On my quest to having an improved quality of life, I have tried almost anything you can think of.  I think that you will find that this is true for most anyone with Gastroparesis.  We want so desperately to have some relief, to enjoy one of our favorite snacks, to enjoy a dinner out with friends and family without stressing about the menu, or to simply have some semblance of our pre-Gastroparesis lives.

An interesting phenomenon has happened to me over the past month.  I am now more in tune with my body than ever before in my entire life.  I can hear it telling me what to do.  (No, it is not the GP elves talking!)  You may think this sounds spacey or new age or just plain crazy.  I would have been right there with you until it started happening.

My hypothesis for how this has happened is through a combination of yoga, digestive massage, energy work, nutritionist meetings, and in some ways this blog.  During my weekly yoga class, I try to focus on nothing other than my muscles and the instructions that are given to us.  During that hour and a half, I shut out absolutely everything else regarding my life and give yoga my all.  I feel all of the expanding & contracting in my muscles.  I focus on my breathing and I keep my thoughts in that classroom.  This week the instructor even commented, “Millie, you look exhausted”.  I was.  I was feeling nauseous and crampy and did not want to get out of bed.  However, I have a friend that meets me at yoga & I didn’t want to let her down.  (The buddy system works!  Especially on cold weekend mornings!)  The feeling I had at the end of that class was absolutely amazing.  My mind was clear and focused.  It was ready to overcome the obstacles that Gastroparesis (and life) were going to throw at me for the week.

Digestive massage and energy work were two items that I started a few months ago.  They have also calmed my mind and helped me to focus on centering my thoughts and paying attention to what my body needs.  I have written about the digestive massages and energy work will be a topic in the future.

The last piece of the puzzle has been this blog.  I am absolutely floored that in less than 3 weeks over 100 people are following this blog and people have viewed it from over 20 countries.  I started this blog as a way to help me heal.  As a way to feel as though I was helping others.  As a way to help other GPers explain what daily life is like to their friends and family.  Sitting down each night to write about the adventure of the day helps me feel like I have found my purpose in life, which is to educate others on Gastroparesis.

Thank you all for taking the time to read this blog & for the support!

~Millie