My steps to feeling good!

After a pretty difficult winter, I am finally feeling great and eating some solid foods for the first time in 8 months!

The last 2 months have been exceptionally well compared to the previous 6 months! There are a few things that have contributed to a successful recovery after the longest stay I've had to date.

1. Diet - I went extremely slow when adding in new foods. I started off with a clear fluid diet, jello, broth, popsicles and watermelon, including ensure 3 times a day, for 3 weeks. Then adding eggs,  dairy including skim milk, yogurt, pudding, creamed soups, and ice cream, adding one new item every couple days. After about 5 weeks of these foods I added 1% cottage cheese, mashed potatoes, carrots, white bread, white rice, soda crackers, and arrow root cookies, and again one item every couple days. This is where I am at right now. The next foods on my list over the next couple weeks will be white pasta, mushrooms, onions (extremely cooked), fish, chicken, and turkey.

2. Exercise - I've been walking and doing yoga as much as I can. Whether it's a 1/2, 1, or 2 hour walk followed by a 1/2 hour of yoga. Doing a bit of exercise after each meal has helped a lot. Honestly, it just feels so good to be getting some physical activity in again. It's not like my younger days filled with year round hockey and softball but I'll gladly take it!

3. Therapy - I've started seeing my therapist on a regular basis again. Talking through my stresses has definitely helped my overall health. I mostly talk about my health but regardless of what's bothering me health-wise or not, it just helps to talk! I think everyone should see a therapist regardless of your health situation.

4. Blood Sugars - Keeping your blood sugars controlled while also living with gastroparesis is close to impossible and as a result I am testing between 15-25 times a day because they are never stable. Having an insulin pump has helped improve my blood sugar control because I am able to give insulin over a course of a few hours instead of all at once since my stomach digests much slower. However, I still have severely high sugars and severely low sugars and everything else in between. If I am able to I will go for walks when my sugars are high to help bring them down faster or do some yoga to build up a sweat. I've been exercising quite a bit more then I usually do and I have noticed an improvement in my sugars so if I am feeling well enough I take advantage of it and do whatever I can...and it feels GREAT!

When I am healthy and in "remission" as some would say, all I really deal with is blood sugar control. I can and do get nauseous with high blood sugars and that can bring on vomiting which then can lead to pain if the vomiting persists, which means I'm heading to the hospital soon. Which is the more reason to keeping good blood sugar control...or at least try to. Usually though, I don't vomit with high sugars just a little nausea. Even with being in "remission" and eating some solid foods again, the gastroparesis is always present. It's always effecting my blood sugars and I worry about that a lot. Diabetes and gastroparesis are a bad combination of conditions/diseases to have, not that any are good but these two can lead to more complications unfortunately and because of that, eating and exercise (when your able to) are extremely important in trying to keep blood sugars under control.

My hemoglobin A1C is 8.3 which is a high-normal number. Ideally you want to be between 5-6. I've been as high as 14 which could be part of the reason why I have GP now. I have noticed that most diabetic GPers have an A1C averaging between 6-9. These aren't horrible numbers but considering our sugars are unstable with diabetic GP our A1C numbers are almost a false positive. Even though the numbers are decent, the control is not. What's a diabetic GPer to do? To control blood sugars you must eat right and exercise often but with GP, sometimes we can eat and sometimes we can't and when we can eat, it's mostly foods that are not the healthiest or best for diabetes. GP limits the exercise we get. Some days just getting up to get a drink is a task and a half and then other days I can go for an hour or two long walk and do yoga, it's hit or miss. That's why I try and take advantage of every day that I am feeling good because I don't know how long it will last.

5. A Positive Mindset - Staying positive is my #1 rule! I believe that everything has a positive aspect and a negative aspect and it's up to you to decide which way to go. I try to always look the positive way and it DOES make a difference! Living with diabetic GP stresses will arise but you have to think positively that you'll get through what ever it might be and keep moving forward. Times do get tough but then they do get better...at least for a little while :) I try to always strive forward as diabetic GP knocks me down from time to time I will NOT let it keep me from getting back up again, ever!


