Sicked: The True Story of a Lost Childhood

Sicked The True Story of a Lost ChildhoodSickened by Julie GregoryOh, God, Je considerablyy, you ar burning up, just burning up. I better c either the squad. nan is serious, her face etched in worry and hovering inches from mine. Her fingers spread my eyelids apart, musical noteing for signs that she flowerpot report to the infirmary. maybe I am sense of smelling something in my tummy. Maybe I do have a fever. What does it feel like, Grandma? Am I mold, Grandma? (18).This passage hints that early on Julie was abused by non only her beat, scarcely her grandmother as well. Grandma brim had given Julie a piece of candy and then disposed Julie that she was sick. From the line, What does it feel like, Grandma? the ratifier gathers that Julie does not k directly how she feels and only begins to feel sick after being told she is sick. Although Julie is only three, the event this passage describes is the beginning of her abuse. aft(prenominal) reading this passage, I began to wo nder if MBP was genetic. Julies grandmother displayed the same behaviors as did Julies mother. I also wondered if Julies mothers behaviors were initially in result to Grandma Marge verbalize her that Julie was sick. The similarities between Julies mother and grandmother means that MBP is either genetic or can be observed and repeated. However, later in the memoir, Julie proves that she will not follow her mothers behaviors and treat her children that way.I look between both of them. What is a headache, exactly? Is it when my eyes lose? Is it when Im dizzy on the bus? Im nerve-wracking to guess, hoping its the right answer, (26).This passage represents the struggles Julie must face at from each one doctors troth in an effort to please her mother. Here, Julie does not even earn what a headache is. through verboten her score, she sights various occasions in which she does not understand what the doctors or her mother say. When Julie says she is trying to answer correctly, she m ust guess at what her mother fatalitys to hear. Julie lies to doctors so her mother will not rag upset. I can not imagine having to lie virtually my health and the fright Julie faces. If Julie discovers the truth, her mother may return infrastructure yelling at her father. If Julie lies about her symptoms, she will be forced on medical specialty she does not collect which could educate her ill. Julie is an innocent missy, and this passage causes the referee to empathize with Julie and wish to crack her hand and help her.And Mom was always on the lookout for severeness to animals. If we were driving along the highway and there was a black codswallop bag puffed up and knotted at the top, full of fling some wizd thrown out their window, shed pull over and have me rove out and check to make sure it wasnt full of kittens, (58).This passage is ironic because flaxen is against animal cruelty, scarcely does not realize how she abuses her own daughter. Sandy feels she need s to do for everything and make it well and healthy. With the animals, she would take them into her home, such as the farm dogs, and feed them. However, she would abuse them by breeding and selling their puppies for duplication money. With Julie, Sandy would inflict symptoms of illnesses on her in order to take her to the hospital or doctors office and make her better. The irony of the stead is that Sandy does not realize her illness and continues to inflict pain on others, whether it is Julie, animals, or her incoming step children.I pride myself on how little space I take up. I am button to shrink and shrink until I am a dry fall leaf, complete with a explicit spine and brittle veins, blowing away in a stiff wind, up, up, up into a crisp blue sky, (63).This passage explains the emotional toll Julie has suffered from her mothers abuse. Julie wants to go into the sky and not be alive. I cannot imagine a girl at about the age of twelve wishing not to be alive. The imagery used in the passage is beautiful as well. Julie realizes how wobbly she is with brittle veins and a tiny body, yet she takes pride in it. I wonder if she takes pride in being small because then her mother can keep pretending she is sick or because the thinner she gets the close together(predicate) to disappearing. This passage is Julie speaking of not only her physical state but her mental state as a result of her mothers abuse.Lets get one thing straight, Sandy. He growls low. Youre going to leave Daniel Joseph Gregory the Second alone from now on. Thats my boy in there, he cracks her wrist against the counter like agitate candy, her cry twists my stomach, and my boys just fine, (78).This passage is important because it reveals that Julies dad knows that Sandy is annoyance his daughter. I hypothesize that he realizes that it is too late to help Julie, but he still has a chance to uphold Danny. Although Dan Sr. is an militant father who often appears not to care about his childre n, I think by standing up for Dannys health he proves that he does care about his children as do all fathers. However, I think Dan walloping Sandy will not stop her from abusing Danny. She has a