Recovering anorexic: “My dog saved my life”
Hannah Lucas weighed just 4st and was on the brink of death, until she met a Bichon Frise called Ted…
nuggling up to S her beloved dog Ted, Hannah Lucas is forever grateful to the tiny Bichon Frise. For Hannah believes her pet literally saved her life by helping her recover from anorexia.
Hannah, 23 – who lives near Brighton with Ted and her mum, Shirley, 52 – says, “I weighed just 4st and was dying in hospital when I first met a therapy dog. Just stroking the puppy made me feel calm and the happiest I’d felt in a long time. So I decided to get Ted – he gave me a reason to carry on.”
OBSESSED
Hannah, who’s 5ft 7, started dieting after being bullied for her weight. She explains, “Growing up, I was much bigger than other children my age. I don’t know why, but I seemed to put on weight quicker than everyone else and, by the time I was 17, I weighed nearly 13st. My classmates called me fat and I hated my body.”
Hannah started counting calories, but soon became obsessed. She remembers, “I started walking everywhere and danced in my room for hours. I’d consume just 200 calories a day – if I ate more than one piece of apple or a yoghurt per day, I’d panic.”
When she turned 18, Hannah’s family made her seek medical help. She says, “My sister Kate became so worried that she took me to our GP, who referred me to a residential eating disorder clinic at a hospital. It felt like a prison and I was thrilled when I was discharged after seven months. But I relapsed and my body started to shut down. I had to be readmitted and fed through a tube.”
But Hannah still refused to eat. She explains, “I starved myself for eight days and dropped to 4st. I screamed that I wanted to die. My parents pleaded with me to eat, but I couldn’t see the point in living.”
After being diagnosed with osteoporosis – brittle bones – while still in hospital later that year, Hannah knew she had to change. She says, “I couldn’t believe things had got so bad. Gradually, I started eating again, but it was tough – I kept thinking about going back to old habits.”
COMFORTING
Then, two years ago, Hannah met her beloved Bichon Frise, Ted. She explains, “Several therapy dogs visited me while I was in hospital. The puppies are trained to provide affection and I found it so comforting. My sister could see how much it was helping, so she started looking for puppies for me. When she sent me a photo of Ted, it was love at first sight.
“Knowing Ted would be at home when I was discharged from hospital gave me a reason to get better. I knew he needed me, so I slowly started to eat more. Now, I’m back to three meals a day and Ted has helped me regain my confidence.”
Hannah – now a healthy size 12 – says she has high hopes for the future. She explains, “I’d encourage anybody struggling with anorexia to consider getting a dog and seeing a therapist. I definitely couldn’t have recovered without Ted and my family – they saved my life.”