Going on a Cruise with GP

Well, for the past week, my husband surprised me with a cruise to the Carribean and Bahamas for our ten year wedding anniversary. I have to admit, I was a bit apprehensive. I had been really ill with a gastroparesis attack or flare for a while now. However, I wanted to get away. I needed to rest and the ocean sounded wonderful. Swimming and a hot tub sounded wonderful. I really wanted to make the best of it and crossed my fingers that I would have some good days. I didn't want to disappoint my husband or make him feel bad. It was really sweet of him to take me on a cruise that I've never done before, plus go to islands I wouldn't have thought to visit. So, I packed and was feeling excited. I had hope and that's important.

I was scared that I would be sick on the cruise in an RV sized bathroom:

The corner of the room in the far right was the restroom.


I have to admit, though, the cruise was relaxing. I think the ocean helped a lot, believe it or not. One of the few things that doesn't make me sick is the ocean. I don't get sea sick. However, the cafe we ate (or me, barely ate at) was buffet style with a lot of people. It made me sad to look at all of the things I couldn't have. Also, people seemed to bathe in perfume or cologne. It made me gag a few times in the elevator going up to the cafe. When I got there, all I could think was:

I did make the mistake of trying to eat and be normal. I went horseback riding in the ocean, which was amazing. Then, I noticed my belly swelling up like I was nine months pregnant. I felt so self conscious and unbelievably fat. I'm heavy already but not usually that heavy, which is weird to me because I almost never eat. The people at the horse farm weighed me in front of everyone because they said the horses couldn't take someone over two hundred and thirty pounds! I've never weighed anything like that, ever. I just felt sad and depressed but riding in the ocean with the horse made it better.

I was a poster child for this picture.



When I do eat, I get cramps (really bad ones), and then I start vomiting. The last two days of the trip, I spent in and out of the bathroom and was so amazingly ill. I started crying at one point because I felt like I couldn't go on. My throat and belly hurt so much, even my knees hurt from bending over to get sick.

I got to celebrate my tenth anniversary without a flare. Thankfully, it waited until the next day. I had so much fun on my cruise. I got to sit on the balcony of my room, listen to the ocean and read. If you're thinking of going on a cruise, I'd recommend it. I have a blog article about traveling with GP that may help you if you think you wouldn't be able to travel:

Previous blog article: http://www.emilysstomach.com/2013/07/information-about-gastroparesis-and.html

I was scared but everything turned out all right. I say if you want to travel, you should go for it. Don't let your GP stop you. I didn't.

Woke up at 6am - and My Stomach Hates Me

My stomach managed to wake me up and I went straight to the bathroom and vomited. So much for that. I thought I was having a good day yesterday. I vomited up some of the food that I ate at the wedding reception, some of it wasn't digested (OK, I know that's probably TMI - but my blog is to help keep track of these things to tell the doctor). I have very intense stomach cramps. I also feel very tired, exhausted, and fatigued even though I slept yesterday and some last night.

I just took:

1 pain pill

2 anti-spasmotic pills

1 anxiety pill

1 muscle relaxer

2 anti-nausea pills

Between all of those, and I hope I can keep those down, hopefully I'll go back to sleep. I just hate waking up with that immediate need to be sick. And, as per usual, I whacked my knee on the side of the toilet again.

I just want to feel better. I'm going to call and make an appointment with the motility specialist. She's at Crawford Long, so that's a bit closer to me to get to. When I do drive, I have to drive around with a bucket. I've gotten pretty good at vomiting outside of moving cars though. I don't feel safe driving because I might get sick while I'm driving.

I need to find a primary care doctor closer to my house as well. I feel bad just walking in and saying, "Hey, I've got gastroparesis and I'm your new patient!" I would like all of my records in one place, though. My knee records, my stomach records, my records from my old primary care doctor. I feel as though my medical records are scattered all across Atlanta.

I have to say that it was good to leave the house for a little bit. I've been confined here since March since my GP has been so severe. I slept on the car ride back because the nausea started to hit. Then, I went to bed and didn't wake up until about 10pm or so. This new medication knocks me out.

The medicine that helps the most is the muscle relaxer. It relaxes my stomach enough for me to eat and not be in as much pain.I don't know if they'll keep me on it or not but it's the only thing that seems to help.

Maybe one day this Summer, I will get to go to the beach! I miss the salty smell of the air... there's nothing quite like it. I'm leaving Wednesday or Thursday for a car ride up to Connecticut for convention for my fraternity with my friends. I hope that I can make it up there with no problems. I'm more worried about the car ride. If I don't eat while at convention, I won't be sick. I know that sounds absolutely horrible. I didn't each much before or after the wedding, so I didn't get sick like normal. So, I'm going to have to monitor myself very closely with food. Most of the time, I'm not hungry anyway. But, social conventions seem to be centered around food and drinking. I can't do either.