Day 0 – The Night Before Welcome to Birmingham International Airport Car Park. Auto number plate recognition in operation for pre-booked customers, the sign read. Emmy waited. The barrier did not move. She was, of course, a pre-booked customer. Emmy booked everything as far in advance as humanly possible. And yes, her car was filthy …
When the rain won’t stop teeming and the unforgiving arrow of winter still cuts through the air, retreating into a cosy cavern of tasty food is an ideal way to salvage a Sunday. Such was the conclusion reached by Emmy and Vernon on an early March weekend. Vernon creaked open the door to Bill’s restaurant …
It felt like New Year’s Day. It wasn’t, of course. It was Valentine’s Day, as proclaimed by garish cerise balloons dancing in the breeze around Leamington. But the rejuvenating sense of new dawns that typically occupied the first day of the year mysteriously crept into this February morning. Something about the way the pale blue …
“Now these are divine”, the lady serving in Aubrey Allen smiled with a glinting eye, carefully packing the praline quail eggs into a paper bag. Emmy grinned with confident anticipation that Vernon would agree. The chocolates were another filler for his stocking which was, until a mere half an hour ago, at risk of hanging …
Happy anticipation caused Emmy’s leg to jiggle underneath the table. She checked her watch. “Fifteen minutes! Let’s move.” Vernon’s eyebrows raised a smidgeon before his mouth pursed in concentration and his entire attention was diverted back to his iPad. “How can they ask that much for that garden…?” he grumbled. Emmy uncrossed and re-crossed her …
Over the past few months I have become an avid podcast listener. My favourite ones currently span the topics of science, design, general inquisitiveness and – inevitably – eating disorders. I’ve recently learned some very important things that have helped me stay on track during the anxious build-up to the huge life change that is …
I penned this a couple of months ago, and given the recent research into the economic impacts of eating disorders (conducted by PwC – more info here http://www.b-eat.co.uk/latest/602-the-costs-of-eating-disorders-social-health-and-economic-impacts: ) it seems topical. My underlying opinion is that mental health needs to ‘catch up’ with physical health when it comes to consideration and provision in the workplace. …
You, ED, owe me. From now until the day I die, you are going to start working for me. Even when I have kicked you out; when you’re nothing but a distant memory, a story to tell; your time spent sharing my life path will be put to good use. To directly benefit me. I …
I was so amazed at how pivotal and positive this weekend was that I felt the need to share it with other sufferers and recoverers, to instil hope in everyone. I’ll start by looking at how things could have been so different had this weekend happened six months ago. No point trying to dress it …
This is an account of the point at which I went from chronic anorexia sufferer to recoverer. Unlike many stories that speak of a ‘switch’ clicking and catapulting them into a healthier existence, my story documents a far more ambling, extended journey. I hope it will speak to those who are struggling to enter proper …