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DON’T TELL ME NOT TO TAKE MY MEDICATIONS

There are many conditions where friends and family encourage you wholeheartedly to take whatever treatment options are prescribed by health professionals. Illnesses like diabetes, multiple sclerosis, asthma, cancer. There are some conditions, however, where people you know and love, and sometimes people you’ve barely even met, have a robust opinion on how you should look after your own health and wellbeing.

BACK ON TRACK

Just as I was knee-deep, wallowing around in my little starving pity party, I received the feedback from my manuscript assessor regarding the first draft of my memoir – temporarily titled Stalked by Demons. Guarded by Angels | The Girl with the Eating Disorder.

THE EMOTIONAL TRUTH

The universal human need to be needed. The basic human rights of love, care and acceptance. The intimacy of belonging to community. These are the emotional truths I wish to explore. How my needs, rights and sense of belonging have, and have not, been met. The consequences to me, and to everyone I connect with, from my lack of self-love.

FARM LIFE

Our home on the farm was a small, off-white, timber house with a grey roof, and an assortment of grey galvanised iron sheds spread about. Surrounding the house was a vegetable garden with seasonal vegetables like pumpkin, beans and rockmelon, as well as a small number of flowers. In my early years the house had a lean-to kitchen and three main rooms – mum and dad’s bedroom, the dining room, and a spare room for visitors.

CHRISTIAN

I know his story intimately well. September 17 1968. I’m just two and a half when Christian is born at Calvary Hospital. Five weeks later he’s gone. A perfectly healthy baby boy, dying in his sleep. Sudden infant death syndrome the doctors said. A syndrome. It’s not how my parents describe it.