A Quick Update

I know I've been quiet as of late and I apologize for that. Part of that is due to writer's block (ugh!) and part of that is due to being just so utterly sick. Since having Alfred turned off I have been quite ill and it's been horrible. Very horrible. 

I guess I didn't realize just how much Alfred was doing for me until he was gone.  It's like losing an old friend...you don't realize how much they mean to you until they're no longer around. I find myself continuously vomiting up anything I put into my mouth, whereas, with Alfred on, it was just a few times a week. 

Ugh! I detest Gastroparesis!

I'm venturing into the Land of Juicing to see if that has any effect on my condition before I ask to have Alfred reactived. I don't know if I'm doing myself any harm or favors by doing this, but it's worth a try. So far--only three or so days into it--I'm feeling zero change, but it takes time. 

I'll blog one day about juicing. 

I appreciate the support and prayers that I have received from around the world via Diary of A Gastroparesis Warrior. My hope is to continue spreading awareness about this horrible disease, get funding for it, and just let EVERYONE know that it's not just a simple stomach flu. 

Turned Down For What?! It's Shocking

Today was the "big" appointment with my surgeon, Dr. Marujjo, and the representative from Enterra, the company that makes Alfred, my Gastric Neurostimulator. Going into an appointment like that is like going into the original appointment, you just don't know what to expect, so you try to go in with a blank mind--not hard to do, I'm blond--open mind! I meant, open mind!

First of all, I was COMPLETELY distracted by the fact that the Enterra rep looked uncannily like John Legend, but that is really NOT pertinent to the story, I just had to share that little tidbit. He was very friendly and nice! 

On to the juicy stuff (that's not that juicy)...

Dr. Marujjo and Mr. Enterra (I can't remember his name) asked me where I've been experiencing the shocking at, so, as per usual when in that office, I lifted up my shirt. I explained to them that, like today, I experience shocks where my stomach (the organ) is, but I also experience shocks below my ribs right above where Alfred is. It doesn't HURT, it is just incredibly disruptive. 

I was then asked if there is a specific activity that causes the shocking to occur? I explained that I can be sitting, standing, or sleeping and it will start up. My stomach is nondiscriminatory about everything! 

Together, Dr. Marujjo and Mr. Enterra used the whizbang machine that's used every time I go in to check the settings and determined that it was best to lower the gigahertz, zapahertz, wowitreallyhertz...all the numbers that are discussed is Greek to me, so I just nod and smile and wait for it to be over. I know that Alfred was turned down. 

I worry about the shocking stopping. I worry about the nausea getting even worse than it already is now that Alfred has been turned down. It didn't dawn on me to ask whether or not Alfred might be defective, but I go in again in two weeks, so we shall see how things are going during that time. 

So, I guess time will only tell...

Feeling Twitchy

Everyone gets twitches in their muscles from time to time. Sometimes they're in the quad muscles...sometimes they're in the calf muscles...sometimes they're in the gluteus maximus muscles (that's your 
tooshie). The most annoying ones are facial twitches because they can be seen by those around you and, let's face it, you just look a bit strange. All twitches, no matter where they are or how long they last or how intense they are, are annoying and become uncomfortable. 

Off and on for the last three weeks I have been getting twitches or spasms in my stomach. Not my abdomen, but the actual organ! It is THE most uncomfortable and awkward feeling in the world! These twitches/spasms are strong enough that I have been woken up from them in the middle of the night!  I live with the disease Gastroparesis and because of the lack of treatments available I now have a gastric neurostimulator implanted and the leads go right into my stomach. I have no clue if the spasms I've been experiencing are due to my neurostimulator or if I just have a gnarly case of GERD.

Im not a Worst Case Scenario Wilma, so I'm treating it as a bad case of GERD at the moment, so myself and Prilosec have become besties. It's just a VERY odd sensation, let me tell you. I can feel my stomach beginning to twitch almost constantly and then when the big spasms happen...it impedes my ability to breathe. It's almost indescribable! 

I'm hoping the Prilosec will help, if not then I'll bring it up to my surgeon. I guess, until then, it's just one more story  in the Strange Things That Happen In Gastroparesisland Saga!

...And Then I Ended Up in the Emergency Room...Again

Everyone has to start off the New Year with a bang somehow, I just chose to do it by going to the ER! Yay! The pain that I had been experiencing from the kidney infection from 2 weeks ago had never really gone away and by last night (January 4), I felt like I was dying a miserable death. I hadn't really been eating--not that I ever really do--and what I had managed to consume was just coming right back up. Laying on my left side was torturous and felt like a puss sack or something was pushing toward the midline...graphic, I know. 

