Emily is home! We picked her up on Wednesday, and she started in the "partial" program at Hershey the same day.
Emily was happy to be back in her "normal surroundings" - except that Mom and Dad kind of messed that up by cleaning and rearranging her room while she was gone. (Parent thinking: clean room, fresh start... Emily thinking: invasion of privacy, I liked it the way it was! Ooops.)
With the weekend "off" from any formal treatment, Emily is doing what normal teenagers do: sleeping late, listening to music, and homework. She'll be travelling to New Jersey with the family later today to go to Easter Vigil Mass with Mom-mom, then spending the night and Easter morning with the Pettits, then off to an Easter brunch and egg hunt with the rest of the NJ clan.
This Easter we have much to be thankful for. May you all have a happy and blessed Easter too!
Saturday, April 11, 2009
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
A milestone
After two weeks of inpatient care, Emily will be discharged from the Belmont Center on Wednesday. It's an understatement to say that she is excited to leave, and her family is excited to have her home!
In addition to missing family and friends, Emily told us she has missed many things that she used to take for granted... her own bed, her own shower, and making her own choices. She's really looking forward to regaining some of the independence she had to give up at Belmont.
As soon as she "checks out of the Hotel Belmont," Emily will become a daily visitor at Hershey Medical Center's "partial hospitalization" program. The Hershey program will allow Emily to sleep at home, attend morning classes at her school, and then spend the afternoon and early evening at the Center. While there, she will continue individual and group therapy, and have lunch and dinner with her new care team.
Emily's road to recovery still stretches out in front of her, but this week is a milestone on her journey. How wonderful that her favorite cherry tree out back is now blooming - welcoming her home!
And so do we.
.
In addition to missing family and friends, Emily told us she has missed many things that she used to take for granted... her own bed, her own shower, and making her own choices. She's really looking forward to regaining some of the independence she had to give up at Belmont.
As soon as she "checks out of the Hotel Belmont," Emily will become a daily visitor at Hershey Medical Center's "partial hospitalization" program. The Hershey program will allow Emily to sleep at home, attend morning classes at her school, and then spend the afternoon and early evening at the Center. While there, she will continue individual and group therapy, and have lunch and dinner with her new care team.
Emily's road to recovery still stretches out in front of her, but this week is a milestone on her journey. How wonderful that her favorite cherry tree out back is now blooming - welcoming her home!
And so do we.
.
Friday, April 3, 2009
Two steps forward...
A tough weekend stretched into an even tougher week. Once Emily decided that she was ready to continue her treatment at home - and her treatment team (and parents) disagreed - she slid into a sad and angry state of mind that made productive therapy very difficult...
To her credit, Emily continued on her meal plan throughout the week, and finally began to show some signs of physical improvement. She's gained a little weight and brought up her pulse rate a bit. She's agreed to "stick it out" through the weekend, and wait for her evaluation on Monday. By then she will have spent two weeks at the Center, on a very small floor, with people she's not very fond of, eating lots of food that she really doesn't like!
Emily has had visitors every day this week (thanks!), and Saturday afternoon Sarah is going to drive herself to spend some quality "sister time" with her little sister. We've had lots of phone calls and notes of encouragement, and we're making sure Emily gets all of your kind thoughts and wishes. We can't thank everyone enough for the encouragement, especially since we're not the only ones going through some rough times right now.
We're looking forward to Easter as a powerful sign of hope and new life, and we continue to pray for God's blessings on our little girl.
To her credit, Emily continued on her meal plan throughout the week, and finally began to show some signs of physical improvement. She's gained a little weight and brought up her pulse rate a bit. She's agreed to "stick it out" through the weekend, and wait for her evaluation on Monday. By then she will have spent two weeks at the Center, on a very small floor, with people she's not very fond of, eating lots of food that she really doesn't like!
Emily has had visitors every day this week (thanks!), and Saturday afternoon Sarah is going to drive herself to spend some quality "sister time" with her little sister. We've had lots of phone calls and notes of encouragement, and we're making sure Emily gets all of your kind thoughts and wishes. We can't thank everyone enough for the encouragement, especially since we're not the only ones going through some rough times right now.
We're looking forward to Easter as a powerful sign of hope and new life, and we continue to pray for God's blessings on our little girl.
Monday, March 30, 2009
A tough weekend
It's been almost a week since Emily was admitted to the Belmont Center. Ned took Sarah and Jack to visit Friday night, and Colleen took Matthew to visit on Saturday. (And she has had a few surprise visitors during the week as well!)
Emily is still getting three meals and three snacks per day, and during the week she is participating in individual and group sessions designed to help her cope with the anxiety that surrounds eating. Unfortunately, there is not much to do over the weekend, and Emily misses her home and her friends terribly.
