Mary Louise L: Feeling Great Because of ACUTE

Before going to treatment at the ACUTE Center for Eating Disorders and Severe Malnutrition at Denver Health, I noticed that my weight had been dropping for several weeks. I was so de-conditioned and weak that I hadn’t been able to go down the stairs in my house for two months. In my hometown, there is little support for eating disorders so I decided to seek residential treatment in Denver. In less than 24 hours of arriving, they sent me to the emergency room at Denver Health while awaiting a transfer to ACUTE. Dr. Dennis Gibson, the assistant medical director of ACUTE, greeted me in the emergency room and noticed an unusual lump on my neck. The doctors at Denver Health and ACUTE later diagnosed this to be lymphoma.  

The staff at ACUTE was so helpful, not only in treating and diagnosing my eating disorder and lymphoma, but in making me stronger and giving me more energy. I know I couldn’t have done it by myself. The support system is truly unreal. The staff became like my family. I’ll admit it wasn’t easy but I know that if I wanted to live I had to do it and I have to continue doing it.

After treatment at ACUTE, I came home to continue chemotherapy for my lymphoma. I have great energy and feel better than I have in a long time. I can now go up and down my stairs without even thinking about it and have been able to do the little things like going to the store and cleaning the house with much more ease. I even walked around the block for the first time in a very long time and it felt great. I work with a great outpatient team and I have been maintaining my diet plan that began at ACUTE. I’m working with a specialized dietitian to increase food variety but I’m doing so much better every day.  

My son just got married and because of ACUTE, I was able to walk him down the aisle. I have been enjoying taking care of myself and spending time with my growing family. I have so much to be grateful for.