Picture the worst stomach flu you've ever had. Imagine the nausea, how awful you felt, how you couldn't keep any food down. Now, imagine that feeling never ever went way. You thought you just had a flu but you never got better. That's what it's like living with gastroparesis. Out of the handful of diagnoses … Continue reading Gastroparesis: The Basics
Thursday, the day of the benefit, started out as a not-so-good day. On Wednesday, I had an appointment at the hospital which always take a long time and wipe me out. Not to mention, my hips were dislocating left, right, and centre so I was pretty sore after that excursion. When I woke up the … Continue reading The Benefit
I'd never understood the old adage "it takes a village". I've always been a pretty independent person; happy to be in the company of others but equally happy to spend time on my own. Lately, I have come to have a much greater understanding of what that saying means. As most of you know, nearly … Continue reading A Letter to my Village
In February of this year, I started getting nightly infusions of saline through a PICC line. As we all know, hydration is a big part of health and nutrition and, due to my limited intake caused by gastroparesis, I wasn't getting nearly the amount of fluids necessary to stay hydrated. Fluid consumption also plays a … Continue reading Finding my Voice
After receiving my first Xolair injection about a month ago, I've been feeling pretty off. Actually, let's be honest here. I've been feeling awful. The day of the injection, I developed a headache, followed shortly by an earache and body pain, then proceeded by a crazy amount of nausea. I'm pretty used to living with … Continue reading Making the Most of Grad Week
Dear new graduate, Only two short years ago, I was in your place. I vividly remember the bittersweet feeling of the occasion; the excitement for things to come, the butterflies in your stomach as you walk across the stage to collect that diploma your worked hard for years to achieve, the pride of being recognized for … Continue reading A Letter to the Grad Class of 2016
*This is a sponsored post for Self Care Catalysts. I have been compensated through the Chronic Illness Bloggers network. All opinions remain my own and I was in no way influenced by the company.* A couple days ago, instead of waking up slowly and peacefully, I was suddenly jolted awake by the realization that the … Continue reading 100 Days of Gratitude
On Wednesday, I took a trip up to Moncton to see my allergist/immunologist. The last time we saw her, she gave me two new medication to try that worked fairly well to stop my allergic-type reactions. I was still having hives but the itching had subsided immensely which I was very grateful for. Then, about … Continue reading The Pity Party: Party of 1
They say there are 5 stages of grief: denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance. Though I'm not terminally ill and grieving the future loss of my life, I definitely have grieved for the loss of my old life. The one where I had boundless energy and a love of food. Where I was physically fit … Continue reading Acceptance
I've talked a lot about feeding tubes but if you're not a member of the tubie community or know someone who is, chances are you're lacking in your Norwegian language skills (if you don't get the reference, read this). So, since today is the start of Feeding Tube Awareness Week, here's a quick lesson on … Continue reading Norwegian 101
The Invincible Summer 