This is an especially difficult time for Em... She has made progress with her eating, and wants to try at home again on her own, but her treatment team is not recommending that she leave yet. Please pray for Emily's strength to persevere with the program... Thanks!
Emily is still getting three meals and three snacks per day, and during the week she is participating in individual and group sessions designed to help her cope with the anxiety that surrounds eating. Unfortunately, there is not much to do over the weekend, and Emily misses her home and her friends terribly.
This is an especially difficult time for Em... She has made progress with her eating, and wants to try at home again on her own, but her treatment team is not recommending that she leave yet. Please pray for Emily's strength to persevere with the program... Thanks!
Thursday, March 26, 2009
The first few days
We talked with Emily today during a family therapy session, which will be a regular part of her treatment plan. She seems to be coping well, but after just two days at the center she says she's ready to come home! We'll be visiting Emily this weekend, and meeting with her care team next week.
Emily is working with lots of health care professionals during her stay, including doctors and nurses, a nutritionist, and individual and family therapists. She also interacts with other patients in group activities. She's one of seven or eight patients in the unit.
During these early days, Emily's physical health is being monitored very closely, and her meals are chosen for her (three full meals and three snacks per day). Since she's not a milk fan, she's getting pretty tired of yogurt -- at every meal! But until her weight gets up to a healthy level, she's been told that "food is medicine," and that taste is secondary.
How long will Emily be at the center? The short answer is "until she's ready to leave." When she is medically stable and she gains sufficient weight, she will be evaluated for release to a day program, such as outpatient treatment at the Hershey Medical Center not too far from our home. In the Hershey program, Emily should be able to attend her own high school in the morning, and then participate in program activities at the center in the afternoon and evening. But that may be a ways off...
Thanks, thanks and THANKS for all the well-wishes, offers of help, and especially the prayers. We will pass your thoughts on to Emily this weekend, and I will post an update here with news of her progress.
Emily is working with lots of health care professionals during her stay, including doctors and nurses, a nutritionist, and individual and family therapists. She also interacts with other patients in group activities. She's one of seven or eight patients in the unit.
During these early days, Emily's physical health is being monitored very closely, and her meals are chosen for her (three full meals and three snacks per day). Since she's not a milk fan, she's getting pretty tired of yogurt -- at every meal! But until her weight gets up to a healthy level, she's been told that "food is medicine," and that taste is secondary.
How long will Emily be at the center? The short answer is "until she's ready to leave." When she is medically stable and she gains sufficient weight, she will be evaluated for release to a day program, such as outpatient treatment at the Hershey Medical Center not too far from our home. In the Hershey program, Emily should be able to attend her own high school in the morning, and then participate in program activities at the center in the afternoon and evening. But that may be a ways off...
Thanks, thanks and THANKS for all the well-wishes, offers of help, and especially the prayers. We will pass your thoughts on to Emily this weekend, and I will post an update here with news of her progress.
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
A new path
Emily started on a new path today.
She began treatment for anorexia nervosa at Einstein's Belmont Center for Comprehensive Treatment in Philadelphia, PA. Emily entered the program willingly, saying that she wants to beat this eating disorder, and she wants lots of help to do it!
I talked with Emily before she went in about all of her family and friends who love and care about her... It's been very difficult for Emily to talk about her struggle over the past six months, so we agreed that I would start this blog to keep you all informed of her progress on her journey.
I will try to post updates every few days, including stories, comments, and any information that may help us all become more educated about this mysterious and scary disease. I will also pass on to Emily all the comments and well-wishes that you may want to add.
If you would like to write directly to Emily, I am sure she would love to receive your cards or letters at:
And if you believe in the power of prayer as we do, please add Emily to your prayers tonight!
She began treatment for anorexia nervosa at Einstein's Belmont Center for Comprehensive Treatment in Philadelphia, PA. Emily entered the program willingly, saying that she wants to beat this eating disorder, and she wants lots of help to do it!
I talked with Emily before she went in about all of her family and friends who love and care about her... It's been very difficult for Emily to talk about her struggle over the past six months, so we agreed that I would start this blog to keep you all informed of her progress on her journey.
I will try to post updates every few days, including stories, comments, and any information that may help us all become more educated about this mysterious and scary disease. I will also pass on to Emily all the comments and well-wishes that you may want to add.
If you would like to write directly to Emily, I am sure she would love to receive your cards or letters at:
Belmont Center for Comprehensive Treatment4200 Monument AvenueFloor 2-EastPhiladelphia, PA 19131Attention: Emily S.
And if you believe in the power of prayer as we do, please add Emily to your prayers tonight!
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