WEGO Health Awards

I've been nominated for 5 Wego Health awards for my work with Gastroparesis. I don't think I'm going to win but it's a nice self esteem boost. I've been nominated for "Best in Show: Facebook," "Best in Show: Blog," "Advocating for Another," and "The Lifetime Achievement Award."   EDIT: Now I am nominated for five WEGO Health Awards.  The polls in "endorse" people have ended, so that may judge all of the six thousand nominations they got this year. So many people are doing SO many wonderful things! It helps me to reestablish my goals and switch around priorities.

My nominations, can be found on the WEGO Health Awards:



https://awards.wegohealth.com/nominees/12466

I've been writing in my blog about Gastroparesis since I was diagnosed in 2012. Back then, the only information about Gastroparesis was only available on Mayo Clinic's website. When I was diagnosed, I was scared because I knew I had a chronic illness that there was not a lot of information about.  I took pictures of my testing, uploaded it, and started writing in my blog about it. I wanted to share information with others but also save people money on repetitive testing because I know what it's like not to have health insurance, and to choose between going to the doctor and paying the rent for the month.

I have also helped build up support groups and pages on Facebook to help those who have been newly diagnosed with Gastroparesis. I helped build up the GP Community on Facebook with a handful of wonderful women.

I've been published on The Mighty: https://themighty.com/2018/09/cyberbullying-gastroparesis-chronic-illness-community/

But I will be honest, the awards would be a nice boost to my self-esteem, but the fact that I was nominated for them and the fact that somebody did that, that means more to me than anything. 

I've always been about helping people and to me, that comes first. 

I know doctors give out my blog to new patients and I know that United Healthcare gives out my blog as well, but I didn't start my blog for that. 

That's a nice benefit, but I started my blog for those who suffer with GP to try and bring awareness to us and for better treatment options. That's always been my goal.
I'm proud that now there are so many ways to learn about GP and it's not just Mayo Clinic's website anymore, because there are so many sources out there to choose from. I feel like I had a small part in that. 

I just want treatments to help us because I'm tired of losing my friends to this illness. 

This is for them. I dedicate all these nominations to the people I've lost due to this terrible illness. I'm doing this for them and I'm doing this for the people that have been newly diagnosed who are terrified. I just want them to know they're not alone, and there is a support network in place for those who feel like they are.









I also am doing it for more awareness and education for doctors so that when we are sick enough to go to the Emergency Room, we are NOT treated as drug seekers. Doctors can't even see past that to help us. I've been in the ER, vomiting up blood in front of the doctor, and he thought I was just there for pain meds. He also told me that GP didn't hurt. So, I asked him if nerve pain in the back hurt. He replied yes. I asked him if nerve pain in the knee hurt, Again, he replied yes. So, I asked him, why wouldn't it hurt if your vagus nerve was damaged and the nerves in your stomach were damaged? He looked at me and told me he had never thought of it that way before. So, at least I was able to change one doctor's mind. I had a friend who was ill who went to the ER and was dismissed as a drug seeker as well. She died later that night in her home. I'm just tired of this and I want this to change.

If you want to endorse me the link is:

https://awards.wegohealth.com/nominees/12466

This has been some much needed good news.  I have felt terrible and had a hard time in the past week and a half because my Uncle passed away last week. Dealing with grief on top of Gastroparesis is awful, but I need to write a separate article about that. I know everyone deals with grief in their own way, but this was surprising and like I said, great news. I don't expect to win, but it's so nice to be nominated. I have dealt with so much adversity in the past few years...being cyberbullied, knocked down, and having to rise up and be the bigger person by staying silent is hard, REALLY hard.  But, I am human, and I make mistakes. 

I get sick and I cannot do a lot of the things I want to do because of my illness. I have a lot of ideas, it just takes me a while to act on them and get them out there because I vomit a lot, which makes me weak, and now my back and my oral health are deteriorating.

I just hope that maybe this blog might win an award, but I write for you, the person taking the time to read all of this right now. YOU matter. YOU are NOT alone.  I want to make sure you know that. Any questions that you have, any support you need, and anything you want researched, I'm happy to do that. I try to keep the Financial Assistance and Gastroparesis Support Resources articles up to date.  I remember having to choose between going to the doctor for the month or paying the rent because I did not have health insurance. When you have a chronic illness and no health insurance, things can get so rough. I am working on a new project that I should have out soon that I think will help a lot of you out there.  I'm planning on releasing it for Gastroparesis Awareness Month. I'm really excited about it and I hope you will be, too.