Zits, College and Homework - Awareness Week Blog by Megan Herndon

Zits, College, Homework: These are mainly the only things a sixteen year old should
have to worry about; not how much fiber is in their pasta, or how many grams of
saturated fat are in the soup, or even how much protein they are getting in a day to
make sure their blood sugar does not drop.

Hi, my name is Megan and I am sixteen years old with Gastroparesis or better
known as a paralyzed stomach. Even though I have to think about what I am
putting into my stomach to make sure I can get enough nutrition for each day; I
still can live a pretty normal lifestyle. To do this, I need to make sure that
not every moment is about food. I strive to spend lots of time with friends and
family who help me take my mind off my stomach troubles. Although to make sure
I do not have any stomach problems I have to make sure that I know that I am
getting the nutrition my body needs to keep going with my busy schedule. With
my senior year, cheerleading, driving, homework, tests, quiz's, and everything
else going on I need to know that GP is the last of my worries.

Each and every day is a new day some with bloating troubles, naseau feelings,
or just fullness all the time. Although I have the stomach flu 24/7 I also know
that things could be a lot worse; I could have had stomach cancer. My life is
always busy or something is always going on, but since I have been diagnosed
with GP I have learned to live every moment to the fullest, treasure every bite
of food, and enjoy nice company. I have also learned that stress is so not
worth what it does to my stomach, and that I am probably worrying about
nothing. Gastroparesis has taught me so many life lessons along the way, and I
may not know the reason I have been diagnosed with this terrible disease but I
know that there is a reason. What that is I am not sure, but I am willing to
find out!