When we got home from church yesterday, I tried to take a nap, but it just wasn't happening. I told my mom that I thought I needed to pay the emergency room another visit. In an effort to save $100, we looked to see if I could make an appointment with my primary doctor and there was nothing available. I even looked for something over the next week and a half...nothing. So I bundled up and off we went. 

Luckily, this time, they took me right back and got me going. My vitals were a little high, for me, (125/75 and 79) and put me into a bed. I was put into an area with multiple beds and a security guard--should I have taken that as a hint--and asked to change. I was then asked for a urine sample [insert grumbling and grousing here]. The nurse started an IV and drew a TON of blood, like 8 viles worth, and then the wait was on for the doctor. 

When he came he told me he had looked at my history as far back as 2010 and had seen that I had "some stomach emptying issues" and wanted to know what was going on. I told him about having Gastroparesis and the gastric neurostimulator, that at first I thought that Alfred--my pacemaker--was helping 70% but now I feel I'm eating my words. I think he's only helped an eensie bit. He asked if I've had pain PRIOR to getting Alfred and I said "yes, there's pain associated with Gastroparesis. It's like stomach cramps with the flu ALL the time. This pain that I'm having now is different." He was very receptive and friendly, examined me and found nothing wrong. Based on his exam and past scans and the results of my blood, it turned out not to be my kidneys--yay--so he treated me symptomatically. 

The nurse came and hooked up a bag of fluids, gave me a shot of phenergan--that sucker hurt--and did a piggyback of a pain medication that I can neither spell nor pronounce--it turned out to be the first and only IV Tylenol there is. I was checked up on a while later by the doctor and still in pain, so he gave me morphine and that helped more--definitely made me sleepy--and sent me home. 

By the time I got home I was pretty out of it, but at least feeling a little better--not so nauseous. Hopefully, come Wednesday, my primary doctor will be able to figure out or have an idea as to what is causing that pain. 

It's hard deciding whether or not to go to the ER. On the one hand, you pretty much know that the only thing that's going to happen is fluids, nausea/vomiting meds, and pain medication and you wonder if it's worth spending $100 on that. But on the other hand, you just want the nonsense to stop so $100 doesn't seem like all that much. Oh, the conundrums we face in Gastroparesisland. 

The Impact of Social Media

Social media definitely has it's perks--it has its drawbacks too, but for the purpose of this blog, we'll keep it positive. Facebook, Instagram, Blogger, Tumblr, Vine, and other websites allow you to connect with others who are experiencing many of the same things that you are. 

On Facebook you can follow pages or people that pertain to your interests, causes, diseases, etc and learn more about them; meet like-minded people, join in discussions, add your two cents, or have a mini-complain fest. 

On Instagram you get to post pictures chronicling your daily life or inspirational quotes complete with hashtags galore. You can follow people or pages that interest you, whether it be hobbies, illnesses, causes, bands, etc. Think a pictorial blog in mini form. 

With a website like Blogger (or Wordpress) a person--like myself--is able to post their thoughts, experiences, and such on a subject in a website form that anyone can find if they search for it. Making a blog, generally, allows a person to put out information on a subject to create awareness. That is my goal here at Diary of A Gastroparesis Warrior. I want to create awareness for, not only Gastroparesis, but chronic illnesses that I love with in general. 

Personally, I find a lot of comradie through social media that I may not necessarily experience in my day-to-day life. Who do I know in my personal life that has Gastroparesis? Nobody, really. I have met and been befriended by several people who are experiencing the same illness(es) as myself. We can share stories, experiences, and struggles with one another. We can also encourage one another during hard times, cheer during the good times, and laugh during the funny times because we understand what it truly feels like. I know that I can ask questions regarding my gastric neurostimulator--Alfred--and people will share their experience with me and I will do the same. It's nice knowing that I have people that I can go to who have sailed in the same boat. Without social media, I don't think I'd have that. 

Does that mean I won't share or talk to someone who doesn't have Gastroparesis? Absolutely not! I'll talk to anyone who asks me questions! I am an open book to anyone that asks, but YOU have to be the one to ask. 

If you're looking for pages to follow on Facebook, I suggest G-PACT. They post inspirational quotes and pictures from time-to-time, but the majority of their posts are informative and beneficiary blog-style posts. On Instagram I suggest the accounts fightforcat, counting_spoons, ju_spoonie, inspirationalstories_, and searching the hashtags Gastroparesis, chronicillness, gpsucks, and butyoudontlooksick. You'll discover many different stories, many different struggles, many different inspirations, and experience the comraderie that goes on. 

