What is Gastroparesis?

Gastroparesis is also known as "delayed stomach emptying". It is where the stomach doesnt work to digest the foods you eat as quickly as they are supposed to, or at all.
Symptoms include feeling fullness after eating little, nausea, vomiting, etc.
It effects over 5 million people in america, yet very little is known about it. There is no cure, and it is a chronic illness.
Imagine the feeling of eating thanksgiving dinner times 5, then vomiting 10 times worse than your worst stomach flu, followed by extreme fatigue for days.

Sunday, October 10, 2010

I miss being normal

I spent the day yesterday preparing for going to Scarywood last night.  I stayed in bed and took it as easy as possible, knowing i would need the energy for later.  As i stood in line for hours, and walking across the entire park, getting scared etc, I was in a lot of pain.  I managed to stay warm, wearing 3 shirts, a jacket, scarf, a sweater and rain coat, and two pairs of pants, and dry thanks to a large umbrella, so i didnt get very sick.  But my legs got weak and sore standing in the lines for hours.  As I stood in the lines, trying to distract myself from the pain, I looked at others my age.  Perfectly healthy, having no problem standing in a line for that long, and they probably were busy all day doing other things that take energy and effort.

I rode the roller coaster backwards.  It hurt so much I started crying, and when it stopped I did everything
I could to hide the fact i was in pain and pretend I enjoyed it.  I've ridden roller coasters before, even while sick, and have never experienced that pain.  I can't even describe it, it was like all of my insides were getting slammed together, and breaking, and i couldnt breath and it hurt.  I thought something was ripping inside of me.

I miss being normal.