I am going to keep doing what I am doing, because so far, it's working! My goal is to beat my 15 months of  "remission", no vomiting, no pain, and no hospital stays and to have no more 4 1/2 month long hospital stays. This means being extremely strict with my diet and exercise plan, minimizing stress, checking sugars numerous times a day, and staying positive. Keeping a log book with my blood sugars, food, exercise and anything else I do in a day helps me keep track and to notice any patterns in the way I feel and what might bring on an episode. Doing all this is a job in itself but it helps so it's got to be done...whatever it takes to stay healthy!

I am very appreciative for every good day I have and thankful for the strength I have to get through the bad days. I am forever grateful towards my family, friends and loved ones for all their support and love. I could not do it without them!

Hope your all having a good tummy day, cheers! :)

Yet Another But Fairly Good Hospital Stay

After being in the hospital for four and a half months I was able to stay home to stay home for a month and a half with very little symptoms, only a little nausea that was tolerable and bloating of course. I had a few days of emotional stress along with quite a bit of physical work which put a lot on my nerves causing or at least contributing to another hospital stay. Other factors could have been blood sugars, they were bouncing up and down just like and almost as fast as a bouncy ball and/or it could have something I ate as I was adding new foods into my diet at that time. A frustrating part about having diabetic GP is there usually is more then one factor as to why I get a flare-up. On a Thrusday evening I started to get sick. Once the vomiting continued and the pain started I went to the ER.

The entire hospital visit went Very well! First of all there were no line ups in the ER when I got there so I got in right away, it could have been because it was 5:30 am. Incredibly they got an IV on me fairly soon, the second person trying got it quickly. I got IV fluids, zofran, gravol, and buscopan all through the IV and I got morphine subqutaniously (it lasts longer then getting it through the IV) I spent a day in emerge then I was admitted on to the medicine ward. Soon after my endocrinologist, who has a lot of pull in this hospital that I've gone to for the majority of my GP "life", heard I was in hospital and came to see me right away. I told her that I needed a couple things changed to my medications so she went and talked to my admitting doctor and got things changed, pain meds more frequently, she changed my novo rapid insulin to humalog that has helped stabalize my blood sugars a little, and something to help me sleep because I hadn't slept in  2 days so she gave me a strong sleeping medication that really helped me get rest.

With getting in quick to the ER and getting medications fairly fast then having my endocrinologist step in, like she usually does especially if I ask her due to having issues with other doctors which is mostly about medication complications. Having eveything go very smoothly and quickly contributed to my stay being a "short" one of 6 days. My average for each flare-up or bad episode is 10-12 days so I can handle 6 days :) I was able to keep things down clear fluids after 2 days. Thats amazaing considering my last episode was 3 weeks before I could keep anything down. By the 4th day I was feeling good, going for walks, moving around lots and the morning of the 6th day I was discharged. Of course I was not happy to be in there but because I was, things could not have gone bette

I have been home for 2 days now and I am on a clear fluid diet with ensures at every meal. I've had energy and today I went walking and shopping for 3 hours and that felt real good physically! I have had nausea in the mornings but I tend to have rough mornings so thats normal. The nausea hasn't been too bad so it's tolerable which allows me to be able to get things done around home if needed. Overall things are good and I am feeling good so I can't complain abiut anything!

I hope everyone readsing this is having a Great day especially health-wise! Happy tummy day to my fellow GPers!!

The Importance Of My Support System For Good GP Health!

Not only are diet, medications, exercise, a good team of doctors, and a positive mindset important in your overall diabectic gastroparesis health and management plan but a good support system with family, friends, and loves ones is a key aspect in your overall health, or at least it is in mine. When times are tough healthwise for us GPers, help from others is extremely helpful and is greatly appreicated! There are days where doing the dishes, or laundry is just too much, even getting ready for the day is a job in it's self. The physical help and the emotional help  GPers get from our support systems is key. Having those people to talk to helps as sometimes the Gastroparesis keeps you at home for days at a time and not around a lot of people.