Social media has its place. You can learn so much from those around you who are going through similar experiences as yourself. Reach out to those around you, bond, learn, and help educate as many as you can. 

Alfred and The Flux Capacitor

Yesterday was Alfred's very first adjustment since being implanted. My fabulous surgeon brought with him a senior intern and his charge nurse into the room—with my mom being there, it was a roomful. First he wanted to know how I was feeling—hhmm..loaded question at the moment. I generally tell people that I feel about 70% better than I did before surgery. I still throw up food. I still feel nauseous. I still get bloated. But it is not AS bad as it was before having Alfred. He then asked what I've been eating—hhmm...loaded question again. I try to eat! I get points for that, right?! I explained that my diet primarily consists of protein shakes (JuicePlus) and baby food, to which he said “but do you chew food?!” Well of course I do, but not a whole lot. My mom explained that I eat a few ounces a food a night, but that's about all. Generally, I cook dinner for my family and I eat a child's-size portion—if even that. He seemed happy with that since I was maintaining weight.

Now the interesting part (I think)...

My surgeon laid back the exam table and had me lift up my shirt so that he could see my tummy and then he pulled out his little whizbang machine—think portable ATM machine with a cord attached to a half-dollar-sized gizmo. The little gizmo gets pressed against Alfred by the nurse and then my surgeon and the intern start discussing numbers that are WAY over my head—all dealing with the workings of Alfred—and that's it. I thought I would feel a buzz, a snap, a zip, or zap during this little adjustment, but I felt nothing! My stomach/side are a little tender—probably from the pressing of the gizmo onto Alfred—but other than that, it was a breeze. 

The surgeon and his whizbang tool doing Alfred's adjustment

At the end of the appointment I had to fill out a questionnaire rating the frequency and severity of my nausea, vomiting, bloating, early satiety, epiglottal burning, and epiglottal pain. The last two were head scratchers for me as to what they meant, but I figured it out (think heartburn) and was able to fill out the questionnaire. The only one that really got a bad rating was the early satiety because Alfred really has no bearing on that—I blink in the general direction of food and I'm full. Once I turned in that bad boy, I was done! Alfred's next adjustment is in two months! It's such an interesting process...very interesting!

Alfred's First Day of High School—They Grow Up So Fast!!

Today was my first day back to work after having Alfred—my Gastric Neurostimulator—implanted. I've been off for a month recovering at home and getting used to having a metal device living in my stomach, no biggie. As I'm typing this, it's only 50 minutes into the first period of the day and I'm already exhausted! I've had to get on the cases of several high school children about their attitudes, remind them that they've had classes with me before and I will give them what-for if their attitudes don't change (since there was a substitute), try to figure out my one-on-one's forgotten password (I wasn't successful), and already explained once what a Gastric Neurostimulator is—lets see how many times that happens! (The end total was 3, not bad!) Nothing has changed...it's great to be back in high school!

There was a time when I used to INSIST upon taking the stairs to go make copies—have to work on those buns and thighs, you know—but that was SO not going to happen today! Me and Mr. Elevator, we were best friends and I think we will be for a few weeks. And you know what? That's alright! Today was only my first day! By 2^nd period I had made about 4 trips upstairs to make copies for a teacher, so Mr. Elevator and I were getting very friendly, but it was still pooping me out!

Honestly, the best part of my day, that made my heart very happy, was seeing the kids again. Having kids yell through the halls “MOM!” (some of them call me that) or “Ms. Christine!! You're back!” and then come and give me a hug. And having them tell me that they don't want me to leave them again and that they missed me, THAT warmed my heart. You know that you've made an impact on kids when their faces light up when they see you and HIGH SCHOOL kids run to greet you. You know that you've made an impact when HIGH SCHOOL kids say “you're not going to leave us again, are you?!”

By the time I got home—I think it was about 17 hours later...I lied, I work 6 ½ hours—Alfred was telling me that he had had enough and was ready to go to bed! You know that feeling when you run a marathon? Yeah, me either, just imagine with me...and you get that pain in your side from lack of oxygen...too much oxygen...your body saying “Hey you! Why in the world would you PAY money to RUN!?!?!” You know the feeling I'm talking about now! Anyhow, it's pretty much firmly planted itself upon my side and I am practicing my Lamaze breathing techniques for the remainder of the evening. But you know what? It's okay because it was only my first day. Things can only get better from here!!

