Status
Available
Call number
Collections
Publication
Arrow (2011), 320 pages
Description
The author describes growing up as the victim of Munchausen by proxy, a form of child abuse in which her mother invented or caused a series of illnesses and ailments, and her struggle to escape her mother's problems to rebuild her life. A young girl is perched on the cold chrome of yet another doctor's examining table, missing yet another day of school. Just twelve, she is tall, skinny, and weak. It is four o'clock, and she hasn't been allowed to eat anything all day. Her mother, on the other hand, seems curiously excited. She's about to suggest open-heart surgery on her child to "get to the bottom of this." She checks her teeth for lipstick and, as the doctor enters, shoots the girl a warning glance. This child will not ruin her plans. From early childhood, the author was continually X-rayed, medicated, and operated on, in the vain pursuit of an illness that was created in her mother's mind. Munchausen by proxy (MBP) is the world's most hidden and dangerous form of child abuse, in which the caretaker, almost always the mother, invents or induces symptoms in her child because she craves the attention of medical professionals. Many MBP children die, but the author not only survived, she escaped the powerful orbit of her mother's madness and rebuilt her identity as a vibrant, healthy young woman. This is a remarkable memoir that speaks in an original and distinctive Midwestern voice, rising to indelible scenes in prose of scathing beauty and fierce humor. Punctuated with her actual medical records, it re-creates the bizarre cocoon of her family's isolated double-wide trailer, their wild shopping sprees and gun-waving confrontations, the astonishing naivete of medical professionals and social workers. It also exposes the twisted bonds of terror and love that roped her family together, including the love that made a child willing to sacrifice herself to win her mother's happiness. The realization that the sickness lay in her mother, not in herself, would not come to her until adulthood. But when it did, it would strike like lightning. Through her painful metamorphosis, she discovered the courage to save her own life, and, ultimately, the life of the girl her mother had found to replace her. This memoir takes us to new places in the human heart and spirit. It is an unforgettable story, unforgettably told.… (more)
User reviews
LibraryThing member bdopkins
This book was one of those life-changing moments for me. I recongnized so much, sometimes verbatim, in her descriptions of being raised by abusive and mentally ill parents. I feel sane for the first time. I am soo grateful. I needed this.
LibraryThing member jopearson56
Heartbreaking story. Munchausen by proxy (MBP) is the world's most hidden and dangerous form of child abuse, in which the caretaker--almost always the mother--invents or induces symptoms in her child because she craves the attention of medical professionals. That's a pretty cold description. The
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author of this book was the victim of MBP and her tale is difficult to read at times. As you do, though, you begin to realize the vise in which these children are held, how helpless they are, how they naturally believe that their parent is only trying to do what's best, if mom says I'm sick than I must be sick. This mother was particularly horrible, abusing the father and essentially forcing HIM to physically abuse the children, just frightful episodes. How kids survive this sort of life is beyond my comprehension, and I know many don't. How professionals can't recognizes these symptoms is really even harder to understand. Show Less
LibraryThing member coolmama
Read during my recent wave of memoirs.
Julie's autobiography of her mother's MSBP is riviting, but the writing is just not as captivating as it could have been. I had a lot of unanswered questions at the end: did her brother experience the same thing, why did no doctor question her malnutrition, why
Julie's autobiography of her mother's MSBP is riviting, but the writing is just not as captivating as it could have been. I had a lot of unanswered questions at the end: did her brother experience the same thing, why did no doctor question her malnutrition, why
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did she not seek help elsewhere. I am in no way blaming a 14 yr old girl, and clearly her family was quite ill on many levels. I would also like to have heard more about her recover. Show Less
LibraryThing member dmorrison
What a story. I was absolutely amazed at what she went through. So grateful for her to share her story. Very worth your time to read.
