This past weekend, Emelia went to prom. Exactly one year ago today, that very same dress hung in the corner of her room as she packed her things to check-in to a treatment facility the next day. I remember how absolutely crushed she was that she wouldn’t be able to wear it that year…and I remember how terrified I was that she would never be able to. Fast forward to 4/13/24, and my throat closed off a lot quicker than sappy-mom-normal when she came down the stairs. Very same dress. Very different girl.   

While there’s no successful surgery or scan to give Emelia the all clear, she’s been considered as in the “maintenance phase” of recovery for the last few months. She still attends regular dietician, therapy, and doctor’s appointments, but now they are monthly instead of weekly.  Great news, right? Right! I should stop right here because I don’t want to diminish the progress Emelia has made. But the reality is, approximately 33% (!!) of people with an eating disorder (ED) ultimately die from it. Another 33% struggle, pretty heavily, the rest of their lives. The final 33% are able to quiet their ED, but (except for very few) it’s never completely silent. And to top it all off, the relapse rate for those with anorexia nervosa that have completed treatment is crazy high.

Long story short, these facts haunt me and Emelia has a bumpy road ahead of her, no matter how you spin it. But if you see her out and about, give her a hug or a high five and tell her how awesome she is. Or tell her how proud of her you are for putting up one heck of fight to get this far - I know I am.

There’s no bell hanging outside of her doctor’s office that she can ring to celebrate how far she’s come. But even there was, I know that ‘ding ding’ can’t prevent her ED from roaring back any more than it can guarantee cancer-free screens for life for those who ring it after finishing their last chemo treatment. But, for now, she has more good days than bad. For now, she’s winning the war. So, for now…I’m gonna ring the damn bell. DING DING!!