New Fighters in "Fellow Fighters" section

I FINALLY added some fellow bloggers that were really overdue for getting links on this blog. I don’t know how I could have NOT linked to PTC! I’ve been reading her for well over a year and LOVE her.

And, I’m finally getting caught up a bit on reading everyone’s blogs. I’m amazed at how much good work some of you are doing with therapists and on your own. I may have to revisit my old bad opinions about therapists as a whole. I can see how much many of you are growing from working with them.

I also can’t believe how many NEW blogs there are out there! I would need a whole week to check them all out and get to know the writers. I’ll try.

One last thing I've found: people are visiting and getting to know each other OFFline! That's absolutely amazing to see the real friendships and companionships that are blossoming from our blogs! It's beautiful.

If you would like a link on my blog, just send me an email or leave a note. I will only link to people who are ACTIVELY working to recover -either with a professional or by themselves. If you’re not taking any action to get better, I can’t with good faith link to you here. I support risk-taking, learning, growing, ACTION. Trying and failing miserably is good, too, as long as you keep picking yourself back up and trying again or trying something new.

Comments

[Palmtreechick]

Hey, thanks for the kind words. Hope you're well!

[lulu]

Michelle, thanks for the sweet words. I should also probably fess up here and be honest in that I think you are the reason I'm here in the first place - I was reading your blog long long ago way before I was even active in any sort of recovery, way before I was ready to acknowledge that I was doing anything other than "dieting." For me, you really are a pillar of this community, and while I usually only lurk here, I owe you endless gratitude for bringing me into the world of recovery for real.

love,
lulu

[Michelle Hope]

Oh, Lulu. Thank you so much for sharing that with me. Notes like yours are why I keep writing, keep searching, keep experimenting to help others toward recovery.

The community is much better off since you decided to participate as a blogger and active commenter.

Thank YOU!

With so much love,
Michelle

[Kalina Dolejsi]

Hey there! I'm a recovering bulimic, and I just would really like a link to your blog. Somehow, even though I binge ate all the time, I ended up losing weight (probably because I threw up so much, and would restrict afterwards). Anyway, I had been doing well for two months now-no throwing up or anything,
and just really listening to my body and eating until I felt satisfied.

But recently I went to a doctor and was told I have to gain weight (I was 5'0 and 88 pounds) because my heart-rate and pulse were really really low.

Now, I have gained some weight, but it hasn't been the healthy way-like I even know what that is. I don't quite binge eat to gain the weight, but I have been eating binge-type foods and overeating them.

I am now 91 pounds. The question is, the over-eating on purpose is really stressing me out because since I haven't been listening to my body after ignoring it and eating more, I'm afraid I won't be able to go back to eating normal and just being satisfied.

I've tried to stop the over-eating of more fat and sugary foods, but I just can't seem to. While it's not binge-eating, like I said...it just scares me. I'm not sure if I still need to gain weight now or not... I really enjoy your blog, and find it insightful and helpful. Is there anything I can do to help me get back to normal eating?

I'm also so confused. Part of me wants to think I am at an okay weight, but I just don't know..if I'm too low still or too high or what.

Whatever it is, I intend to keep working hard to get healthy. I just want to make sure I don't relapse right now. :)

[ae]

Hi Michelle,
Thank you for linking to me on your blog, and for all that implies (that you know I am actively working toward recovery, your acknowledgment of the multiple realms I'm working on it in--ED and sexual abuse).

Like Lulu, I believe I first found this community through your blog. In fact, I specifically remember, early in recovery, reading something where you said to "put your skinny jeans away for a while" (not a direct quote, so let's consider those air quotes!) and at the place I was at then, still very much concerned with the changes happening to my recovery-body and wondering whether I could go on (and feeling like going back was not an option), those words gave me renewed hope. NOT in eventual weight loss (though let's face it, I could still get sucked in by that), but rather in knowing SOMEONE ELSE had done this before. SOMEONE ELSE, someone OUT THERE, was saying this was REAL, this was POSSIBLE, this could happen, and she even could describe surviving some of the very things I was then experiencing! That someone, duh, was YOU.

Thank you for your honest account of your recovery. The blogging community has indescribably enhanced my journey, and I would like to believe that at some point, for even just one person, I will encourage them to choose LIFE like you did for me.

Sincerely, sincerely, with lots of gratitude,

ae

[Michelle Hope]

Oh, ae. You have no idea how much that comment means to me. You brought tears to my eyes. If I weren't at work right now, I would be bawling.

How could you have picked such a perfect time to share all that with me??

I promise you that your work in your blog will save someone. You have shared so much - in many ways, you've shared so much more than I have. You have the power to touch people in TWO communities and change lives with immense hope, creative ideas, inspiration, determination, and so much love.

You are such an important person in the world, ae. Even your fight is so important. I know you want it over right NOW. But, remember what you said to me above, and remember that each blog entry you write is another stepping stone, another lit candle lighting the way, another out-stretched hand, and even another hug for every single one of your readers. Your words will be out there for who knows how many people to follow. Don't forget that, ok?

With so much love and gratitude to YOU,
Michelle

[ae]

Cheers for good timing then! I'm glad we could offer well-timed support to each other. It IS true, isn't it, that each post along the way is like a lit candle, a breadcrumb, a rest stop on the journey. That's a really important way of looking at it. Because all too often, actually almost always, what you hear is: I was sick, I recovered, now I am well--and this boiling down of recovery to a succinct step minimizes how long and arduous it feels when you're in it.

Thanks for framing it like that.

Have a lovely holiday weekend--stay well.

with love,
ae