Motherhood, IBD and PhD: Kelli’s long road to remission

In this episode of the Talking Sh*t podcast, I sit down with Dr. Kelli DuBois, who was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis at age 22, following months of hidden bleeding, escalating pain and one humiliating ER visit. Newly married and caring for a one-year-old, she had to navigate a disease she’d never heard of and a medical system that didn’t prepare her for what life with IBD would really mean.Kelli opens up about the emotional fallout that followed. She talks through the years of failed medications, cycles of hope and disappointment, the guilt of parenting through illness, and the deeply isolating instinct to suffer in silence. She shares how exercise, education and a brutally honest look at her own coping patterns finally pushed her toward small, sustainable changes that rebuilt her confidence and helped her reclaim parts of her life she thought were gone for good.Now in long-term remission, Kelli reflects on the fear of losing it, the compassion her illness carved into her, and the pressure of rebuilding identity after trauma. She also explains the turning point that led her to speak openly about her disease, pursue a PhD focused on IBD self-management, and ultimately devote her work to coaching others who feel lost in the space between doctor’s appointments.For more on ulcerative colitis, IBD and chronic illness, check out colitisunfiltered.com