Young woman continues to fight viral eating disorder

“There are several things in life that can be expected, among the most prominent being life, death and occasional sickness.”

Those are the words of Lani Eldridge-King, 21, of Bayview. She wrote them a year ago as she was entering hospice, a victim of a rare viral eating disorder, viral gastroparesis.

Essentially, Eldridge-King can’t keep food or water down. It started with an attack of the flu about four years ago while on vacation in California, a high fever, then … this. She recently visited the Mayo Clinic, once more hoping for a cure. She is back home now, without the optimism she left with. Perhaps a miracle is the only hope left.

Feeling queasy after eating, she went to several doctors, who were unable to diagnose her condition. Tests were inconclusive; money was running low. Her life was becoming difficult, her appearance was changing and rumors of perhaps an eating disorder were circulating.

Still in high school at the time, she had to drop classes, fell asleep when she got home and generally ceased to function. By spring, her face and body had become emaciated.

Hospitalized and in and out of emergency rooms, Eldridge-King finally was diagnosed correctly. Except no one knew how to treat her rare disorder.

As with many rare diseases, not much research has been done on viral gastroparesis. Limited dollars available for research tend to be used to study conditions that afflict the many, leaving the odd exceptions out in the cold.

Eldridge-King was sent to Seattle Children’s Hospital, where a gastric pacer was installed. Doctors hoped it would shock her stomach and digestive system into working.

It didn’t.

Sick, bedridden, she said, “To be blunt, I was waiting to die.”

She was so sick, she could feel death lurking around the corner. Her skin felt cold to the touch, and her bones were weakened from the calcium leaching out of them.

This once-beautiful young woman was dying.

“Then one day,” Eldridge-King said, “I looked at myself in the mirror – and I mean really looked at myself. I didn’t know that person, and I didn’t want to.

“So I made a decision that day. I was still somewhat accepting of death, but if it happened, it wouldn’t be flat on my back and it would be as me – not that person I saw staring back in the mirror.

“I am no longer upset or bitter about getting sick. It has made me the person I am now.

“Granted,” she continued, “I am not the same person I used to be, but I am much more mature than I have ever been.

“So I will continue to strive to get better and hope that one day, I will be able to thank everyone whose thoughts, prayers and kindness helped me to get there.”

Eldridge-King wrote those words about a year ago.

She is still fighting for her life.

At less than 80 pounds, she can’t get around anymore, but thanks to Sen. Larry Craig’s intervention, she is on Medicaid.

The Bayview Community Council and especially Bob and Sue Rickel have helped tremendously, with the council raising more than $800 to help cover travel and other expenses not paid by Medicaid.