Mary Steward

I apologized to Edgar for the way I was, but his reply was, ‘You’re worth it, Mary,’ he completely supported my decision.

Edgar was fabulous company and made my life for me, despite my fear, i came home and realized I was too old to work but no longer had a husband to look after. I felt pathetic but realized that I might have another 10 years to live so I might as well try and cure myself.

I only wish I’d done something about it sooner, so I wouldn’t have spent 75 years worrying unnecessarily about something, i could have even had children and grandchildren— life would have been very different.

Part of the fear was about vomiting in public or having people see me do it.

We married in 1970, but I told him beforehand about my phobia. It was the first time I’d ever told anyone about it, but I had to because I could see we were getting serious. I said that I wouldn’t have children and he accepted it.