Our hearts go out to this woman suffering from anorexia, who is asking the world to help her recover

Warning: This post contains content that is upsetting and could be triggering, please proceed with caution

Rachael Farrokh is 37-years-old, she stands at 5-foot-7, and she currently weighs 44 pounds.

Ten years ago Farrokh weighed 125 pounds. However, as ABC News reports, after losing her job as an account executive, the once-healthy Farrokh began to struggle with severe depression and, as a result, lost a dangerous amount of weight

“My sister gave me a collage of pictures of when I was acting or doing certain things,” Farrokh told ABC News. “I look at that girl, the head shot, it’s only a few years old. It’s like I know I’ve wasted this much of my life. I just want to be that person again — that strong, independent woman that can be herself.”

It’s upsetting to hear the backstory of this very ill woman, and it’s just as upsetting to learn how hard it has been for Farrokh to get on the road to recovery.

Farrokh has suffered from heart, kidney, and liver failure, as well as osteoporosis for the past 7 years. She is so ill now that her husband Rod Edmondson has become her full-time caregiver. She cannot move around on her own and must rely on her husband for help.

“What’s funny is it doesn’t really sink into your psyche,” Farrokh explained to ABC News. “You say ‘OK, I’m going to get up and brush my teeth. Oh wait, I can’t. Even in my dreams, I dream as how it used to be.”

One of the obstacles Farrokh faces in recovery is that most facilities will not take her as a patient because she weighs too little. Recently, Farrokh released a video asking for help and the couple  started a GoFundMe page to help Farrokh with the medical expenses she would incur during recovery. As the Daily Mail reports,  the couple have raised a whopping $140,000 through crowdfunding, and Farrokh will soon begin treatment at a clinic in Colorado, one of the only facilities that would accept her.

“To be honest, I live moment by moment, day by day, because my odds aren’t very good,” Farrokh told ABC News. “The recovery process for an anorexic, it’s ridiculous. If you’re going to make it, you’re going to have to get out there. You have to go out and meet life. Go to treatment because it’s not going to come to you.”

We are so glad that the world stepped in to help Farrokh and our thoughts are with her as she goes into treatment.

If you or someone you know is struggling with an eating disorder, you are not alone, help is just a click or call away. The National Eating Disorder Association has a toll-free, confidential helpline (1-800-931-2237) and offers several resources for help with recovery.

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