Family and friends who are in a support system play a huge role in someone who lives with diabetic gastroparesis. The help they give by doing errends, household chores, cooking, and any other tasks and tending to, lifts so much weight off the GPers shoulders. Having family and friends around helps emotionally and it's uplifting. Just knowing you have support eases the mind, which is important because a GPer deals with A LOT on a daily basis.

 

I've leared a lot about the importance of a support system this past year since I moved away from family and friends to living with my boyfriend Brian, where we dont have family and dont know to many people yet. Everything that my family and friends would help me with when I'm sick was now all  on Brian. So when I'm sick I rely solely on him instead of many family members and a few friends to help me out if I needed it. It's hard on him, he works 10 hour days plus an hour commute each way then comes home to take care of me. It would be difficult handling all of that and the added stress that comes with it. I am so greatful and appreciate everything Brian, my family and my friends have done over the last 6 1/2 years, thank you from the bottom of my heart:)

 

When Brian and I decided to move in together I made the decision to make the move to another province as we were in a long distance relationship. I decided to make the move because at that time I figured it was easier for me to move since Brians career was going good and we had a good home to live in. We figured we had thought of everything, I had doctors and specialists lined up, I was going to be closer to my GP specialist, everything seemed to be ready, but the one thing we did not think about was my support system and just how important it really was in my GP health.

 

Whille I was in hospital for 4 1/2 months, Brian was the only one that could help me with fighting with doctors if they weren't giving the right medications, if I need something or needed something done, he was the only one I could rely on, meanwhile hes working full time and taking care of our home. It made me realize how lucky I am to have the support system I have back home and it also made me realize what an amazing man I have for the unconditional support and love he gives me. Brian noticed over the course of a while that whenever I had family come to where we live to visit, my health always seemed to improve. Just having them there lifted my spirits and it lifted me emotionally and mentally. Having family around felt amazing and I missed it. Back home I always had family around when I was sick and here I don't. It's something I'm gonna have to get used to because it's my new normal. Or is my old normal the better choice for my overall health? That's a question Brian and I have to think about, is being back home better for my health? This is an incredibly hard decision we're going to have to make.  Having positive people who believe in you and support you is a part of our overall health and it does make a difference, and I know that. I just can't imagine how those GPers out there manage who don't have a support system in any way. I am so grateful for the family I have:)

 

Back home I had a job with my uncles company that worked around my illnesses. If I needed to sit or lay down for a bit it was ok, if I couldn't come in for a day or 2 or a week or sometimes months, or I had to leave early it was all ok. This job and the support I got from everyone there was key in my overall health as well. Just knowing that I had a secure job was key in my stress levels and therefore in my overall health. 

 

I have had good stretches or have been in remission as I call it, a few times in my 6 1/2 years with GP. I have gone 3 months with little symptom of nausea and vomiting, I went 7 months with fairly no symptoms, and my longest I went 15 months with no symptoms except a bit of nausea due to high blood sugars, no vomiting or pain. I believe having a good support system in place was part of why I was in remission and why it is possible with gastroparesis! Whether a support system consists of one or two or twenty people, and which ever way they help out even if it's just to come for a visit, it makes a difference. It relieves stress, which in turn is better for anyones health. Just having people around can brighten a GPers day!

It's hard for me to admit that I, at times, need help from others but living with diabetic gastroparesis it happens and I have trouble accepting that, I always have. Whether I am far or near from my family I know I always have there support and that's what's important. I hope all you readers with gastroparesis have good support systems in place :)

Happy tummy days to everyone!! :)

A tough and long episode

Update April 5 – May 23

Today is April 30^th 2013 and I am feeling Great! Actually I've been feeling great for the last 5 days! However from April 5 until April 25 I was fighting harder then I have ever fought before. For 21 days I was unable to keep anything down and I have never gone that long before with nothing not even ice chips. For those 21 days I was not getting any form of nutrition what-so-ever, I was getting regular IV fluids plus zofran, gravol, pantoloc, morphine or diludid, and reglan all through my picc line. The morphine was making my nausea worse so the doctors put me on fentanyl but it didn't last long, plus I was uncomfortable taking it because I had never taken it before, diludid seemed to work better. I find if morphine isn't doing the trick, and it usually does, then diludid works just fine for my pain.

