Gregory Julie: Mom made me sick

from Original title: TSickened: The Memoir of a Munchausen by Proxy Childhood Author: Gregory Julie Year of first publication: 2003 Medical topic: Munchausen syndrome by proxy Baron Karl von Munchhausen was an 18th-century officer and traveler who became famous for his fantastical tales from his expeditions. The term "Munchausen syndrome" was introduced in 1951 by a British physician. It describes individuals who feign or induce symptoms in themselves to obtain help and sympathy and to control other people. Proxy Münchhausen syndrome refers to a situation where the afflicted person induces false symptoms in another person, who serves as the "proxy." Most often, the afflicted person is a mother inducing symptoms in her child. It is estimated that in Poland, approximately 3 out of every 100,000 children suffer from Münchausen syndrome by proxy; however, many cases may remain undiagnosed. Studies show that in many cases, even if the disorder is diagnosed in an adult, it turns out that the child who is currently their “proxy” is already another victim. Among the cases presented on the website, there were also instances where the final diagnosis was “Munchausen syndrome” or “Munchausen syndrome by proxy.” The reader has a unique opportunity to understand what the caregiver’s illness looks like, as seen through the eyes of the abused child. The book is the diary of a girl whose mother suffered from Münchausen syndrome by proxy. For many years, the author’s mother invented new symptoms in her and convinced both doctors and her daughter that she suffered from a whole range of illnesses. She suspected food allergies, heart and urinary tract defects, migraines, and many other possible illnesses. The girl—malnourished, paradoxically neglected, and abused in other ways—was forced to undergo various, often invasive diagnostic procedures and was stuffed with unnecessary medications. The author’s mother even urged doctors to perform open-heart surgery on the child, which was supposed to allow for the diagnosis of her hidden defect. After many years, Julie herself came to believe that she was sickly and would most likely not live past twenty. Writing the book was a form of therapy for her, a way to come to terms with the past. It turns out that even after separating from her mother, starting a healthy, normal life free from the belief in her own infirmity is not so simple. We follow how the protagonist embarks on a path leading to a balance she has never before experienced in her life.