Loss

As many of you know, I lost my father this week after losing my beloved Nanny and before that my mom. I am in mourning, but I know they have all gone Home and are no longer in pain. All welcomed by Jesus and my brother, Ethan. Thank You All for the love, prayers, and support in this difficult time. We have so much joy on the horizon. Clint is getting everything together to start our business, Enviroclenze, offering whole home and office water purification systems and air purification systems with a cutting edge new technology called a "Sneeze Machine." You could be 3 feet from someone who has a terrible flu and if they sneeze, the machine purifies the air instantaneously and runs it through to purify it again. Our kids are doing so great. Brilliant, talented, amazing people who are so kind, loving, and giving and they are already doing things to make a difference in this world. My very first granddaughter is on the way, and she couldn't have asked for better parents. I still know with all my heart and soul that God is going to heal me in His time and His way.

Starving for pain

     Most people don't understand why gastroparesis is such a reprehensible, ugly disease. Many people have had gastric bypass surgery to lose weight. They assume the two are very similar, or at least if you remove the stomach it would relieve the symptoms. Here is the difference. Gastric Bypass surgery is something they do to their bodies, and so their bodies do everything in its power to repair it. Gastroparesis does it to you, and everything you try to combat it, your body fights. Most people with Gastroparesis have a number of issues and if one was to remove the stomach and the small intestines are paralyzed as well, and if they eat, they don't have a stomach to hold the food so the symptoms are much worse and much more dangerous.
     Some people say if eating makes you so sick then stop. Could you? If you hadn't eaten a bite for weeks and are as surrounded by food as we are in America, would you continue to starve or eventually give in? Everybody has different strengths and weaknesses and almost every case of gastroparesis is different. But we all have this in common, we are starving, literally starving to death surround by the best food in the world. So what do we do? We eat. Eating doesn't just cause nausea, your whole body rails against you. Even with all of the medication the nausea is so strong and every inch of your body hurts, it can even bring on Migraines. The pain is so strong. You can go from having a flat belly to looking like you are 8 months pregnant within a few minutes. You throw up everything you ate. Often so hard that you pull muscles, pee on yourself, and my personal favorite, heart palpitations. Even after you throw up the symptoms stay and the pain gets even worse. You ask yourself why you were so stupid to eat. Why did you do this to yourself? But eventually, you start to feel better and the hunger returns. That is the best way I know how to describe gastroparesis.

Mother's Day

     Mother's Day is not quite the same when your mom is gone. But I am extremely blessed and I couldn't ask for a better Mother's Day gift than having all of my babies with me. The only thing better than that is that it will be Krystian's very first mothers day as God creates the teeny, tiny life growing in her. I can't help but remember my first Mother's day when Noah was growing in my tummy. I pray that I will feel well enough to thoroughly enjoy my family as it grows.
     My Granny is such an amazing role model for me, for so many "adopted" grandchildren. She has so many grandchildren and great-grandchildren that it is hard to keep up, But our Riley will be her first great-great-grandchild. She has so much inner and even in her 90's outer beauty. I am so honored to have my Granny. She is such a Godly woman, so full of grace and love. While thinking of my grandparent name I said that I could never be Granny because those are some huge shoes to fill. While visiting her, I explained that I was unsure what I wanted to be called. I told her why her name so very special and she prayed over me and bequeathed me the name Granny. I feel so honored and blessed.
     I should try to get some rest so I can thoroughly enjoy  my wonderful, amazing, sweet, playful, loving, wonderfully weird family. I pray you all have a blessed Mother's Day!

Betsy