I'd thank them if they werent so shit
I don't want to jinx it buuuut: I just got a call from the jobcentre and it looks like my new claim for benefits has finally been ok'd and they're going to pay me. And they're working on my backdated claim. I've had no income since July (JULY!) so you can imagine what a shitty existance I've had. I won't get a lot of money but it'll help me pay off my rent backlog before I end up homeless, hopefully. I used to work for local government so I know how ineffective and complacent these organisations can be. I just celebrated with a double vodka for dinner while I'm waiting to go work on the bar att he gallery. Fuck 5 a day, I'm celebrating.
I'm using my university staff status to brows the academic journals again, saving a few from the International Journal of Eating Disorders, I'll give them a thorough reading later and post anything interesting I learn here. It's triggering stuff though, when you inadvertantly come across a table of ridiculously low BMIs in an article about (admittedly) terminal patients.
"In 2003, her weight dropped from 43 to 37 kg over an 8-week
period, giving her a BMI of 12.3 at the time. Following
a short admission of 3 weeks and improvement
in weight, her symptoms resolved completely. Since
her symptoms were not a consequence of ear infection
and were not relieved by ear drops or nasal
decongestants, she attributed the onset of her
symptoms to weight loss. She was admitted to the
eating disorders unit in September 2008 after she
lost 10 kg in just over 8 weeks (July-Sept. 2008),
thus reaching her lowest recorded weight of 30.7 kg
at a BMI of 10.2. Her weight loss was a result of
excessive activity (walking tours with bag- packs
while on holiday) and surviving on coffee and
water."