Spoonie Stories: Gracie Swicegood
I have struggled with bad abdominal pain and nausea for as long as I can remember. I have been going through trials and testings for the past 9 years. September of 2022 things started to flare up so badly to the point where I couldn’t keep any food or liquids down. I lost about 30 lbs and was in such a dark place.
In October of 2022 I was diagnosed with Rumination Syndrome and functional Dyspepsia. In April of 2023, I was diagnosed with Median Arcuate Ligament Syndrome (MALS) and I had MALS release surgery September of the same year. My surgery did not give me relief from my pain and that was a difficult thing to accept. I kept having follow up appointments with my doctors and came to the conclusion that there was nothing else that they could do.
In March of 2024 I was diagnosed with Irritable Bowel Syndrome. And in July of 2024, I was diagnosed with Visceral Hyperalgesia and Hyper-mobility.
In July of 2024 I was also referred to go to the Pain Rehab Center at the MAYO Clinic in Jacksonville, Florida. With that program, I finally accepted that this is my life now, but I have the tools and support to manage my way to a normal life the best that I can. I have gained a lot of my strength and energy back. I may not have my pain taken away, but I want to enjoy life the best I can!
Even though this isn’t how I would prefer to live my life, it isn’t my life to live. It’s God’s story and he is using me each and every day to share his glory. The verse that has really helped me come to realize this is 2 Corinthians 4:16-18. “Therefore we do not despair, but even if our physical body is wearing away, our inner person is being renewed day by day. For our momentary, light suffering is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison because we are not looking at what can be seen but at what cannot be seen. For what can be seen is temporary, but what cannot be seen is eternal.” 2 Corinthians 4:16-18
It is easy to focus only on the things we can see. But no matter how painful our suffering, is is considered light in comparison to the glory we will experience when we are united with Christ. We are not striving for a pain-free life. We are striving to honor Christ no matter our circumstances as we await the eternal glory of our Heavenly Father.
Some of my interests include Photography, painting, and being social with my friends! I have been a dancer since I was 3 and now I am a dance teacher at the studio I grew up dancing at. I love singing on the worship team at my church and I’m very involved with the youth group being a counselor and I’m a part of multiple small groups.
I wanted to share my story to tell others that life is so much more than your pain -and/or sickness. Your pain doesn’t define you. If you let your pain dictate your life, then it will be hard to enjoy the small things. Sometimes it takes pain and suffering to gain something so much better. Just know that you are never alone and that there are so many other people who have felt the same things you have.
Follow Gracie’s journey on Instagram: @gracieswicegood | Facebook: @GracieSwicegood | TikTok: @gracieswicegood
Disclaimer: This is simply the story of Gracie’s personal experiences with chronic illnesses. This blog is not to be taken as medical advice. If you have any medical concerns, always seek the help of a doctor or licensed medical professional.
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