disease that she cannot control, and all Dan really is doing is scaring Julie with her mothers screams and harming Sandy.At last, Ill just take one medication that will fix everything. Ill have friends, be in sports, go to movies. Momll be happy she wont have to stay at home or clean up after old men or foster kids. And Ill be a real kid and not miss school anymore, (98).This passage discusses Julies ruling when she hears that the doctors finally know what is incorrect with her. The passage reveals that Julie is far from numb of her illness and her mother. She says that she wants her mother to be happy. Throughout each doctor visit, Julie pretends to have symptoms in order for her mother to be happy. She must lie and suffer. Julie loves her mother because she does not realize the abuse sh e is receiving she is so convinced that she is ill. Julie dreams of being normal, being able to do well in school and have friends. I pity her for not being allowed a real childhood because her mother is ill. Julie does not deserve it. This passage is cheek breaking as well, because the lector knows that the treatment will not save Julie, and Julies believe will be crushed.Well, honey, I just cant chat my little girl go out there in a bathing suit and get laughed at. You got no tits, no hips, no ass, Sissy. You look terrible in a bathing suit. Kids are cruel, sweetie, theyll just make fun of you, (154).This passage characterizes Julies father as loving yet harsh. Dan does not want Julie to be embarrassed and laughed at, however does not know how to riposte the message. He harshly criticizes her body, which cannot help Julies self esteem. I found the situation ironic as well. At commencement ceremony, when Dan took Julie into the bedroom, I thought he was going to molest her. L ater, once Julie has a new job set up at the hospital, I think that maybe Dan was trying to help Julie get out. At the hospital, Julie was offered counseling and help. Throughout Julies story, the character of her father troubles me because he seems to want to help Julie yet is easily manipulated by Sandy.I look in the largest mirror. Shes a natural beauty. Im a sickened beauty. Im beautiful, but with an inch-thick layer of sick natural covering me, (201).This passage is Julies revelation and the beginning to her rebuilding. Julie realizes what she really looks like and how sick she is. She no longer prides her self in her lack of space. Julie sees that she is beautiful just hurt from the abuse of her mother. The house of mirrors will help Julie see herself become stronger and healthy. Julie is on her way to becoming a self sufficient woman and in conclusion be able to confront her mother about the pain she caused her. allow AnalysisMunchausen by proxy may be the single just abou t complexand lethalform of maltreatment known today, (v). Julie Gregorys memoir, Sickened is a heart-wrenching story of a child affected by Munchausen by proxy and the insidious abuse she receives. Gregory does a spectacular job pulling an emotional response from the reader while granting the reader a complete correspondence of MBP.With each paragraph and each situation Julie faces, the reader is more engaged into Julies character. Sickened is a true story, therefore the reader is more connected with the story. Through first person narrative, the reader gains Julies thoughts about her illnesses and understands how Julie is trained to believe she is sick, even when she is not. Julies feeling of scatty to please her mother and taking migraine medicine causes the reader to want to come into Julies life and save her. For example, when Julie is going to court to extract charges against her parents, Julies father convinces her that she is being tricked and her parents are the ones pre ssing charges on Julie. One wants to tell Julie that he is lying, but Julie believes him and does not testify. When Julie finds the truth out, the reader wants to reach out and hug her. Julie is always so alone and leaves the reader helpless wanting to erase the pain Julie suffers.The doctor visits and recollections of her daily family life supply the reader with an understanding of how MBP affects the child and how the mother acts with MBP. Julies mother takes her to various doctors trying to convince each that Julie has a serious illness. Julie is often confused not understanding why she must be shaved or what a headache is. MBP is a terrible form of abuse which convinces children they are ill and leaves children unwitting of how to take care of themselves. When Julie leaves home, she only knows to eat cake batter. Gregory retells her story proviso the reader with an appreciation of her strength and an understanding of MBP and the torture of Julies childhood.Sickened is a well w ritten memoir which any reader would enjoy reading. The emotional responses from the reader cause the reader to continue to read Julies story in hope that she may get help and escape her mother. After finishing Sickened, delivery of Julies journey sink into ones head and the power of the story sets in. MBP is a sizeable disorder and living with it creates a powerful story which all should hear.