Gastroparesis Diet—You Have Got to be Joking Me!!

[I am NOT an expert nor a doctor, so please consult with a professional in regards to your nutritional intake. This is merely my personal experience]

Don't let the title fool you, one of the most important and first steps of combating the symptoms of Gastroparesis is changing your diet. You're often guided toward the Gastroparesis Diet and encouraged to limit your intake of fatty and fibrous foods because a gastric system with motility issues cannot process these types of foods any longer. Bye bye fruits and veggies (for the most part) unless they have met the spinning fate of a blender. Goodbye creamy, cold goodness that is ice cream. Goodbye cookies...Wait, what?! Yes, no more milk and cookies. It's a very sad day! But here's the thing, with Gastroparesis, you kind of learn along the way, that things like fruits and vegetables, are really big no-nos. You find out along the way what is “safe” and what is “unsafe” and what is “safe” one day can become “unsafe” REALLY quick.

When I was handed the Gastroparesis Diet, I laughed in the doctor's face. Like, outright LAUGHED. The shear amount of food recommended that I eat at each meal was laughable to me and some of the items too! I told him that I wouldn't be able to do it, but that I would try, and I did, but it was a complete failure for me.

Here is an example of a Gastroparesis Diet Menu you may receive:

SampleMeal Plan for 6 Small Meals
Breakfast 
1 cup cream of wheat cereal
½ cup skim milk
½ cup grape juice
1 scrambled egg
Snack 
10 ounces of instant breakfast with skim milk
Lunch 
½ cup vegetable soup
½ turkey sandwich
½ cup applesauce
½ cup milk
1 tablespoon mayonnaise

Snack 
10 ounces banana shake made with l plain or vanilla yogurt, milk and sugar
Dinner
 2-3 ounces baked chicken or fish
½ cup mashed potatoes
1 teaspoon margarine
½ cup spinach
½ cup milk
½ cup fruit cocktail
Snack
 ½ cup pudding, custard or gelatin

Everyone is different, however, so please do try this and see what works for you. Personally, I just began systematically eliminating things from my diet, starting with the things suggested in the Gastroparesis Diet plan, like vegetables and fruits (BIG bummer for me). However, eating the amount of food in the above meal plan was absolutely out of the question for me. Drinking an Ensure or a Boost to the bottom of the can was a feat, so eating all of that food up there was preposterous to me and STILL is to this day! Even while I was in the hospital recovering from getting Alfred (my Gastric Neurostimulator) implanted, they were trying to feed me heaping piles of pasta and broccoli and a cup of fresh fruit—somebody was really on the ball that day! And then I was, once again, given the Gastroparesis Diet Menu (just in case I wasn't aware of it).

I eventually settled myself (the best I could, anyway) on a protein and supplemental plan called JuicePlus earlier this year. It helped my hair get healthier, which I'm really happy about, and my nails to grow a little stronger. Some people swear by Boost or Ensure or Atkins protein shakes to help fill in where they're lacking in actual food intake. My suggestion is, find one that you like the taste of, that has proper nutrients and that you can afford. I get the chocolate JuicePlus powder and was, originally, mixing it with chocolate almond milk. But, remember how I said a “safe” food can suddenly become “unsafe”? Well, I wouldn't say that my shake is “unsafe”, but my stomach has decided that having it be all milk was just too much, so now I do 50% water and 50% milk. Seems to be working alright, so far. If you're interested in learning more about JuicePlus or want to get hooked up with a representative, I can give you my lady's name. She's a doll!

My parting advice would be: Find out works for you. Gastroparesis Diet, FODMAP, JuicePlus, Boost, Ensure, Atkins, mish-mosh of everything...whatever. The important thing is to stay nourished and hydrated—the best us GPers can!

Three Weeks With Alfred, My Best Buddy

It's been a little over 3 weeks since I've had Alfred, my Gastric Neurostimulator, my new Best Buddy implanted and I'm sure everyone wants to know how I'm feeling, what it feels like, am I the Bionic Women yet, those kinds of things. First of all, if you get me mad, I can now send you flying to the next block with one electrical shock! Just kidding...just kidding! I'm feeling pretty good, all things considered. I tease my mom, because I have trouble doing certain things that require anything heavy, by saying “it's because a doctor went [insert 1950s horror movie knife stabbing noise here] into my tummy!” Our freezer is a little tricky to open, so I have to have help opening that and I can't always bend over to pick things up for myself, but when you've been split down the middle, you don't really care about those things.

