Navigating the Holidays with GP

“At times our own light goes out and is rekindled by a spark from another person. Each of us has cause to think with deep gratitude of those who have lighted the flame within us.”
— Albert Schweitzer

There are times when we may feel like the world is falling apart, when our bodies cannot withstand the challenges they annoyingly present at the most inconvenient times, when our mind feels overwhelmed and exhausted.  It is during these times when finding gratitude and what to be thankful for, are absolutely necessary. 

The holidays can stir up a lot in our lives and perhaps that in itself is something to be grateful for. We are forced to step outside our routine, our comforts, and deal with more than we are used to dealing with. In the midst of all of this, we must also acknowledge what is good and find gratitude. As I'm sure you see, the internet is filled with tips and tricks for surviving the holidays, reducing stress, and of course, being thankful. It is also filled with food, food, and more food! Does that depress or inspire you? If you are someone who really struggles with eating then it can feel pretty isolating. So, let's talk about some ideas that may be helpful for you and those you love these coming weeks. 

Miracles from Heaven to Hollywood Part 2

Okay, so I took a tad long on getting back to this review to follow up with the first part of our Miracle trip.  I still can't believe this happened and so many projects have begun since then and well, 2 months later here we are!
Now, where did I leave off...

Oh yes, we were kicked out of the red carpet area.  No biggie, worth "getting lost." We headed inside the magnificent Arclight Theater and stepped aside to enjoy the people watching. As some of the cast members made their way through we were able to get a few photos with a couple of them before the movie began.

To the right is Kylie Rogers who stars as Anna Beam, the young girl who was sick with dysmotility. She is so sweet and adorable!

Miracles from Heaven to Hollywood Part 1

"There are only two ways to live your life.  One is as though nothing is a miracle.  The other is as though everything is a miracle."
- Albert Einstein

I may have not been cured but recently experienced what I consider to be a downpour of miracles in my book.  As I shared in the previous post, my good friend Laura was able to score us tickets to the movie premiere for Miracles from Heaven on March 9th in Hollywood.  And the miraculous journey began by getting off the plane and meeting Laura in person (we connected through this very blog 2 years ago) for the first time. We shrieked and laughed and hugged, and I knew right away we were not only GP sisters but friends for life.

The Time I Got Invited to a Movie Premiere

Life is strange.

Yep, that's all I could come up with to begin this post.  Thinking over the last 8 years, while life has been incredibly painful, confusing, scary, heartbreaking and downright insane, it has also shown me beauty, kindness, compassion, gratitude and an abundance of love.  What would life be like had I never woken up that dreadful day with what feels like the never ending flu?  Would I be happier, more successful, have started a family, and get to drink martinis on the weekends?  When I think about these things, I also remember all the incredible and inspiring people I have met on this journey, the places I've traveled (many medical explorations), the time to reflect on the important things in life, a satisfying job that accommodates my unique needs...and now the opportunity to...drumroll...attend a real, live movie premiere in Hollywood! 

Hope and Inspiration Part 2 - Essential7 Oils and Support

In the previous post I shared some pretty amazing stories of recovery and as promised will share more in a moment.  I woke up with some thoughts about how to talk about these approaches, being I myself still struggle quite a bit.  The last thing I want to do is provide false hope or offend anyone. So, just a brief idea of where I'm coming from as five years of blog posts may be a lot to review or remember!

Hope and Inspiration: Part 1 - Testimonies

Essential oils have had a place in our home for quite some time.  You might be familiar with some of the basics.  Lavender next to the bed to help with sleep and in the bath for relaxation.  Peppermint for a headache and nausea, and tea tree oil to help clear the sinus gunk that comes up every winter.  Little did I know how many existed and how much they have helped people overcome some serious downfalls.  A few weeks ago a fellow GP friend (who had to share her own success) put me in touch with a woman who not only has been researching these oils and healing properties for 18 years but has found a way to put them to use specifically for gastroparesis.  So naturally my curiosity peaked and I began to give them a try with a little of my own research.

The New GP Cookbook

Back in December, during the holidays that seem so far gone already, I noticed G-Pact sharing a post about the new cookbook coming out in January written specifically for gastroparesis.  Well, this was something I definitely had to check out!  Looking it up on Amazon and not yet released I contacted Colleen Beener, a lovely lady I volunteered with at G-Pact years back when first diagnosed.  She was able to get in touch with the publisher who kindly sent me a copy to review.