faulker053

It's hard to tell that something's missing. Kelli’s cutting corners on her meal plan. You know, measuring her cereal—but then picking off a few pieces to eat less than she measured. And Dan revealed that for months he would crumble some of his cookies, his planned dessert, and then leave it over, along with spilling—intentionally—a few ounces of his milk at meals, most every meal, at home. In a way I was pleased. No, I’m surely not looking to fill my schedule with long-term patients who stay stuck with their eating disorder. And I’m not giving them the half full perspective, suggesting that at least they’re eating something, that it’s only half empty and could be worse. Meal plans are not designed with the intention of our patients eating only 50% or even 95%; I never over estimate what patients need to eat. But for Kelli and Dan, sharing that their eating was falling short was a significant step forward. It spoke to being real and acknowledging where they were struggling in ...

We all want answers to what's unknown. Why did he have to die of cancer? Why did she get diabetes at such a young age? Why am I struggling with an eating disorder? Forgive me for being harsh, but it doesn't matter. Sure, it's great to understand what causes diseases so that we may find a cure and prevent them from targeting and harming more people. And if there were something we can do to protect ourselves from getting sick, wouldn't it be valuable to know. But on the personal level, it doesn't matter why or how you developed your unhealthy relationship with food. Practically speaking, it changes nothing. You still need to eat. If a child is diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes, requiring regular insulin injections, it doesn't matter why. And it doesn't matter if they hate the treatment—the frequent injections to remedy the body's failing production of insulin. It's simply non-negotiable. For nine years I had to self inject with a medication for my M...