Internet Saves a Life

[Marnie]

Weighing 700 pounds, Nancy Makin had lost hope.

After 12 years of weight gain, Makin had spiraled into despair. The more food she ate, the more shame she felt, and nothing could stop the cycle.

Then one day her sister gave her a computer. Inspired by the friends she'd made online and no longer judged by how she looked, Makin finally took control of the situation.

"The anonymity of the computer gave me access to a world that would have just as well have left me alone, alone to die but I did not," Makin wrote in a letter describing her saga.

Today Makin weighs a healthy 170 pounds and hopes others will be inspired by her story to take back their own lives.

Out of Control

The weight gain started after a divorce and fear at her job. Makin began overeating to avoid her feelings and soon she just couldn't stop.

"My son would bring me 10 double cheeseburgers. So I'd eat four, put the rest in the fridge. And then they'd call to me during the night or whatever and you'd eat 'em cold. I could go in and overeat cold squash out of the fridge. It doesn't matter."

"You're stuffing your feelings. That's what people need to know. It's not just being a glutton."

Too humiliated to go out in public, Makin only allowed her family to see her, often sending her son to get her groceries. "I only regret that my son

[sweetycakes]

Good story!

It's true that people's first impressions are usually formed by the appearance of other people.

The internet, as she said, provided the anonymity that she needed.

You can tell quite a lot about a person - the 'real' person - by the way they write, I believe. You get to see what they want to express, and judge them based only on that. Not a bad thing, in my opinion. Looks can always play a part later, by which time a person has probably already established too much of a 'relationship' with another person to cease, if the person doesn't 'measure up' physically to what they were expecting.

Long live the net.

[Afal]

Sweety cakes - you have said that perfectly. :) Thank you!

[Guest LadyC]

it's a heartwarming story! and i totally understand how she lost the weight... i get so addicted to this computer that i can't even be bothered to step away long enough to grab anything to eat LOL. but i also understand how the interaction with people who didn't judge her by her looks, who ENJOYED her company in chatrooms and message boards, could help bolster her confidence and self-worth.

nice to know the internet can be so beneficial!

[Near]

People say that spending to much time on the internet is bad for you, but reading this this actually disproves that!

[Carol R]

Wow that is an amazing story.

I think it is so true that people have a tendency to judge someone on their looks first and sometimes its not even that they think it, it just happens.

I know that even speaking to people on the phone you conjure up a mental image of what that person looks like by their voice, and thats usually wrong too.

I am so pleased that she is well and moving forward.

[Jrperez79]

What an amazing story!

I think its a remind of how judgemental we are of others. I know I struggle with that everyday!

[Vickilynn]

Shalom,

WOW! So cool!!!

[Bubba4J]

All I can say is WOW!!!

[AnExample]

Uplifting and encouraging!