For those 3 weeks all I could do was lay completely still on my left side, if I tried to change positions the movement would make me get sick. Laying on any other side made the nausea worse. The nausea I get is so strong and intense it completely stops me from any type of movement. Even talking becomes literally painful and makes me nauseous, I can't keep my eyes open because that also makes me more nauseated. Getting up to use the washroom, when I'm this bad, is almost torture that I hate having to go. All that movement usually does make me sick. All I could do was lay on my left side in the dark because lights were also too much for me in this state. I hated it when someone would come into my room and turn the lights on, it just made things more uncomfortable. Then there’s the pain, the sharp constantly aching pain. My blood pressure would go as high as 200/130 because of the pain. The combination of the nausea and the pain is completely debilitating. I can't do a single thing but lay there shaking my legs or feet because for some reason that helps me to relax a little.


On Friday April 26 I woke up and immediately I knew this is a better day! I was so happy and thankful for this day finally arriving. I was still in some pain and the nausea was definitely still affecting me. I couldn't watch much tv because it made me dizzy so i would just close my eyes and listen to it. Talking didn't bother me. My mom was visiting and she could tell that I was doing better, I was more awake and alert and talking a lot more. The day before, Thursday, I saw a new GI doc and after he reviewed my case he immediately put me on TPN, which started Friday evening at 6pm. I began to feel better and it continued as the days went on.. The doctors should have started me on TPN a lot sooner and because of this the new GI doctor wrote in my chart that I should not be laying there getting no nutrition, that TPN must be ordered not long after admission.

This time around the dieticians were putting insulin in with the TPN. For the first few days I was having relatively pretty good blood sugars with only a couple high readings. The next 3-4 days after that, I was having continous highs, numbers like 29.7mmol/534.5mg/dl or 32.6mmol/586.8mg/dl. Dangerously high numbers that lasted for a couple days. I was adjusting my pump and giving boluses (fast acting insulin) plus I'm getting the insulin in the TPN, and nothing was working. I guess you could say that I was resistant to the insulin. Then once again the pattern in my my blood sugars was changing. I began to be very sensitive towards the insulin. I started having mulitiple low sugars, having to receive dextrose through my pick. This brought my sugars up one a minute or two afterwards, whereas taking in glucose tabs, apple juice, or even straight sugar would not bring my sugars up. I was now somewhat resistant to me taking sugar in orally. The dietician and I decided that decreasing the insulin in the TPN was a good call. That helped a little but I was still having lows, sometimes as low as 1.7mmol/30.6mg/dl. It came to the point that I would go hours through out the day where I would turn my pump off and only be on the TPN insulin. Doing this my sugars became more stable for the remainder of my stay.

Saturday April 27th was better then the day before. I was able to keep down ice chips and a tiny bit of water. The nausea and pain were finally starting to subside, thankfully. I could finally watch TV instead of just listening to it without getting dizzy. Sunday I worke up and again I was feeling better! I was able to keep a clear fluid diet, jello, chicken broth, apple juice, tea, coffee, and water. It was very exciting to be able to eat and drink a little, it felt so Amazing!

By Monday April 29th I was having NO pain and NO nausea. I was feeling Great! I was moving around, going for walks. I felt more alive. Tuesday was the same, no symptoms, another good day! I made a bad decision at lunch however that would set me back another week, I ate 2 soda crackers. It was just to soon, my stomach couldn't tolerate them. Thats how sensitive my stomach is right now. The next foods I'll be introducing into my diet will be Ensure and a full fluid diet, creme soups, puddings, milk, and any type of liquid.

By Wednesday morning I knew I was having another episode. I woke up from a nap and soon after I started to feel really nauseous and then my breakfast came back up. I was also having pain. It was way to soon for the crackers. My stomach is just so sensitive right now. I thought it would be a quick setback as I could still keep a little down throughout the day but as the days went on the worse I got. So again, I laid in bed unable to move, couldn't really talk, in so much pain, and the intense nausea making me unable to move or really communicate. I laid in bed like this until the following Wednesday May 8th. I woke up and could once again tell that this was a better day! Lately on the first few days that I start feeling better I've been dealing with insomnia, usually for 2-4 days at a time. This alone can make me feel sick but luckily the lack of sleep hasn't done it.