LibraryThing member goldiebear
I finished this book in a day and half. It was fascinating. Granted the writing style was pretty simple but also eloquent. I was amazed by the story. I love memoirs and this was no different. I just grimaced when Julie described some of the procedures she had to go through. I find it hard to
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believe that someone could do these things to their child. I wanted to cry when Julie went back after recovering only to find out her mom was doing it again to new children. I recently logged on to Julie Gregory's website searching for an update on the case against her mother, but was disappointed when there was nothing there. But in the end I found the book a very satisfying read. Show Less
LibraryThing member ladybug74
The first part of this book was very interesting, though a bit disturbing. The part where Julie's mother took her in for an unnecessary heart catheterization and later tried to insist on open heart surgery sent chills up my spine. I cringe at the thought of my child having surgery, so it's so hard
I would like to think that doctors today would be more educated about mental disorders and would call Child & Family Services to investigate this family. I am a social worker and can say from experience that this does not always happen. Though there is more information out there today about various types of mental illness, there are still so many doctors and other professionals who would rather just "pass the buck" because this is not their area of specialty.
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to imagine a mother doing this to her own daughter. After Julie separated from her mother toward the end and began her own downward spiral, the book became much less interesting. Even when she saw her mother again near the end, it wasn't as interesting as the first part of the book. I would like to think that doctors today would be more educated about mental disorders and would call Child & Family Services to investigate this family. I am a social worker and can say from experience that this does not always happen. Though there is more information out there today about various types of mental illness, there are still so many doctors and other professionals who would rather just "pass the buck" because this is not their area of specialty.
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LibraryThing member wyvernfriend
Interesting story of a girl whose mother puts her through a lot of torture because she's suffering from Munchausen's by Proxy. It's scary how easily her mother continued to persecute her through time and how no-one really noticed that it was happening.
Interesting read, scary stuff, of interest to
Interesting read, scary stuff, of interest to
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those who enjoy tales of childhood suffering. Show Less
LibraryThing member quoting_mungo
I am very fascinated by psychology in general, and mental problems in particular, so this is a kind of book that I keep coming back to.
Julie tells the story about how her mother, throughout her childhood, manipulated both her and the doctors, starving and abusing her in order to make the stories
If you are at all interested in this kind of look into a sick life, I highly reccomend this book, as it is a very engaging read.
Julie tells the story about how her mother, throughout her childhood, manipulated both her and the doctors, starving and abusing her in order to make the stories
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she told to the doctors more real. The narrative is very engaging, complemented by photographs and bits and pieces of Julie's own medical records from the specialists she went to during the years when her mother had her believe that she was deathly ill, when their shared mantra was that they'd "get to the bottom of this". If you are at all interested in this kind of look into a sick life, I highly reccomend this book, as it is a very engaging read.
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LibraryThing member JanaRose1
A heartbreaking, but provocative memoir, "Sickened: The True Story of a Lost Childhood," by Julie Gregory brings to life a little known disease, Munchausen's-By-Proxy (MBP). With chilling details, Julie outlines the abuse she suffered at the hands of her mother and her struggle to become her own
A consummate actress, Sandy, Julie's mother, reads through countless medical encyclopedias as she invents symptoms and conditions for her daughter. Instructing her to "act sick" for the doctor, ignoring broken limbs and subjecting her to needless procedures is only a few of the horrors Julie encountered. Denied help time and time again by a multitude of doctors, counselors and case workers, Julie's story shows the reader the helplessness and despair of MBP.
Although well written, the book alternates between vivid details and too little information. What were the little white pills Sandy fed Julie? Why was Julie fed matchsticks and how did they affect her? What happened to Grandma Madge or Julie's two siblings who died shortly after birth? Where is Charlie now, and the foster children who grew up under Sandy's care? Further, the book fails to give the reader a true conclusion, leaving the reader wanting to know more.
Overall, I would recommend this book to anyone interested in learning more about MBP and its particular form of child abuse.
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person.A consummate actress, Sandy, Julie's mother, reads through countless medical encyclopedias as she invents symptoms and conditions for her daughter. Instructing her to "act sick" for the doctor, ignoring broken limbs and subjecting her to needless procedures is only a few of the horrors Julie encountered. Denied help time and time again by a multitude of doctors, counselors and case workers, Julie's story shows the reader the helplessness and despair of MBP.
Although well written, the book alternates between vivid details and too little information. What were the little white pills Sandy fed Julie? Why was Julie fed matchsticks and how did they affect her? What happened to Grandma Madge or Julie's two siblings who died shortly after birth? Where is Charlie now, and the foster children who grew up under Sandy's care? Further, the book fails to give the reader a true conclusion, leaving the reader wanting to know more.
