Sickened: The Memoir of a Munchausen by Proxy Childhood (Hardcover)

~ (Author), Marc D. Feldman (Author) "THE PART I HATED most was the shaving..." (more)
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Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

The first of its kind, this compelling memoir recounts the story of a childhood affected by Munchausen by proxy disease, a.k.a. MBP, a psychological disorder in which caretakers, usually themselves the victims of traumatic abuse, "make an otherwise healthy child sick" as a way of gaining attention and approval. Set in towns of rural obscurity, Gregory's memoir movingly describes how, as a "sick" child, she believed that her constant feelings of exhaustion and lethargy were caused by some illness in herself rather than by her mother's complicated and abusive rituals. When her mother feeds her handfuls of pills, withholds food or instructs her to "act sick," Gregory does as she is told because she wants to please her. Then, undernourished and doped up on drugs for problems that don't exist, Gregory is dragged from hospital to hospital in search of "answers." Interspersed throughout Gregory's narrative are real medical records that show the efforts of dozens of doctors, procedures and surgeries to "heal" her, efforts which instead become the source of new illnesses. Not until adulthood, when she hears a professor describe MPB during a lecture, does Gregory realize what the real problem is. Gregory's impressive and disturbing memoir uncovers the truths of this elusive and disturbing form of child abuse that is often overlooked and misdiagnosed. 22 pages of b&w white photos.
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

Adult/High School-Gregory's childhood was marred by a particularly insidious form of child abuse. Her mother used a combination of malnutrition, overwork, and prescription drugs to keep the girl in a perpetual state of ill health. They spent their spare time visiting pediatricians and heart specialists, with her mother ratcheting up the symptoms and possible cures, even begging a doctor to perform open-heart surgery. Ironically, when Gregory did need medical care after breaking a wrist, she was ignored for hours by her mother, who insisted that the injury might just be a sprain, even though the bone was poking out from the skin. It was not until the young woman moved away from their isolated family home and attended college that she was able to piece together the events of her childhood and move forward with her own life. She relays her story not as a victim but as a strong survivor. Her narrative style maintains the child's inner voice, necessary to help readers remember that she was too young to realize that she wasn't really sick. By the time she began to grow suspicious, she had a lengthy paper trail of symptoms that kept the medical profession convinced that she really was sick, despite her growing protests. The author currently serves as an advocate for other Munchausen survivors. As well as being a fascinating read, this book could give others in similar situations a lifeline back to health.-Jamie Watson, Enoch Pratt Free Library, Baltimore
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Product Details

• Hardcover: 256 pages
• Publisher: Bantam (September 30, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0553803077
• ISBN-13: 978-0553803075
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.5 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (71 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #423,418 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

21 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars WOW, October 14, 2003

By	alwaysthecritic "duh" (nyc, usa) - See all my reviews

Once I started reading this book I couldn't put it down. The story is very compelling in itself, but Julie Gregory is also an excellent and occasionally hilarious writer. It did remind me of Augusten Burrough's work in the way she described the people around her with a child's blunt, uncompromising perspective. It breaks your heart that a child this perceptive and aware would have to endure what she did. Her mother has to be one of the scariest parents alive, but Julie opens the book with some hair-raising scenes from her mother's own adolescence so you can see that her cruelly bizarre behavior didn't just spring from a vacuum. Overall this is a fascinating and beautifully poetic read about twisted family dynamics and how the author carved out her own path to sanity.

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Sickened, October 19, 2003

By	J. Essad (Oakland Twp., MI) - See all my reviews

This is definately a five star book, it is outstanding. After reading page one, I could not put the book down. The author does a great job of taking the reader into her life as she lived it.

I highly recommend reading this book. I believe this to be one of the best non-fiction books I have ever read.

19 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Unbelievable !, November 20, 2003

By	L. Bouchard "llbouchard" (Maine, USA) - See all my reviews

After having seen Julie interviewed on television, I was immediately drawn to her story. I cannot believe the extent of her abuse and how she somehow managed physically and emotionally to overcome it and be the survivor she is today! Her story is something I will never forget and was written very well. The story is heartwrenching and brought me to tears several times. A horrific story, but a great read!