{"href":"http://player.captivate.fm/services/oembed?url=http%3A%2F%2Fplayer.captivate.fm%2Fepisode%2F0a59051b-62bc-4263-a61b-5d512e1b8b0c","version":"1.0","provider_name":"Captivate.FM","provider_url":"https://www.captivate.fm","width":600,"height":200,"type":"rich","html":"","title":"Surviving an Eating Disorder","description":"How a 19-year-old college student defeated anorexia with the help of her family, doctors \u2014 and a renewed relationship with God.\r\n\n\n(0:07) The narrator introduces Maureen Cole, a spirited 19-year-old student at Hope College and an avid dancer. Usually sunny, Maureen\u2019s positivity disappeared as she fell into habits that led to an eating disorder, at first unbeknownst to her parents. Marlise Cole, Maureen\u2019s mom, explains what she witnessed.\r\n\n\n(3:00) Maureen Cole describes the conditions that led to her anorexia, starting with the pandemic in 2020. A straight-A student, Maureen describes her reticence to switch to remote learning and dance via Zoom. As the pandemic wore on, she transformed her basement into a full home dance studio, and exercise slowly became an obsession.\r\n\n\n(7:00) Over Christmas break her senior year of high school, Maureen had a routine physical with her doctor, who told her she had lost 10 pounds. Others seemed to notice she looked fitter, and she liked the attention.\r\n\n\n(8:23) Slowly, her eating habits changed. She cut sweets and carbs, and began to become obsessed with her diet. She cut condiments, then red meat, then dairy. Eventually \u2014 and to Maureen\u2019s credit \u2014 she realized she might have an eating disorder, but didn\u2019t want to tell anyone. Her personality faded, and eventually, others began to take notice.\r\n\n\n(11:03) Maureen\u2019s dance teacher called her parents, who began to panic at the realization of what their daughter was facing. Maureen\u2019s body began to show frightening signs of an eating disorder. She started to work with a dietician and physician.\r\n\n\n(13:40) During fall break her first semester in college, Maureen visited the doctor for a check-up, but she hadn\u2019t gained any weight. Her heart rate was frighteningly low, and she realized \u2014 finally \u2014 that if nothing changed, she was slowly dying. \r\n\n\n(14:14) Realizing the gravity of the situation, Maureen finally committed to battling her anorexia. Her parents pulled her from dance, and found her a doctor specializing in eating disorders. She began a University of Michigan-sponsored program, Maudsley, to fight her disease.\r\n\n\n(16:38) Maureen describes the role of faith in her recovery. The realization that God was calling her to great things \u2014 not an eating disorder \u2014 was crucial, she says. Slowly, she began to see progress.\r\n\n\n(18:21) As things improved, Maureen\u2019s relationship with God did also. Her personality began to return, and she started to develop healthier relationships with food. \r\n\n\n(20:04) Today, Maureen continues her recovery, but she\u2019s back in school at Hope and dancing again. Maureen\u2019s mom, Marlise, describes Maureen\u2019s newly rediscovered relationship with God. Maureen describes the courage her journey took, and how she continues to battle \u2014 all with God\u2019s help.\r\n\n_\r\n\nReporting and narration by Michael Stechschulte; script by Casey McCorry; production by Ron Pangborn\r\n\n\n(Editor\u2019s note: Some material provided by Marlise Cole)_\r\n\n\n_This episode is brought to you by the PIME Missionaries - Catholic priests and brothers, evangelizing in 19 countries around the world and celebrating 75 years of service in Detroit. Visit [pimeusa.org](http://www.pimeusa.org (www.pimeusa.org)) to learn more.\r\n\n\nListen to \u2018Detroit Stories\u2019 on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify or Fireside. Podcasts also will be posted biweekly on DetroitCatholic.com._","thumbnail_width":300,"thumbnail_height":300,"thumbnail_url":"https://artwork.captivate.fm/66e98971-3102-4af9-a44c-63125db0e860/ZyZ2l8YgdcIeHf0wfJsYaUFj.jpg"}