Anorexia Nervosa

As my kids were growing up,
We had quite a number
Of exchange students
Come live with us.
There was a girl from Japan,
One from France,
Another from Israel,
And still another
From Majorca, Spain.
The last one
Was the Spanish girl.
She was a stunningly
Attractive young lady
When she came.
She stood about 5’ 5’’ tall
And weighed
About 120 pounds,
But three months later
She was a mere skeleton
Weighing less than
Eighty five pounds.
She was literally
So afraid of gaining weight
Over here
And becoming fat
That she stopped
Eating all together.
The school psychologist
Became involved
And when that didn’t help,
I called her parents.
I had to tell them
That it was a matter
Of life and death
That they come
And get her immediately.
She was probably within
A week or two
Of starving to death.
It tore my heart out
To have to make that call,
But I had no choice.
I felt responsible
For letting it get that far,
No matter how hard I tried
To get through to her,
To reason with her,
She simply refused to eat.
What had been
A beautiful vivacious daughter
Only a few months before
Was reduced to something
That looked like
A concentration camp survivor.
The damage to her heart
And other organs
Was potentially fatal.
Most likely she would never
Be able to have kids.
I secretly cried for her,
And for her parents as well.
It was so sad.
It seems that a number
Of her friends
Had been exchange students,
And many had returned
Weighing much more
Than when they left.
She saw herself as fat
No matter how
Emaciated she got.
After her parents
Picked her up,
They came back
Two weeks later
And she had already
Gained 15 pounds.
I think love
Had a lot to do with it.
I pray
That they got her in time.
I understand
That anorexia nervosa
Which she had
Is fairly common
Among teenage girls.
Many a parent has
Stood by helplessly
While their child
Withers away.
If you have such a child,
Please get help
Before it is too late.
Fortunately,
I never had that challenge
With either of my daughters.