Family is Forever

Part 19- 3 meals, 3 snacks

'I'm scared' Ali whispered to Zosia. They were sat in Zosia's car outside Rosehill Clinic. 'I know kochanie, there's not anything I can say which will make you any less scared, except to reassure you that I'm here' Zosia leaned over to kiss her cousins cheek. They got out of the car and walked over to the door of the clinic. There was an intercom and Zosia pressed the button 'hello, who is it?' A voice came across. Zosia looked at Ali to answer, Ali shook her head so Zosia answered 'I'm here with Natalia, it's her first appointment.'  'Come in' the voice said and the door released.
Inside it looked like a normal small doctors waiting room. 'Hello' a Middle aged smily receptionist said. 'Can you please sign in,' she pointed at a visitor book. 'Do we both need to sign it?' Zosia asked. 'No you can sign in together.' Zosia signed them both in then went to sit on one of the chairs. There was a girl who must have been younger than 13 sat with her mum and a middle aged lady scrolling on her phone. Ali started to look through the magazines, country life and things like that. Nothing with models or anything like that on them, all, in Ali's brain boring!
'Natalia?' it was 10 minutes later and a small woman was calling her name. Ali reached her hand over to Zosia's and Zosia squeezed. 'That's me' Ali said barely audibly. And the women came over. 'I'm Natalia's cousin, shall I come too?' The woman introduced herself as Jane and led Zosia and Ali down the corridor to a small room. There were 4 big seats a set of scales and a height ruler on the wall. A tall women in her 20s was sat on one of the chairs, Jane sat next to her and told Zosia and Ali to take a seat. 'Hi Natalia,' Jane smiled. 'I am a clinician and this is Ruth, she's a dietician. I've got a letter from Dr Palmer and so I know what's been going on, we think the best thing to do for now would be set up a meal plan, but to start can you tell us what you have been eating this last week. 'I've been trying to get Natalia to eat some dinner, but I've been working the early shift so haven't been there at breakfast or lunch time, I haven't forced it as I was worried about re-feeding syndrome... I'm a doctor Cardio-thoracics.' Zosia explained. 'I have been eating breakfast and lunch' Ali smiled.
'Ok' Jane said, 'let's weigh you!'
'Do I have too...?' Ali asked while taking off her jacket and shoes ready to step on the scales. Jane looked at the number, 'Natalia, are you sure you've been eating, you've lost weight since the hospital' Jane asked
'I've really been trying, I'll peel a banana or tangerine but I just can't eat it, I don't know why, I just can't.its like my conscience telling me that I can't but louder and scarier. And I can pick up the food but just can't eat it, when Zosia's there, my conscience tells me she'll be disgusted by my eating but I know better than that. It's still so hard though.' Ali whispered
'Okay, so for starters, I don't think it's your conscience, that's the anorexia talking, I want you to be supervised when you eat your meals, can you eat at Zosia's workplace?' Jane asked 'Zosia would that be possible?'
'Well she could eat in the staff room, it's only a bus stop from our new house.' They continued to work out the logistics of Ali eating with Zosia, then started talking about meal plans. '3 meals, 3 snacks!' Ruth started to explain. And they started writing out a full meal plan. 'I won't be able to do that!' Ali looked at Zosia.
'Yes you will, we will, together!' Zosia smiled reassuringly at her younger cousin.