It is easy to tell people that I have gastroparesis, and to explain that it is a digestive disorder. It is harder to convey how this illness affects my day-to-day life. Chronic illness is an uncomfortable topic; “get well soon” doesn’t exactly apply. I drew this comic in an attempt to make my illness less alien to my peers; I hoped humor would make the topic more approachable. My condition is a big part of my life, and I'd like to be able to talk about it. Illnesses tend to be very isolating, and having friends who can understand and still laugh with me through the bad days is one of the greatest medicines.

About the Art/Story:
The line drawings were done by hand using a sharpie, then I scanned the panels into a computer and colored them/added text digitally. Most of the ideas are original and personal, but three of the panels were based off of anonymous memes I crossed on various websites. (If you see something you made, please let me know, and I would love to give credit where it is due!)

Finally, this is just my personal experience with gastroparesis. The disorder can affect people differently. Some have very severe symptoms, and must obtain all of their nutrition through a feeding tube; others have very mild symptoms, which is where I hope to get to eventually.

Thank you for reading!