After reading a review elsewhere I decided to buy this book, unfortunately I wasn't as impressed with the book as the other reviewer.
The book is a true story that follows the life of Julie Gregory, who lives with her parents and eventually her little brother Danny. From a very early age Julie ... Read review
A young girl is perched on the cold chrome of yet another doctor's examining table ... more
missing yet another day of school. Just twelve she's tall skinny and weak. It's four o'clock and she hasn't been allowed to eat anything all day. Her mother on the...
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The massive Top Ten bestseller - now in paperback. From early childhood, Julie Gregory was ... more
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, but Julie Gregory not only survived, she escaped the powerful orbit of her mother's madness and rebuilt her identity as a vibrant, healthy young woman.
Advantages: Gives an insight to a child's mind Disadvantages: Doesn't explain how Münchhausen affects the adult.
After reading a review elsewhere I decided to buy this book, unfortunately I wasn't as impressed with the book as the other reviewer.
The book is a true story that follows the life of Julie Gregory, who lives with her parents and eventually her little brother Danny. From a very early age Julie finds her self being trundled off to the doctors for every little ailment. Many times she can't even understand what the ailment is supposed to ... ...the doctor asks, and soon Julie believes that she is a very sick child.
I don't want to say too much about what happens, not that it would spoil the plot, because there is no plot, it's just Julies life, but it would defeat the object of reading the book.
Julie wrote this book to bring attention to the plight of children like her who suffer because one parent or the other suffers from Münchhausen By Proxy. The foreward of ... more
After reading a review elsewhere I decided to buy this book, unfortunately I wasn't as impressed with the book as the other reviewer.
The book is a true story that follows the life of Julie Gregory, who lives with her parents and eventually her little brother Danny. From a very early age Julie finds her self being trundled off to the doctors for every little ailment. Many times she can't even understand what the ailment is supposed to be. Her mother instructs her on what to say when the doctor asks, and soon Julie believes that she is a very sick child.
I don't want to say too much about what happens, not that it would spoil the plot, because there is no plot, it's just Julies life, but it would defeat the object of reading the book.
Julie wrote this book to bring attention to the plight of children like her who suffer because one parent or the other suffers from Münchhausen By Proxy. The foreward of the book, written by Marc D Feldman M.D. gives the reader a bit of an insight into the disorder before Julie tells her tale. So right from the start you know what is wrong with the mother.
Some of the mother's acts are totally horrific, but for me the actions of the father and the medical community as a whole were far, far worse.
Yes, the mother did some vile things, but at the same time she was suffering from a disorder. And whilst that doesn't make it any better for Julie, it does explain why the mother did what she did. This is one of the things I particularly disliked about the book, there was barely any recognition of why Julie's mother acted the way she did. Some people will automatically say she was evil, she knew what she was doing, whereas I have seen the devastating affects mental illnesses can have on a person, and how they can act but not be able to control what they are doing. I can understand it is written entirely from the abused child's point of view, I also think it would have been better balanced had the mother or another sufferer of MBP been allowed to give their point of view.
The father and the medical community, and the social services community for that matter, do not have that excuse. If the book is to be taken at face value, then there should be serious consequences for all those involved from start to finish.
The book however, led me to wonder how much of it is slightly exaggerated. I don't believe Julie has told any particular untruths, but I think her memories of the events may or may not be slightly skewed. What makes me think this?
Well for a start I cannot believe the medical communities of several towns and different states are all so backward. If the events had took place in the early 30's or 40's then I might be of a different mind, but Julie is virtually the same age as me, and I wouldn't have thought the US was so far behind the UK with regards to medical testing and procedures, and whilst I understand some people slip through the net, there were too many people involved for red flags not to be raised.
Another thing that niggled throughout the book, was the descriptions Julie gave of herself. Several times she describes herself in one way, but when you look at the photographs in the centre of the book, there is no resemblance to the description just given, so again it makes me wonder if her memories are not as they should be. And by saying that I'm not saying Julie is lying, it's a proven fact that memory is very unreliable, and often what we believe to be absolutely truthful and factual, is in fact not necessarily the case.
I only paid a penny for this book from Amazon Marketplace, and I'm glad I didn't pay more. It passed a couple of evenings away, but did nothing to help my understanding of MBP.
I read this book with no knowledge of Munchausen by Proxy - a disease which causes a person to deliberately make another ill or sick or ensures the other person believes they are ill. A disease which is the main focus in this book.
A story of a young girl whose mother suffers Munchausen by Proxy and she is the victim.
"Sickened" is JulieGregory's true story - for she was the victim.
This books details factual evidence of Julies harrowing experience with doctors and medical tests, how she was left alone by social workers who didnt pick up on any harm being done in a well written and alarming account of a poor child who grew up into a strong woman. ...
Advantages: medial history of her life and helpful photos on her family life Disadvantages: more information on julie later in life (her life status)
the author of this book is very brave to have told her story aloud for public to see the cold hard cruel truth which possibly is happening to others to this day.Very sad story to read but it brings the unknown to real life.How could mothers ever subject such abuse on her children she so dearly loves as for the father hes not right in the head to have supported his daugher later in life .He subject abuse on her too espeacily forcing her to eat meat when she couldnt and making her swallow a used snoty tissue. Both parents and health profesionals sicken me to have put her through it especialy surgery without asking her if she wanted it or not.Glad at the end she when behind her mother back and got all the evidence to get he jailed for life saving so many childrens lifes in the process.My own experience of child abuse is very different ...
Advantages: We learn of this illness Disadvantages: Sickening
Sickened is a true-life first person account of a Munchausen by Proxy (HBP) victim and survivor.
JulieGregory narrates her own shocking story of her dysfunctional childhood. A childhood dominated by illness and doctor?s visits, medical tests and procedures. A childhood filled with pain and misery. Julies mother is convinced that there is something seriously wrong with her daughter and is determined ?to get to the bottom of it?.
Julie?s heartbreaking tale tells of a family living in a trailer in southern Ohio. Her mother (Mom) has serious psychological problems, herself having suffered an appallingly abusive childhood and a war damaged father who is so totally dominated by his wife?s mood swings that he will beat and berate his children in order to appease his deranged and volatile spouse.
MBP is now known as one ...
Product Information for "Sickened - Julie Gregory" »
Product details
EAN
9780099466291
Type
Non-Fiction
Genre
Biography
Publisher
Arrow Books Ltd
Title
Sickened
Author
Julie Gregory
ISBN
0099466295
Manufacturer's product description
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's tall skinny and weak. It's 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 Julie Gregory 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 but Julie Gregory not only survived she escaped the powerful orbit of her mother's madness and rebuilt her identity as a vibrant healthy young woman.
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