Overall, I would recommend this book to anyone interested in learning more about MBP and its particular form of child abuse.
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LibraryThing member seldombites
The life this poor girl led was sad and tragic. No child should have to go through what she and others have. It is a testimony to her strength that she managed to get through it and come out the other end. The writing style in this memoir is average but the story more than makes up for it.
LibraryThing member kewpie
This is the memoir of a girl whose mother starved her and sent her to doctors for an imagined illness. She suffered through enemas, catheters, and even surgery to satisfy her mother’s mental illness. What’s really sad about the book, is that by the time Julie is an adult, she believes that she
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actually is as sick as her mother made her pretend to be. This is not only a story of Munchausen-by-proxy. Show Less
LibraryThing member abbylibrarian
Julie Gregory grew up in an abusive household. Her mother had Munchausen by Proxy, a mental disorder that causes someone to seek attention by inflicting medical symptoms on a dependent. Throughout her childhood, Julie was told that she was sick. She was starved, beaten, and taken out of school for
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doctor's visits and hospital stays. Her mother insisted that every possible test be done (including invasive ones), in order to "get to the bottom of this". Julie was punished if she didn't go along with the symptoms her mother told the doctors she had. This is Julie's story of her childhood and how she finally broke free. Show Less
LibraryThing member SugarCreekRanch
This is a very uncomfortable book to read. Author Julie Gregory's childhood was abusive on many, many levels. The Munchausen situation is really only one facet of her terrible childhood, and wasn't explored as much as I'd hoped. But it is still a very powerful story.
LibraryThing member BinnieBee
This book was absolutely sickening, but only because of the subject matter. The writing of it, the drama of it, the horror of it all kept me up into the night reading it!
LibraryThing member LivelyLady
Reminds me of THE GLASS CASTLE in that the author has been able to separate from the shambles of her life, but yet define what it was and what went wrong. It is the first book I have read of "an insider's view" of Manchausen by Proxy. Powerful and sad!
LibraryThing member Suso711
So, I guess this book was OK, but all I can remember 3 years later is how she referred to "sweaters on her teeth" way too many times.
LibraryThing member mandolin
Dark look at the child abuse and neglect that the author endured at the hands of her parents, in particular her mother. A chilling account of how children can easily slip through the cracks of child services and how abusers can continue to be allowed access to these children.
LibraryThing member TheDivineOomba
This is a memoir of a daughter who survived her attention seeking mother with Munchhausen by Proxy. Its written in a dry straight to the point. Its a horrible story, but there is hope in this story, even at the bottom. Its a quick read, and grabs your attention from page one. I think the most
I don't know how Julie's story relates to other children that are victims of Munchhausen by Proxy parents so I can't say if this is a usual case or not. The abuse that Julie, her brother, foster kids, and WWII vets face is unbelievable. My last thought on this book, I would really love to know what happened to Tina - Julie's Stepsister that her mom adopted (well took in).
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horrendous part of this is how no one believed her when she finally someone what was happening.I don't know how Julie's story relates to other children that are victims of Munchhausen by Proxy parents so I can't say if this is a usual case or not. The abuse that Julie, her brother, foster kids, and WWII vets face is unbelievable. My last thought on this book, I would really love to know what happened to Tina - Julie's Stepsister that her mom adopted (well took in).
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LibraryThing member justablondemoment
A very thought provoking book on a look at a very misunderstood form of child abuse Munchausen by Proxy Syndrome. Author did an excellent job re-telling her history in a way that wasn't so clinical that you got bored and left the story due to disinterest. Thumbs up to her for being so brave .