It's Thursday May 9th and I am having a great day! Keeping down fluids again and moving around going for walks, building my strength. This has been a rough go this last 4-5 months which means recovery (getting back to solid foods and putting weight back on) will take some time and it will be hard but it's somethimg I have done before and it's something I know I can do again.. Adding new foods will be slow going so patience will be key. Getting back to your "normal" self after a bad episode takes time but it also helps to have a good support system. I, thankfully, have an amazing support system in family, friends and of course my very caring and supportive boyfriend, Brian. I am extremely thankful and greatful to have a good support system in place as I know there are GPers who don't have support from anywhere.

During this episode my sodium level, vitamin D, vitamin B1 and electrolytes have been extremely low, like every time this happens. I  received a shot of vitamin B1 plus potasium and magnesium through my picc line. When it came to my vitamin D levels my doctor had an idea! He had worked in Africa for awhile with seriously ill children whose vitamin D levels were extremely low due to being malnurished. The doctors in Africa would give the children a shot of 50,000 units of vitamin D. My doctor had never seen or heard of giving that high amount of vitamin D at once. But it worked! The children would feel a little better with the added vitamin D. Since my vitamin D levels were extrremely low my doctor thought this idea would be perfect for me. It turned out though that my doctor could not get a that big of a dose so he settled on giving me 3000 units a day by pill.

After a month of being in this episode, my doctor decided he wanted to do an endoscopy on me to see if he could see anything in my stomach, like ulcers and to check the bacteria in the duodenum and stomach. Thankfully everything came back normal. The GI doctor who did the procedure said that everything looked remarkable!

What if some of my medications were part of the problem? I have had good stretches or was in "remission" of  3, 7, and 15 months, with very little symptoms basically just nausea mostly due to high blood sugars. My doctor thought it would be a good idea to look at my meds ( lyrica, amitryptaline, zofran, nabilone, domparidone, pantoloc, depo pervera, diludid or morphine, and reglan only in hospital) to see if any were doing more harm then good. I had been off my meds for a month from not being able to keep anything down so it was a good time to go, or stay, off of them and most of the meds should have already been out of my system. We looked into all side effects that I could be having from anyone of my medications. Interestingly enough all but one med, diludid, caused nausea and vomiting and half of them could possibly cause abdominal pain. I completely agreed with my doctor doing this because in the 6 1/2 years that I've had GP no doctor has ever wanted to try this approach and especially since I haven't been doing that well I was all aboard on the idea. I am still on zofran, nabilone, lyrica, domparidone, pantoloc, diludid and my doctor added buscopan. So far I'm doing good with new doseages of a couple meds, the adding of buscopan, and the discontinuation of a few.

My sugars during this time have gone from one extreme to another. When I am not on TPN my sugars are fairly stable. However when I'm on TPN I can have severely high sugars so I make adjustment on my insulin pump and/or more insulin is added to the TPN. At one point the doctor had me double the amount of insulin in my pump which worked for a few days with stable sugars. But then I started having super low sugars multiple times a day which is real scary. I got it figured out after a few days of lows. My sugars are stable now.

Things are starting to turn around. I was discharged from hospital on May 17th and I'm doing well. only eating a clear fluid diet with ensure ( I just introduced ensure into my diet, hopefully it stays down!) I have had little nausea but no vomiting or pain. I have very little energy or strength but I am working on that every day by going for walks and doing yoga. I am taking my diet very slow and not rushing to try news foods to fast as that could bring on another episode. Praying I continue to due well and another good stretch is on the way! :)

Super Bugs, Care Plans, and Updates!

