Stronger!!!

Over the past month, so many people I know, myself included, have gone through some very difficult times. It could be the mom living in concern as her little baby goes through surgery for a G Tube, while at the the same time, trying to take care of her family and still care for friends struggling. It could be the expecting mother fighting through sickness while taking care of her little one. A friend losing a close family member at such a young age. A mom taking care of her sick self, while caring for kids. A young child with pneumonia. The amazing parents dealing with Autism with one or more of their children There are so many more that can be written here. One thing that amazes me about each of these experiences, is how much strength it takes to overcome them or to even make it through them.

My pain has been so incredibly awful for the past month, and we have yet to find an answer for the pain. During my struggles, a dear friend shared a song with me. I didn't think much of it until I listened to it. Once I started listening, I ended up crying. It was so powerful to me. I have shared it with a few friends, but wanted to share this with you all.

This is extremely powerful. No matter what you are going through, there is strength that can be drawn from whatever higher power you believe in or from deep down inside yourself. I know that hard times do make you stronger, no matter what they are. They may not strengthen us in the ways we want or think, but they will make us stronger. Seriously.

I have had gastroparesis for 8 1/2 years and I am not the same person that I was in the beginning of this ordeal. I have learned so much. I can see the blessings that have come. I have learned to fight through and overcome the condition. Am I stronger than I was when this started. You bet. There is no doubt in my mind. That strength has been drawn from family, friends, inspirational songs, words and thoughts, and surprisingly enough, within me.

It's not easy to find this strength but I can promise you. We tend to find out what we are made of when we go through these trials. We sometimes ask why do the bad things happen to us? Maybe we are hoping for good news or a light at the end of the tunnel. We are lucky to be able to get help to get through all of this. We do not have to do this alone. There are people willing to help us and add to the strength that we feel that we lack.

My trial is not even close to being over. As I write this the pain is bad. You may be going through something awful and wishing it would end or that there were a light at the end of that tunnel. We can be strong in the midst of trials and that will make us stronger and better in the end, when the trial finally passes.

I would love to help you find the strength you need to get through whatever you are going through. It really helps to have someone who has struggled. Also, I would like to ask for your help, support, and strength as well. Together, we will get through all of this, and we will be stronger than when these trials started.

It Could Be Worse

"It Could Be Worse" are four words that many people don't find very comforting during their times of trials. They don't want to think that what they are going through, what they are feeling and the trials they see could be worse. The truth is, there is always someone who is worse off than you. Hard to imagine, I know, when you are curled up on the couch in excruciating pain, or lacking in so much energy that you can barely move, or the medicines and treatments you are doing take everything out of you.

As much as I tell myself this, it takes more convincing, especially during these hard times. Maybe it is because I really don't want what I have or am feeling to get worse. That would be torture. Maybe it is because I want sympathy. Maybe it is because when going through suffering, I have a hard time seeing how it could be worse.

One morning, I woke up in pain, which is a semi-normal thing. On this day, it was different. The pain was debilitating. I could not move or did not want to try to move. The pain was intense and moving around made it worse. I stayed on the couch in a ball, not wanting to do anything. I felt guilty because there were people to help and things that needed to get done. Nothing got done, except letting my mind wander and I rested on the couch. My mind wandered through my circumstances. Then it began to think about how it could be worse. Believe it or not, I came up with multiple ways that it could be worse.

All of the sudden, I was grateful for what I had, even though it was a pain in the stomach or major discomfort in my life. It is my trial and I can survive it. I would not want to go through the other trials that people have in their lives. There are definitely people out there who are in worse shape than me, who have more pain or struggle.

I watched a little video clip the next day (still on the couch and still in pain) about a girl who has gastroparesis, except her case is worse than mine. She has a feeding tube and would miss school or life things for days, weeks and months at a time. Here I am complaining about 2 days. She does not sit around and have a pity party for herself. She looks for ways to serve others. She makes coloring books and sock monkeys for children in the hospitals in her area.

So that's the key. Find the good, serve others, and be strong.

Yes, our conditions are hard. The sicknesses we endure are difficult. It is hard to see, especially when dealing with them at that moment, how anyone else could have it worse and how things could be worse. I promise you two things. 1. There is always someone worse off than you. 2. There is good in and situation, trial or suffering.