Turns Out, I'm Not Such A Great Ambassador...Better Luck Next Year!

I'm sure that we're quite aware that there's a Day for pretty much everything under the sun. Like, did you know September 14^th is National Cream Filled Doughnut Day? Or that February 24^th is National Tortilla Chip Day? There's a Deaf Awareness Week from September 21^st-27^th (in Riverside, Ca anyway). We KNOW that October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. We KNOW that the last Thursday in November is Thanksgiving and we KNOW that the 25^th of December is Christmas. But did you know that August is Gastroparesis Awareness Month? Or that September 8^th-14^th is National Invisible Illness Week (which encompasses A LOT of illnesses that cannot be seen with the naked eye)? Neither did I, until I became part of that community.

I suppose you become so much more AWARE when you join a community that you never knew existed and never really wanted to join. Who wakes up one morning and decides that they never want to eat normally again nor digest their food properly? Yeah, that was TOTALLY on my mind in March 2010! Or who decides that they want to feel like they're on the Mad Tea Cup Party when, in fact, they're sitting on the couch? Didn't remember signing up for that in college. Nor do I ever remember asking for migraines, that ice-pick-in-the-head feeling...sometimes for days...but, hey, that's life sometimes!

The best I can do is educate. Help people realize and understand that, while I may not LOOK sick on the outside, my insides tell a completely different story. When you meet me, you see (generally speaking) a smiling, happy, sarcastic, silly person. That's just who I am. I do not wear my Gastroparesis, migraines, or vertigo on the outside. I want to portray to those around me that, even though I have this disease, it does not control me and I am going to smile even when I feel yucky. Is this portraying a false sense of what Gastroparesis is? I don't think so because I am very honest about what it does, people have seen what it has done to me physically (weight loss); but by the same token, I cannot change the fact that I have this illness, so I am going to at least be cheery!

My hope is that people will feel at ease about asking me about Gastroparesis. Be aware that August is Gastroparesis Awareness Month and wear green—when it comes back around—in honor of all of those living with this disease. I hope that you'll also remember that September 8^th-14^th is Invisible Illness Awareness Week and think of someone you know that has an Invisible Illness and give them a hug. Sometimes people worry about eating around me, cooking around me...don't! Food is a part of life! I LOVE watching the Cooking Channel...I know, it's ironic, but I do! I told you, I'm funny and goody that way!