I found out today that I have a super bug called Vancomyacin Restistant Enterococci or VRE. Enterococci are a group of gram-negative, round-shaped bacteria that commonly live in the gut, although they can cause infection anywhere in the body. They are resistant to several antibiotics, but in the past, physicians could rely on the drug vancomycin to effectively treat enterococcal infections. In recent decades, however, some enterococci have become resistant to vancomycin. The two main species that cause problems are vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium and vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecalis, with E. faecium being the most common. As a result I'm quaranteed in hospital but at least I have my own room..lol No one has to wear masks or gowns just some gloves when they come into my room. I just have to wash my hands frequently. I'm not sure but I'm kinda thinking this VRE is the reason I got sick again. They say there's usually no symptoms but it is a possibility especially with a weak immune system like mine. One side effect is getting UTI's which I have had a couple just recently. This bacteria lives in the bowels and stomach so yeah I think its affecting my GP. The doctor told me a lot of these cases happen on the surgical ward which is where I was my last visit a couple weeks ago. It also doesn't help that I've spent basically 3 months in hospital so I'm not surprised I got this super bug unfortunately. I'll be getting antibiotics and I'm hoping that it clears up soon so I don't keep getting sick.

Four years ago I had another bug called the Helicobacter pylori or H-pylori bacteria which also lives in the stomach. Symptoms are abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, bloating, belching, and black stools. I had H-pylori twice but was tested three times, the third being negative. They test it with the carbon urea breath test in which the patient drinks the carbon urea breathe test and then blows into a balloon. They are then able to detect if the bacteria is in your system or not. A large course of antibiotics were given. Something that can be very tough when your sick and trying to keep pills down especially when they're huge pills and a lot of them. Gastroparesis is such a catch 22 situation sometimes. It makes you extremely nauseated and vomiting and inorder in stop these symptoms you need to keep pills down, well you can't when your experiencing severe nausea ans vomiting.
GP Sucks!...period.

Thankfully, yet again, I have an awesome doctor! This one actually sits down at bedside and talks with you, isn't at all rushed to get to the next patient, he answers all your questions and is genuinly sincere. He is one doctor that thinks outside of the box and is wanting to get a plan set in place for the diabetic GP. He is setting up an appointment with a physcologist to talk to them about relaxation methods and ways to treat and cope with anxiety.Obviously things are not working so well with my health so something's gotta change and this doctor is willing to help and that's all I'm asking for, a new care plan and someone who is there who won't give up on me and my health.

I've been in hospital for 6 days now and considering the VRE I'm doing relatively well. I'm up moving around today which I wasn't yesterday so that's always a good sign. I got sick once today but not at all yesterday. The nausea and pain are settling down slowly but surely. They have me on potassium, zinc, erythromycin, zpfran, gravol, domparidone, lyrica, ativan if needed, and morphine or diludid. Depending on how bad my pain gets I can choose accordingly. I'll be starting more antibiotics most likely tomorrow for the VRE. I'm allowed to go home even if I still have the infection so that's good because I'm hoping to be home in the next couple days:)

One thing that has helped me living with diabetic GP is having a "care plan" in place. My endocrinologist wrote up a care plan for me to use when I go to the ER. She listed medications that I need, erythromycin for stomach motility, buscopan for spasams in the stomach, cesamet for nausea, morphine subqutaneously because I'm a very hard IV start so giving me morphine sub-q I can get it faster and it also last longer if they give it to you in the muscle rather then through the IV or picc line in most of my cases. She also states that I need antimedics. And if my  blood sugars are low not to give juice because the acidity is to high and can cause nausea and vomiting. If I have a low sugar then I need glucose tabs, gel,glucagon, or straight glucose IV. My care plan has helped me so much when going into the ER. It definitely takes away some anxiety I have when first going to the ER. I get anxiety because I have no idea what kind of doctors are on and if I'll get the right medications or not. This care plan has helped tremendously and I recommend that everyone talk to your doctor to get one set up. Im wanting a new one in place as I live in a different town then where I was at when using my older care plan. Plus its a few years old and something's can be added or changed. I'm going to ask the doctor I have right now in hospital to write one up for me. Care plans can be and are a huge life savor. Honestly things have gotten a lot easier overall by just having one in place.

