Transcript Sickened

Sickened
By: Felicia Boone
Important Information
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Title: Sickened
Author: Julie Gregory
Copyright: 2003
Type: Non-Fiction
Subject Matter: Memoir of a child victim of
Munchausen Syndrome by Proxy
• ISBN: 0553803077
Author’s purpose…
The author’s purpose in writing the book “Sickened” was
to share with the world what it was like to grow up
with a mother who suffers from Munchausen
Syndrome by Proxy, a metal illness that forces parents
to purposefully sicken their children in order to obtain
recognition from health care team members, as well as
the sympathy from other parents whose children are
genuinely sick. In addition to bringing awareness to
what it was like to grow up with a parent whom is
struggling with Munchausen by Proxy, the book was
also written to bring light to what the disease is, and
the lengths people will go to to get the attention that
they want.
Point of View
The book was written in the voice of the
daughter, Julie, who’s mother is the one
suffering from Munchausen by Proxy.
Intended Audience
The intended audience of “Sickened” is for
people who may be interested in learning
about Munchausen’s Syndrome by Proxy, or
whom may be interested in a career in mental
health, or simply in the general health care
field.
Affect on Me…
The book affected me in many different ways. It
opened my eyes to what it would be like to
grow up with a mentally ill parent, whom is
suffering from the sad disease of Munchausen
by Proxy as well as made me more aware of
what the disease was and how it affects all
aspects of people’s lives including; how it
affects the mentally ill person, those they’re
making sick, and their overall personal
relationships with people.
Connections to A&P…
Sickened relates to A&P in the following ways:
• Mental illness
• Emotional imbalance
• Purposeful harm to parts of the body,
extremities etc.
Recommendation?
I would recommend this book to others simply
because I think it’s important for this disease to
be understood better, as well as be made more
aware of by all, especially health care personal,
and those who know someone suffering from the
disease. Therefore, I would recommend that
health care professionals as well as aspiring
health care professionals, families and friends of
those suffering from Munchausen by Proxy and
possibly even those whom suffer from the
disease, read this book.
Theme
The theme of “Sickened” by Julie Gregory is to
step back and think about how the things you
do affect those around you. In the book, Julie’s
mother was selfish in the sense that she didn’t
think about how making her sick all the time
would affect not only her physical health but
her mental and emotional well being as well.
Thesis
Understanding the memory of a child growing
up a victim of a mother with Munchausen by
Proxy and how it affects the child.
Evaluation
The book “Sickened” sparks the interest of those whom are interested in
subjects pertaining to the health care field, although its plot line may
spark the interest in those whom aren’t interested in the health care field.
The content in the book is accurate in the sense that the information
about Munchausen by Proxy Syndrome is correct, and reliable, and has
the objective to teach and to bring light to the disease. For that same
reason, “Sickened” is an important book in teaching about the disease.
Although the book is thorough in telling what it’s like to grow up being a
victim of a mother with Munchausen by Proxy, it is not as thorough in
explaining what the disease is and how it affects the person in which is
suffering from the disease, as well as I would like it to, however it does
cover it a little. Lastly, the usefulness of this book to its intended audience
is significant. As health care professionals, we only see the affects of our
patients, residents or clients, but not the affects of the others whom are
also being affected by mental illnesses such as Munchausen by Proxy.
With this book, we are able to see how others are involved and affected
by diseases such as this.