Today I am sharing a story. One of sadness, true, but also determination and triumph. This story is not my own, but Sarah’s. Sarah is an inspirational young person and a fighter against anorexia. I hope that you find Sarah’s story as gripping and wonderfully written as I did, as well as it allowing you insight into what it’s like to live with an eating disorder.
My Story, In Prose
By: Sarah
Instagram: @oatsosarah
Written 8/24/2015
August, 2012
Sarah is thirteen and Sarah is fat.
Those are two things that Sarah knows with absolute certainty.
At the doctor’s office, that fateful day in late August, Dr. G says, “Sarah, you are off of your growth charts. Sarah, you must lose weight. Sarah, you must eat less. Start exercising. Something must change”.
And Sarah changed, oh yes they did!
Autumn, 2012
Sarah’s best friends are slim. Athletic. And so are their classmates! In fact, Sarah can count the number of fat people in their school on the fingers of one hand. Sarah only ever wanted to fit in.
“Daily Caloric Intake Calculator
Age? 13.
Height? 5’4”
Weight? xxx lbs.
Goal Weight? xxx lbs.”
It spit back a number and heaven help us, that number was Sarah’s life!
Winter/Spring, 2013
The shower’s water is hot on Sarah’s back but Sarah feels cold inside in an odd, icky, not-so-good way. Brown smoke clouds Sarah’s vision and they nearly fall. Panic. Panic everywhere, and Sarah can’t see!
“I can’t see!” Sarah shouts, hands clutching grey walls. “Help, I can’t see!”
Their mother comes, wraps them in a towel. Spots, static, in front of Sarah’s eyes and a burning pressure right behind them.
“I’ll get you some orange juice? Maybe you’re hungry,” The words cut like knives. Heartless attempt at kindness, that is. Offering her child ORANGE JUICE, while that child is on a DIET?
It’s a waste of calories, Sarah.
“No thanks, I’m fine.”
“Sarah, you are eating /something/.”
Sarah picks up the smallest clementine they can find from the bowl in the kitchen.
“I’m fine.”
Spring, 2013
It’s all your fault, Sarah. Just because it was your mother’s birthday dinner did not mean that you had to eat that. Or THAT. What were you thinking, you fucking fatty? Of course you’ve gained weight since this morning. Of course. Because you fucking pigged out tonight, that’s why! Go. Go do laps and TRY to burn off all the weight you’ve gained. FUCKING FATSO.
Pacing, pacing into the dark, and then jogging, breaking into a run, again and again laps around the house, around the yard, uphill and downhill and uphill again. Sarah tastes bile, sweat drenches their face.
The scale reads lower and Sarah nearly collapses with relief.
Nearly, because only lazy pigs sit down for no reason.
Summer, 2013
Sarah is an overachiever and thus, has decided to take an advanced summer course at school. For the students in the summer session, the dining hall staff were kind enough to cater lunches for the summer session students.
Hot fudge sundae bar! Two of Sarah’s friends, who also opted to take the class, are excited. They rush to the bar— aren’t you going with them, Sarah? They have dark chocolate chips, after all!
Sarah drags themselves up, tears waiting anxiously behind their eyes, ready to run in an instant.
You’re stronger than this, Sarah. Look at you, worthless monster. You’re giving in. Stop. Stop. Stopstopstop.
Sarah gets a small bowl of vanilla ice cream. Passes the dark chocolate chips without a second glance.
Upon arriving home, they begin to exercise, and continue into perpetuity.
August, 2013
“Sarah, look at you! You’ve lost xx lbs! Look at how healthy you are!”
Sarah is healthy. Sarah is healthy.
First day of school, 2013
Sarah, you look so good!
Any tips? C’mon, spill!
Look how SKINNY you’ve gotten!
Wow, way to get in shape!
I’m so inspired by your self control!
Man, you’ve lost a ton of weight!
Autumn, 2013
Sarah’s not studying enough, Sarah has to get up at 4:30 am to study. They can study till 6:30 and then leave for school at 7:30 and still make it on time.
On the weekends, why isn’t Sarah studying for 8 hours a day? Wait, they do? Okay, what about 10? Do you have anything /better/ to do, Sarah? NO. Studying is all you’re good for, after all.
100%.
A+.
You want to get into an Ivy, don’t you! You need to actually work, not sit on your lazy ass all day.
Sarah’s mother is concerned.
“Sarah, why does it take you an hour to eat your oatmeal every night?”
“Sarah, aren’t you healthy already? Why are you only eating x calories a day?”
“Sarah, when will your diet be over?”
November, 2013 Continue reading