That is all for now:) Happy Tummy Day Everyone! :)

Updates and Blood Sugars

It's been a week since being discharged after the long 63 day stay in hospital. The first 2 days at home were great! I managed symptoms with zofran, nabilone, domparidone, and medical marijuana. I had energy but most of alli was feeling great! The next couple days at home were pretty rough. Very nauseated with pain and of course some vomiting. It wasn't letting up and I figured I had a bladder infection since all the symptoms were there. So I went to a walk-in clinic and sure enough I was right it was a bladder infection. My immune system is completely shot especially since getting a bladder infection puts me in the hospital almost every time I get one. So that brings me to today, Thursday March 21, 2013 and I'm in hospital...again...Ugh!! But I'm feeling pretty good today and the plan is too send me home tomorrow. They loaded me up with some antibiotics, nausea meds, ans pain meds.

My sugars through most flare-ups are pretty stable, that's one positive thing about not tolerating anything by mouth. I usually run about 8-12Mmol or 145mg/dL - 220mg/dL. That way I'm not running to low when not tolerating anything by mouth.

One thing that really affected my sugars was being on TPN. There were measures that could have been taken by putting insulin directly into the TPN bag but they (doctors and dietary) didn't do it, why? I have no idea. My sugars for one entire week ran in the 30's Mmol or 630mg/dL ...this is dangerously high numbers and could have caused a coma or some serious damage. This includes my diabetic retinopathy in the eyes. It could cause blindness or temporary blindness which I have had numerous times.

I was adjusting my basal rates on my pump everyday trying to get enough insulin. I began having low sugars, sometimes as low as 1.4Mmol or 25mg/dL. This was happening every morning at about 6am. It didn't matter how much I decreased my basal rates on my pump my sugars were still drastically dropping. I fell a few times because of my low sugars which can be very scary and very scary for your loved ones trying to help. I fell on my left side a few times one night and for the next couple days I was hurting. I actually thought I had sprained or broken a bone in my foot but I had it checked out and it turned out to be badly bruised. After being on the TPN for a week I got them to stop it because it was causing to much discomfort and just feeling gross on top of the GP. It really played havoc on my sugars. Unless I get insulin in the TPN, if I ever need it again, I will refuse it. Trying to control sugars with GP is very difficult to say the least.

Happy tummy days to everyone! :)

It's been a long 63 day hospital stay

This stay has been my longest in the 6 years I've had GP. I believe part of the reason it's been so long is because I was healthy for 15 months prior to getting sick. From reading a lot of other GP''ers stories, I've noticed that after being healthy for a long time and then getting sick for the first time it comes back with a vengeance ...unfortunately! Thankfully I've had really good doctors that are giving me everything I need, keeping me comfortable, and doing everything they can to help.

This stay for me has been a tough one. More so on my mental state than anything. Don't get me wrong it's been tough one looking at every aspect but, emotionally, yes! I've realized for the first time that I have pretty bad anxiety issues that I really need to learn to cope with, especially while going through bad episodes. So I am now doing research on coping skills and techniques plus I am starting to talk to a counsellor about this anxiety of mine. It will only help my situation when I am having GP flare-up. One thing I think everybody should do , no matter the health situation, is talk to a therapist. It really makes a difference on ones mental state.

This 63+ day episode has been different then any I've experienced before. I keep having set backs without even making it home. Usually I can get home for a bit and then have a set back and end up back in. I was getting sick off of pretzels which is weird for me. All I've been able to handle pretty much this entire time is a clear fluid diet. Now I'm tolerating diary, cremed soups, ensure and a few soda crackers a day. I am also eating jello, popsicles, pudding, apple sauce, and ice creme. I've lost 20 pounds in this 2 months of being sick. I was on TPN for a week but went off of it because it was cauing severely high blood sugars that wouldn't come down. I gained a few pounds back while on TPN, so that was good!

Through this whole episode, and even while struggling a little mentally, I 've still tried to keep a positive mindset. My #1 rule while living with diabetic gastroparesis is to be and stay positive!!

Happy tummy day evryone! :)