Monday 24 May 2010

Dulwich Park and the Maudsley again

Given the glorious weather at the weekend, Waif made us all a picnic and insisted we went to Dulwich Park, whih was a fab day out.

Here is H at our picnic spot:


and here is Waif out boating with Older Daughter and a friend:


and then Waif went on the Victorian fairground:


The dog was a bit worried about Waif at this point  ;-)    They are pretty devoted to one another.

Waif has been eating well and less fussily - she now allows me to put cream cheese in her smoked salmon sandwiches and has eaten a few potatoes recently, tempted by the new season Jersey Royals.  At the picnic, she ate a large slice of pizza and then had an ice cream after boating.  Mind you, she needed the energy because after we arrived home she cycled to an hour's tennis coaching and back.

All in all, life has been less fraught and we have al been more relaxed at mealtimes so it was great at the Maudsley this afternoon to find that Waif had nonetheless put on 400g and now weighs in at 41.4kg (fully dressed).  This is the same as the visit before last and is, in itself, a record.

We are going for more of the same - trying to introduce some chips this time and continuing to eat healthily.  Waif is starting to look well, although she will look even healthier if she puts on another 5kg.

9 comments:

  1. that is good :-)

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  2. Looks like a beautiful day! I'm so glad to here your redoubled efforts are paying off. Keep up the good work!

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  3. I meant hear, not here.

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  4. I hate being negative, but its so hard to just let this go, when i have lived this for over half my life.
    My father, too, said that I wasnt "all that thin" when i was 16 years old and weighed 45 kilos.
    He changed his mind by the time i was 25 years old and at deaths door, at 32 kilos.
    PLEASE do realise this is where it can end up, please!!
    Love and thoughts to you all,
    jennifer x

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  5. awww keep up the progress! Looks like you had a splendid day, and that's heartening you believe Waif's getting better - whilst she's admittedly very thin, her face is glowing, which is a visible sign of health, and that's rewarding. :)

    Jennifer does have a point, that your daughter's condition will remain rather fragile and tenuous almost indefinitely, despite the improvements. I question whether we can criticise you though, as you genuinely are trying your best and making genuine progress. It's obviously hard striking a balance between having authority for the sake of Waif's health, yet not being perceived as too overbearing. Introducing the chips sounds a brilliant idea - may I encourage you to be strong about it, not necessarily overly forceful, but with a kind firmness?

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  6. Yes, I do agree, I'm sorry, I am not meaning to be overly critical, just personal experience and knowledge of what can happen if its not taken seriously from the start.
    Jennifer

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  7. Anorexia Mummy27 May 2010 at 08:31

    Thanks everyone, I appreciate all the comments.

    Waif ate steak and chips last night! :-) She had an enormous portion- she didn't manage them all, and gave her Bearnaise sauce to OD, but nonetheless made a great start and still came home to a bowl of ice cream and sponge.

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  8. :D :D That's fabulous! I think it's incredibly important to celebrate the minor successes along the way, rather than getting too disheartened by the remaining areas for improvement. It truly seems Waif has made tremendous progress, and it's great to recognise that - especially since (excuse the generalisation, but it evidently applies to Waif from what I've read) sufferers of anorexia are typically perfectionistic and self-critical, reluctant to relish the everyday victories. Revel in this moment! I trust you obviously won't interpret it as an indication she's cured and justification for dropping your guard, but it truly is important to appreciate these little achievements!

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  9. Yes, it is. Very well done! x

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