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Doctors, teachers and social workers ANYONE who deals with children in a professional capacity need to learn all they can about this Syndrome as it is real and so hard to grasp when it is going on. This would be an excellent teaching book for all in that category. Show Less
LibraryThing member TFS93
The descriptions in this book make you feel like you are alongside the author as she was experiencing all these things. If the descriptions don't grab your heart, I don't know what will? This book was very informative in that I felt I "understood" why the author did what she did and why her mother
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did what she did, although there was no excuse for it. Obviously her mother had some mental illness in her family, I wonder if the author's life would have turned out differently if her mother had gotten the help that she needed. Show Less
LibraryThing member AngelaLaughing
I dislike this book but I hesitate to criticize it too severely because it is not a novel--it is someone's personal story. The writing was decent, certainly, and Julie Gregory's story is fascinating. But I felt that this memoir broke some of the rules of transcendence--transcendence that readers of
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memoirs have come to expect. Along with the perceived abuse Gregory suffered at the hands of her parents--I won't defend or dispute that here--there is a nasty tone of vengefulness. The author goes to great length to convince her readers of her parents' terrible taste in decor, food, makeup, clothing, furniture, architecture, diction, and style in general. One gets the impression that Julie Gregory was psychologically battered, certainly, but even worse: she was subjected to sugary cereals and yellow plastic doorknobs. I wasn't convinced that the author was healthfully reaching out to fellow sufferers but that she was seeking a kind of revenge on her parents by revealing what "hillbillies" they are. Show Less
LibraryThing member tealightful
I was so disappointed by this book that I almost stopped reading it. The author is not a good writer, at all. It was full of metaphors and cliches and hardly any actual Munchausen by Proxy information or stories. It's a very misleading title and blurb.
Don't get me wrong, this woman had a terrible
I wished this book had been more solely focused on what its title implies. I don't doubt she suffered MBP - just I wish that she had actually written about it in more detail. Or, titled her memoir differently.
Eminem summed up MBP better than she did:
My whole life I was made to believe I was sick when I wasn't/
'Til I grew up, now I blew up/
It makes you sick to your stomach, doesn't it?
That in combination with just skimming through the photos page of this book (which has captions that are just snippets from the book) could save you a lot of time.
Don't get me wrong, this woman had a terrible
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life with extremely abusive parents. But, she did a very poor job of writing about MBP. There's just scant traces of vague hints/suspicions in a few chapters of the book, interspersed into the truly awful home life she lived suffering very real physical and mental abuse. I wished this book had been more solely focused on what its title implies. I don't doubt she suffered MBP - just I wish that she had actually written about it in more detail. Or, titled her memoir differently.
Eminem summed up MBP better than she did:
My whole life I was made to believe I was sick when I wasn't/
'Til I grew up, now I blew up/
It makes you sick to your stomach, doesn't it?
That in combination with just skimming through the photos page of this book (which has captions that are just snippets from the book) could save you a lot of time.
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LibraryThing member IntrinsiclyMe
I inhaled this book, it's horrifying and fascinating. The alter reality that is ingrained in some people makes shudder.
LibraryThing member bookwormteri
What an absolutely horrible way to grow up. This book was so scary and horrifying. Even today, this would be so hard to diagnose, who doesn't want to help a sick child get better? But to the point of wanting open heart surgery to heal something that isn't broken? Disgusting. The only thing I wonder
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about is that at the end of the book, she says she is suing her mom. I got curious and went to her website to see how that turned out......no mention of a court case, no mention of any of that. There was so little on her website that I kind of wondered if any of the book was true. Even if it's not, I wasn't able to put it down. Show Less
LibraryThing member ecataldi
A powerful memoir about a young woman's messed childhood dealing with Munchausen by Proxy (MPB) at the hands of her mother. Prior to this book I had never heard of MPB, but after reading this sordid tell all, I definitely have a grasp for how horrible it is. Basically a parent or other figure
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convinces you that our sick and you need to go to doctor to doctor to find out what is wrong with you. Unnecessary tests, surgeries, and being forced to lie to doctors is just the tip of the ice berg. Her parents were also mean, abusive, belligerent, and uncaring. It's a horrifying book reminiscent of "A Child Called It." It's eye opening and I hope to God, that Julie Gregory is able to move on with her life for good. Soo much trauma, I can't even imagine. Show Less
Awards
Eliot Rosewater Indiana High School Book Award (Nominee — 2007)
Lincoln Award: Illinois Teen Readers' Choice Award (Nominee — 2007)
The Flume: NH Teen Reader's Choice Award (Nominee — 2006)
Language
Original language
English
Original publication date
2003
Physical description
320 p.; 4.96 inches
ISBN
0099557622 / 9780099557623
Similar in this library
DDC/MDS
| 616.85822390092 |