the Gen Z. I'll tell you there's... The Gen Z is sensible. Let me just live my life. Exactly. This is an interesting topic. We spoke about it on the podcast before. Like, Gen Z, your age group,
Starting point is 00:22:49 they're drinking less, they're sleeping more. It's more about, like, wellness. Oh my God, I know. It actually confuses me. I'm not one of the people... I know a few people from school that are like, all wellness. Like, my buddy's a temple.
Starting point is 00:23:03 All that jazz. And I'm like, right. This is all lady stuff. Why are you going to Pilates? Yeah. Do you like party? Do you like partying? I don't get invited to them, but if I did then, I'd love to.
Starting point is 00:23:16 But Agenzi, quite boring. Are they even having the parties? Used to, loads. Like in secondary school, parties were like every weekend. Yeah. But then college, it kind of died down. I don't think I'd want to be Agency. No offence.
Starting point is 00:23:27 I kind of like the, you know, the slow life. Oh, yeah, she's a granny. She's, I'd definitely be that. The granny you speak about. Pilates, the wellness, the skin care. Let me go to bed, yeah, sleep. That's me, that's my vibe. No, it's not for me.
Starting point is 00:23:41 No. I mean, drinking hasn't slowed down. No? Are you drinking? Not often. Not often. Not. I'm also not allowed to because of my condition.
Starting point is 00:23:51 Okay. So I've actually got a reason not to drink. If I was allowed to, I think I drink. That's valid. How was going viral affected your real life? I get recognized in public. Oh. I know.
Starting point is 00:24:01 It's probably scary. The other day, the other day, when was it? Actually, I think it might have been a few months ago, so I don't know what I'm saying the other day. I was sat there, munching on some, like, a Tesco meal deal. I had someone to scream at me. I was like, oh my God, I follow you on TikTok. And I was like, what do I do about this? Like, it's so scary.
Starting point is 00:24:20 I don't know how to interact with people, but I love it. Really? I love that people just in my area know who I am. Like, that's insane. So you like it? Yeah. Do you think your confidence has grown from sharing yourself? Yeah, it's definitely grown a little bit.
Starting point is 00:24:33 I'm not as scared. This might sound so stupid, but I'm not scared to order at restaurants anymore. It's not a scary thing. Oh my God, I used to be so scared. I used to like beg whoever was with me to do it for me. Oh,
Starting point is 00:24:43 I went through a face of that as well. It's so scary. It gets better with time. It has. Yeah. And with other people that have said they have similar malformations, have they said that like you sharing yourself has helped with their confidence?
Starting point is 00:24:56 Yeah. I've had like messages saying, thank you so much, like, and stuff like that, because you've helped me gain the confidence to go back to school, get out of the house. And I've been like, oh, that's amazing.
Starting point is 00:25:05 That helps you as well to continue pushing and create more. It's amazing. What is something you've learned about yourself in regards to confidence? That's got nothing to do with your appearance. To approach people more. That might sound stupid, but like asking for things in shops, restaurants, I'm just not as scared anymore. Yeah.
Starting point is 00:25:21 That you're advocating for yourself. Yeah. Also, speaking in front of people. Like, last year in college, I had to do a presentation about something to do with that course. and I was absolutely breaking it and I was like, what the hell, why am I scared? I have 10 people in this class and I've done a video that's reached 14 million people. Why am I scared?
Starting point is 00:25:41 And I was like, oh wait, I shouldn't be scared. So I just was like, all right. Yeah. So confidence-wise, I'm able to speak a lot more. Yeah. And speaks to strangers. I used to be really scared and strangers to speak to me.
Starting point is 00:25:53 And I can speak to them like they're by besties. At what age did you start feeling like something was shifting inside you that it wasn't anything to do with shame and it was more about just embracing who you are. Do you think that's always kind of been there? Yeah. Yeah. My parents have been, they've always taught me to not focus on my condition, just focus on, just live life like I'm a normal girl. So I've never really had the shift of like, oh wait. Yeah. That's nice. And the only reason I ask that,
Starting point is 00:26:17 I guess, for people that maybe haven't followed you or don't know your journey, what's kind of a piece of advice that you would give to anyone that's maybe got, you know, a condition or a venous malformation? What would you kind of say about keeping the head above water? This is really generic, but don't let your condition define you. Yeah. Because like, you're more than what you look like, or even just what you are inside. Like, you shouldn't be held back by something different because no one else is held, but everyone's different and no one else is held back by their stuff so you don't get held back. Yeah.
Starting point is 00:26:52 I like that. I love that. There's, um, you just made me remember my parents always say to me, comparisons to the thief of joy. Yeah. So it's like, don't, when you start comparing, you're stealing. Oh my gosh. comparing to the worst thing ever right so i think the fact that you've got this eerieness of like confidence i've been laughing like you are so funny thank you that's like my favorite compliment
Starting point is 00:27:11 when people tell me i'm funny it's like the best thing ever so i really do as you keep keep pushing those videos out there you never know who who's watching and whose life you're changing so those 40 million plus people that your story is pushing out to i'm pretty sure they definitely do appreciate everything that you're sharing online you should be really proud and thank you so much for chatting with us today. Love you so much for having me. We, well, also, where can everyone find you on your socials? Jess.ddazy, basically got like a million wise. I think it's four wise. Four wise. And that we'll get confirmation in the second. Yeah. And that's on Instagram and TikTok. Gorgeous. Well, thank you so much for coming on, Jess. We've loved
Starting point is 00:27:49 having you. Good enough for Jess, everybody.

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