34 ~ A spectacle of heroism ~

Two days late, but rather late than never 😉

From many miles across the world I share the story of a young courageous fellow warrior by the name of

💪 DAMARIUS INGRAM 💪

DAMARIUS is from the US. Her battles with Gastroparesis (GP), Multiple Sclerosis (MS) & Median Arcuate Ligament Syndrome (MALS) – A very rare condition began at the very tender age of only 14!

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[ HER BATTLE WITH MS ]

[ HER BATTLE WITH GP ]

Beginning with one NG tube, then a second. Imagine having no option of survival other than living with 2 pipes coming out from either of your nostrils??

A heart wrenching tale! But a tale that greatly inspires & encourages one to be grateful for blessings not realised.

Imagine being told you might never be able to eat food for the rest of your life.. however long that may be?

Imagine the odd stares..

The combat of seeing others eat..

The combat of craving scrumptious foods..

The combat of pain, discomfort & everything which involves a tubie life…

Surely, it is a combat that assists other’s in fighting there’s….

The oceans are rough, yet she remains smiling & trying to remain positive. To make it easier, instead of making her relive the entire story from beginning, I’ve extracted parts from her blog & Instagram account which bravely speaks out all she endures.

Speaking out the complete truth – not shying away from relating the good or bad is not always easy! It takes great strength. It took me 20 months. After a long period of hesitation a point is reached where we decide to just spill!!!

Dearest Damarius:

You’re doing a wonderful job dealing with your challenges.

You provide inspiration to many globally!

On behalf of myself & my readers we truly appreciate your willingness of coming forward. Thank you so much for gracing this blog.

I think it’s brave that you get up in the morning even if your soul is weary & your bones ache for a rest.

I think it’s brave that you keep on living even if you don’t know how to anymore

I think it’s brave that you push away the waves rolling in every day & you decide to fight

I know there are days when you feel like giving up but I think it’s brave that you never do.

– Lana Rafaela.

You fight for survival with a feeding tube, I fight for survival with an oxygen cannula..

Our wars differ

I follow your story

I see the struggle..

It clutches my soul.

I feel for you!!

May you be blessed with abundance of strength to continue persevering, persisting & chasing behind the dreams of your future.

Please know! You are an incredible hero!

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A few excerpts of her qoutes & posts:

~ We’re the ones who get stuff done, we’re the ones who live, we’re the ones who never give up. ~

“I scrolled through my camera roll looking at the pictures with my old tube & it hit me how fast life can change. You can go from eating everyday to not being able to do so then to having a tube in your nose to having one in your stomach. Life is a matter of seconds.”

~ Ive closed my eyes a thousand times looking for a different life but opened them one day & stopped dreaming because if I can’t bare this life, who else could. ~

“I miss the days without a tube. When I could walk around public & not have people stare or point at me. I know this tube is saving me but… It does not mean it’s not hard.”

Then there are the very hardcore broken days. I show these parts for people to understand the reality of life as a tubie 👇

“I just want a cheese burger 🍔.”

[ TWO WEEKS PRIOR TO HER GJ TUBE SURGERY ]

~ The weight of the world might be on your shoulders but not everyone could hold it up with a smile on their face. You are stronger than you believe. ~

~ Even when I’m scared I smile, when I’m in pain I smile, but I smile & that’s what makes everything okay.

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[ AFTER SURGERY ]

*** Damarius has a pacemaker as well.

“Initially when I got my second tube, I didn’t want to leave my house because I didn’t want people to look at me. I came to accept my first feeding tube, accepting a second one was hard but now I walk outside with no shame not caring because I’m saving my own life.”

~ Have no shame being tube dependant. ~

[ THE GOOD DAYS ]

“Being honoured today for my art work & actually seeing my work in an exhibit had to be amazing. With being ill I never believed I would be able to do these things. I thought being sick would ruin these opportunities but it just made me work even harder. I’m so happy & lost for words. Let this be a lesson that nothing can hold you back!!!!”

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[ THE JOURNEY OF US ]

Excerpts from her blog

ONE:

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TWO:

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THREE:

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FOUR:

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FIVE:

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SIX:

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To subscribe or follow, here is the link to her blog. One definitely worth reading & absolutely captivating!!

https://damariusingram.wixsite.com/blog

On Instagram she goes as: d_loves_journey._

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Break the stigma against feeding tubes! They save lives! These are the soldiers who deserve our applaud 👏👏

This is an organization created to assist tubies or their families… Please share the link if you know of anyone who may benefit from it.

http://www.feedingtubeawareness.org/

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Each war fallen & each war risen

Embosses a lasting impression

In the annals of heroism.

I marvel at the fact of any short term deprivation

Being reserved as a medium of our salvation

In a world to come, which exceeds our imagination.

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On the lighter side of tubie life 😅