Luna's fight with Anorexia Nervosa (true story)

6

April 2010, 12 years old
POV Riley (Luna's friend)

It's weird not seeing Luna everyday anymore. Hockey and school, we are always together and now suddenly not anymore. When Maria called to tell me Luna was in the hospital with an eating disorder, I didn't believe it at first. Maria said that in the last days before she was hospitalized, she stopped eating and drinking at all.

How is that possible? How can you decide not to eat anything while you're growing and playing hockey 4 times a week. I'm always hungry, I could eat all day. How did she do that? I feel guilty for not seeing it coming. All that bread with super delicious toppings that she brought to school and which we ate because she didn't want them.

Now it makes sense. Luna who never went with us to buy donuts or fries. Luna never eating candy, Luna handing out her bread because she was supposedly not hungry. I'm walking with mom through the long hospital hallways to the ward where Luna is.

She waves happily as soon as she sees me. There's a tube in her nose. I'm trying not to look at it. 'Hey Riley.' She starts talking right away. 'Do you guys miss me already? Who are you playing against on Saturday?' The entire visiting hour I talk about hockey and school. She doesn't say anything about her illness and I don't dare to ask anything. She clearly doesn't want to talk about it.

'When are you coming back?' When I leave, I ask the question that bothers me the most. 'I don't know. I have to be in therapy daily first. That's what they call day treatment. Really dumb.' Her face is angry. I know this look and ask no further.

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May 2010, 12 years old
POV Robert

I'm walking with the dog through the park near our house. A few more days, maybe a week and my mother will be gone. Since I know she will pass away, I visit her as much as I can. But I'm also needed at home. Luna's hospitalization in April, the treatment that is being started now, everything takes energy.

We've been told that it is important to accompany Luna when eating. She has an eating list that tells her what to eat. Meals and snacks, everything is on there. The guideline is to be allowed half an hour over an eating moment. And so we sit next to her for half an hour 6 times a day to encourage her to eat.

Luna goes to day treatment everyday now. Maria and I understand that it is necessary. Luna herself thinks it's nonsense, after 2 weeks in the hospital her weight was at a level that it was no longer dangerous and she was allowed to go home. She's not enjoying day treatment. The other girls at day treatment are all nice to her but a lot older, outside of therapy hours they hang out and watch tv and talk about things that Luna doesn't care about.

Now I know that anorexia is a serious disease, that 50 percent of the girls who get anorexia can get cured completely, about 30 percent keep having some struggles in their life and about 20 percent of patients remain chronically ill with anorexia. Some of the chronically ill die from the disease. I read that anorexia is the most deadly psychiatric condition that exists.

Still, I'm not inclined to think of the worst right away, we assume Luna will overcome her anorexia. The doctors assure us that it is an advantage that she is so young. Physically it's more dangerous than older patients because they are still growing, but the chance of recovering is much higher. I'm holding onto that.

I try not to think about the science that a part of the anorexia patients do not survive the disease. Luna is a strong girl, puberty is definitely playing tricks with her. It's going to be okay, even though we're going through a difficult time right now.

That's also what I told my mother. That it is a difficult time now, but it's going to be okay. I hope that I reassured her with that. I don't want her to die worrying about who she leaves behind.