Before I had Alfred, I didn't know what to expect. I was thinking that every time he went off I was going to feel a little shock, a little pulse, a jolt, a little something. In all honesty, I rarely feel anything, but that's how it's supposed to be. I feel a little tickly sensation every now and again. And sometimes I get twitches that are kind of strange, but mostly Alfred's just hitching a ride and doing his job. One night, after that earthquake incident I told you about, I SWEAR I felt like I was getting shocked in my throat—but maybe it was just post-earthquake paranoia. Today, for about 5 minutes, I swear I even forgot I even had him. Part of me was proud of myself for having forgotten that I was living with this pacemaker, the other was sad that I had forgotten about my new Best Buddy. Strange though, huh?

Prior to having Alfred implanted, I would often throw up 5+ times a day, feel nauseous pretty much 24 hours a day, and feel quite bloated after eating anything. I hid it fairly well—when I wanted to—and would do my best to not allow even the worst of Gastroparesis flares interrupt my day (I know that not all GPers are that lucky). Since having Alfred—I got him on August 18, 2014—I have thrown up a total of 7 times. TOTAL! Going from that in one day to that in three weeks...I'll take it! There is a year of adjustments ahead of me, it's not perfect yet, and it may never be perfect, but it's IMPROVED.

I wish that, considering I have this AWESOME device implanted in me now, that I have miraculously turned into the Bionic Woman, Batman, or RoboCop; but, alas, I am still just plain, ol' mortal Christine. I hope that's suitable for everyone!

I see my surgeon today for my first follow-up with him post-surgery to see what he thinks of everything. Hopefully he's happy with my progress considering I've only been taking Advil PM for pain relief for the last week and a half and my incisions look good—no sign of infection. I'm curious as to what he'll think of the return of my chronic vertigo since surgery. I haven't had any trouble with it in quite a long time and then BAM, I wake up from surgery and hello vertigo. Plus, I wonder if he'll mention my post-surgical low blood pressure at all (88/45) and the fact that the highest it got in the hospital was 102/72—or there abouts.

I'm glad, thus far, that I've gone through with getting Alfred. Yes, there's an adjustment period and healing time that's not exactly sunshine, roses, and skittles, but you have to have rain to get the rainbow, right? A parting piece of advice: don't sneeze after this surgery, it hurts.

Sorry, folks, this is not me.

/

So I Throw Up My Food (But Not On Purpose!)-Maintaining A Little Perspective

For argument's sake, I'm going to call March 2015 my Gastroparesis Birthday, so it will be five years of living—I chose to say LIVING as opposed to SUFFERING, personal preference—with this uncomfortable disease. Let me be the first to tell you that it is VERY hard not to wallow in self-pity when it comes to Gastroparesis. You feel like you have the stomach flu 24/7, 365; you are hardly ever hungry and when you are hungry, you're limited on what you can eat; and then the worst part—DUM DUM DUUUUM—you end up vomiting up your food or water or nothing at all a good chunk of the time. There's this worry that lingers in the back of your mind all of the time “am I dehydrated?” or “I hope I've managed to eat enough so I'm not malnourished” all while you've got a smile plastered on your face and people telling you that you “look great!” or that you “look fabulous!” or that “there's no way that you can be sick!” Well, I hate to break it to you, sister, not every illness comes with visible implications of it's damage, but I digress.

There is this emotional toll that is waged upon a person with Gastroparesis (or anyone with an invisible illness, for that matter) when there is a flare up, when they know they have engagements/plans to keep with friends but are too tired or too sick to keep them. Will the friends understand that I am just ABSOLUTELY exhausted today and cannot get out of bed? Will they understand the reasoning behind my making 6, 7, 8 trips back and forth to the bathroom to throw up? Maybe, maybe not. Let me tell you, depending on the person, it is VERY hard to explain to people exactly what Gastroparesis is, particularly the vomiting part. That, in my opinion, is the part that people understand the least and fear the most. “Certainly she's MAKING herself throw up” they'll say. Or the always helpful “have you tried________”. Yes, yes I have, but thank you. People grasp certain diseases. They may not fully understand them, but they grasp them because they are talked about, they are more prevalent—which is VERY sad, don't get me wrong—but when it's something new and it's something different...WHOA, pump the breaks!

