I started to think it was nothing

Sheikinah Batchelor

I have always been a person who considered my health above average. I rarely got sick even though I had type 2 diabetes. This year right after ending tax season, I started to feel really sick. I wasn’t too worried except for the fact that I couldn’t eat. I started to think it was nothing and ignored it eating when I could. Finally, I wet to the hospital after almost two weeks of puking anything that touched my tongue. I was misdiagnosed and sent on my way with a 2k hospital bill. I started to take the medicine I was advised to take and things were getting worst. Soon, I wasn’t able to handle water. I was losing so much weight my friends were terrified for me. I was going to the ER once a week and then every two to three days. Finally, right before my birthday I was hospitalized when my blood tests came back strange. They ran test after test and came to the conclusion that motility was the problem. At 32, I was diagnosed with gastroparesis. I spent my birthday in the hospital before finally being released. I would later have a 50k hospital bill from that alone. I would go days with feeling better before the cycle of going to the ER would return and then I’d end up being kept again and almost placed in CCU due to the throwing up and my blood tests coming back abnormal. There needs to be a cure. This disease has made my life so much harder. I can’t work a full time job. I can’t ever be normal again and eat the things I love like salad and broccoli. It would be nice to one day enjoy those things again.

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My GP Flare Face

Beth Davis
Beth Davis

I’m Beth, I live in Shelby NC 28150. I’m 58; been on disability due to fibromyalgia since 2007(I’m an RN). Since 2008, have had episodes lasting months/years of nausea, vomiting, pain, bloating; during one of those I lost 80lbs. 

I was diagnosed with gastroparesis in January of 2018. Due to flares this year, my quality of life has been severely affected. At times, sips of Sprite and IV fluids is my total intake. It’s exhausting and depressing. I get scared, because doctors and specialists admit, they don’t know much and cannot do much to help. 

This is my GP Flare Face; I was in the hospital. Much better right now. I’m thankful for every hour of non-flare!

Also below, my baby Matilda, 2 years old. She keeps me going. I have little family support, but I have her!

Matilda

I also have fibromyalgia, diabetes, high blood pressure, migraines, IBS, and angina. I’m a disabled nurse.

We all need and deserve better!

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Darlene’s Story

Darlene Gorgoretti

October 30, 2006 – Gastric bypass surgery

December 15, 2006 – Admitted to hospital since could not keep
anything down

December 28, 2006 (my birthday) – Vagotomy and had my GJ
feeding tube put in during surgery

April 17, 2007 – had gastric bypass revision

January 11, 2011 – had my gastric bypass reversed

I was in and out the hospital many times during this time – many
EGD’s

November 02, 2012 – Officially diagnosed with GP – at Temple

April 14, 2015 – Went on disability and had to switch insurance –
started to go to Johns Hopkins and have had good care so i still see several doctors

Can’t have the gastric stimulator since i get MRSA anytime something foreign is put in my body

No other surgeries can be done safely since i have a blood clotting disease, uncontrolled diabetes, and after last knee surgery i
went into respiratory failure

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