Eating the Pain Away
By Gail
Red Door E-Newsletter - November 2011
Austin's sister Gail battled food addiction and physical abuse for years, until you gave her a new chance at life.
I don't know why our mother drank. And since she died in 1995 of cirrhosis of the liver, my brother Austin and I will never know.
Actually, both our parents drank a lot. I don't want to blame them for how our lives turned out, but I know it affected us in ways that I'm only just beginning to understand.
I think our parents cared about us in their own way. But looking back, I grew up directionless, depressed and angry — if you hurt me I was determined to hurt you back ten times worse. I was always on the attack.
Eating Made Me Happy
Austin chose drugs and alcohol to deal with his stuff. I chose eating. All my life, I've eaten just to eat, because the depression was just unbelievable. My dates on Saturday nights were a big bag of cheese puffs, a 64-ounce bottle of Pepsi, and two packs of Twinkies. Eating made me happy.
Oh, I've lost hundreds of pounds over the years — but I always gained them back.
The last 12 years were the worst of my life. I haven't experienced that much love in my life, but I met a man in 1999, and we started living together. But he turned out to be a crack addict, who not only robbed me of all my money, he physically and verbally abused me. And for some reason, I couldn't kick him out.
In 2006, I lost my job and couldn't find any more work. My boyfriend's abuse only got worse — sometimes when he came home high, he even tried to smother me with a pillow.
A Better Menu for My Life
When Austin came to The Bowery Mission to deal with his addictions, he told me that they help women like me, as well. I finally escaped the abuse and came to the Mission, and for the first time in years I experienced relief from all the fear.
But even better, I've experienced love from all the other women here, and even from God — in ways I never thought possible. I'm learning that nothing is impossible with God, that He has a plan for me, and there are greater things waiting for me in the future.
I'm slowly letting go of a lifetime of anger — and I'm even losing weight!
This Christmas, God has given Austin and me the greatest presents we could ever ask for — joy and life and happiness. We are truly blessed.
Austin's sister Gail battled food addiction and physical abuse for years, until you gave her a new chance at life.
I don't know why our mother drank. And since she died in 1995 of cirrhosis of the liver, my brother Austin and I will never know.
Actually, both our parents drank a lot. I don't want to blame them for how our lives turned out, but I know it affected us in ways that I'm only just beginning to understand.
I think our parents cared about us in their own way. But looking back, I grew up directionless, depressed and angry — if you hurt me I was determined to hurt you back ten times worse. I was always on the attack.
Eating Made Me Happy
Austin chose drugs and alcohol to deal with his stuff. I chose eating. All my life, I've eaten just to eat, because the depression was just unbelievable. My dates on Saturday nights were a big bag of cheese puffs, a 64-ounce bottle of Pepsi, and two packs of Twinkies. Eating made me happy.
Oh, I've lost hundreds of pounds over the years — but I always gained them back.
The last 12 years were the worst of my life. I haven't experienced that much love in my life, but I met a man in 1999, and we started living together. But he turned out to be a crack addict, who not only robbed me of all my money, he physically and verbally abused me. And for some reason, I couldn't kick him out.
In 2006, I lost my job and couldn't find any more work. My boyfriend's abuse only got worse — sometimes when he came home high, he even tried to smother me with a pillow.
A Better Menu for My Life
When Austin came to The Bowery Mission to deal with his addictions, he told me that they help women like me, as well. I finally escaped the abuse and came to the Mission, and for the first time in years I experienced relief from all the fear.
But even better, I've experienced love from all the other women here, and even from God — in ways I never thought possible. I'm learning that nothing is impossible with God, that He has a plan for me, and there are greater things waiting for me in the future.
I'm slowly letting go of a lifetime of anger — and I'm even losing weight!
This Christmas, God has given Austin and me the greatest presents we could ever ask for — joy and life and happiness. We are truly blessed.
It’s because of you that we were able to take Gail in and set her on the road to a brand-new life. Thank you for supporting the Mission and for caring about people who are hurting, just like Gail.