And then I thought to myself one day “Christine, you just throw up your food. It's not cancer, it's not affecting your brain in any way, lets gain a little perspective here.” There are SO many people out there fighting things that are SO much worse than me; granted, there are people with the very same disease that I have that have a much harder time than I do and that's not lost on me, but in my world, I have to have perspective in order to survive. In your world and what you are experiencing, you have to have perspective and understanding in order to survive. I know that, for me, things could be significantly worse. Yes, I have “significant gastroparesis”, migraines, and chronic vertigo but I am alive and I can still walk, talk, work, and do (most) of the things that I want to do. Sometimes, because I don't take in all of the nutrients that I need (due to the aforementioned reasons) I get tired really quick so that cuts into things I want to do, but hopefully with the help of my Best Buddy Alfred (my Gastric Neurostimulator) things will start looking up!

God has shown me a lot as a result of this disease. He's shown me just how faithful He is to someone as small as me. He's shown me true friends in the midst of a strange and perplexing illness. He's shown me just how strong I really am, but more than that, He's shown me how strong HE is. It's perspective, everyone. Look outside of yourself, outside of your own suffering every once and a while, and gain a little perspective.

My New Best Buddy--Alfred

In my last post, which was my first post, I mentioned that I have a new best buddy and that his name is Alfred. He's just a tiny little guy, only about 2 inches big and he's made out of surgical steel. You see, Alfred is my new Gastric Neurostimulator. On August 18, 2014 I had him surgically implanted into my stomach to helpfully elevate some of my Gastroparesis symptoms. Now, I know what you're thinking: "Christine, on your first post you said that you were doing good and you were back to work! Pump the brakes! Now you have a what?!" Let me explain myself...

When I went back to work in 2011, I was doing pretty good. I was managing my symptoms pretty well and maintaining weight. I was enjoying being back to work with my kiddos, being able to exercise regularly (no marathon running, just palates and things I'd find on Pinterest), and eating my fair share of food. As time went on, I was discovering that I was having to eliminate foods from my diet because they seemed to be too heavy. First it was the granola from my granola, yogurt, and blueberries in the morning. Then it was the blueberries. Next it was the yogurt. In the afternoons I was eventually finding myself cutting out the lunch meat I was eating (I don't eat bread). 

By late last year I was not keeping much of anything down and not hungry anyhow. I saw my neurologist and the first words out of his mouth were "you've lost too much weight!" I got in to see the nurse practitioner in the gastroenterology department (GI) and she put me on a medication that she said was "really, the last thing, medicine wise, we can give you". It only made me sicker. I FINALLY got in to see my doctor and we discussed the fact that I have failed medications and the botox (remember, it's not all it's cracked up to be, ladies!), so he figured that I would be a good candidate for the pacemaker. All that stood in my way was having another, but longer version, of the gastric emptying test.

I got scheduled for the gastric emptying test (you eat a sandwich with radioactive dye in it and then have x-rays for either 2 or 4 hours [in increments]) and had it within a week. Let me tell you, that sandwich felt like lead in my belly! The results came back that I have "significant gastroparesis". BAM! Two weeks later I'm in seeing the surgeon after keeping a "diary" of my symptoms for him. He said "on paper, you're a perfect candidate for it, but I don't want you to rush into this. It's a big decision to make because you have to live with this thing for the rest of your life!" (See, I couldn't just call Alfred a "thing" or "it" or "the device" for the rest of my life!!) I saw him on a Friday and I called him on Wednesday saying "I'm in!". Honestly, from the moment my GI doctor said that I might be a candidate, I started researching the Gastric Neurostimulator--half the battle is in spelling the name right!! (That was humor, people!) I knew there was a 50% chance that my symptoms might not be relieved, that the leads might poke through to places that they aren't supposed to go, that the pack might malfunction and stop working or shock too much. Then there's just the general surgical risks, so I knew what I was getting into, but to even TRY and be relieved of the 24/7 feeling of being nausea...I was willing to give it a try!

On August 18, 2014 I went in and Alfred was put in! I spent 3 days in the hospital with a roommate who had the same exact procedure done! I deal with low blood pressure issues--I entertained everyone with a BP of 88/45 when I arrived in the room--so I wasn't allowed out of bed the first day, yay me! I have to say, the pain...is pain...but it's manageable. I DO NOT recommend coughing or sneezing or laughing. I kept my entertainment to the back of my eyelids or the Cooking Channel (ironic, right?). I see my surgeon on September 10th for a check-up to see how things are looking, but so far, so good! Am I 100%? Nope...but there is a year of adjustments ahead of me!

Here's what Alfred looks like!

This is what I looked like BEFORE Gastroparesis entered my life.

Here I am interpreting for the Deaf the night before Alfred was implanted!