Tuesday 28 February 2012

Monday 6 February 2012

Discharged from the Maudsley

We go out on a high  :-)

At nearly 16 years old, Waif had her review appointment at the Maudsley late last week.  She has grown again (1m66 now) and weighs a record 49kg.  This is still short of her ideal of 56kg but she has maintained the weight solo, with no nagging or reminders from me, and without even supervision as Waif seems to go to Costa friends' houses for most meals.  She is looking really well:  still very slim but NOT skeletal.  She has some muscle on her thighs rather than an alarmingly concave hollow. Nobody winds down their car window now and tells her to "eat more meat" , clothes bought from real grown up shops fit her snugly.  I am so proud of her.

Nor has she neglected her studies.  Waif has just been awarded a sixth form scholarship at her current school and despite being enticed by the offer of a place at one of the top girls' schools in the country, has decided to stay with her friends where she is.

The psychiatrist at the Maudsley said she was so happy to be saying goodbye.  She implied that this kind of recovery is sadly still quite rare.  The dark days of two years back where I could not look at Waif for wincing at her sharp bones and drawn skin seem so far behind.  I no longer wake in the night wondering if I am going to lose the most precious thing in my life.   I honestly don't want any more from life than that my daughters are strong, healthy and happy and at the moment they are.

I have a big thank you to say to all my followers and supporters, and to The Maudsley Hospital Teenage Eating Disorders team.  We were lucky to catch Waif young and to hit this horrid disease hard.  This is the happy ending to beat all happy endings.  Now Waif can be a normal teen and cope with normal teen stresses.  I can tell her "not to treat the house like a hotel" and her father can tell her she "can't go out dressed like that" and we will all be just fine.  I sincerely wish such a happy ending on all of you who read this blog and might be suffering yourselves.  Do it for your mum, do it for your friends but most of all do it for yourself - your body is there to be cherished and nourished for it to serve you well.  Food is so not your enemy.