Hey Upper West-siders! Welcome to my grand destination of narrative medicine, where the art of storytelling meets the science of healing. Here, you’ll find access to some of my favorite pieces I’ve worked on throughout the semester. Some are filled with juicy, personal accounts from my childhood while others tackle the dark and twisted reality of addiction. Well, whatever narrative medicine topic you’re here for, one thing is for sure: you’re in for a journey that’s as informative as glamorous. 

So, get comfortable and pour yourself a nice cup of tea, because you are about to explore tons of stories that shape our lives and transform our health care. After all, in this class, attention to detail is the key to success!

      XOXO, Narrative Girl 💋  

Outsider Narrative

Spotted: A young, athletic girl dominating any sport you threw her into. From tennis, to gymnastics– she was unstoppable. But sweetie, we all know life isn’t that simple. Even an average visit to your doctor could send your world completely upside down. Enter Amanda, our once athletic superstar, now caught in a fight nobody saw coming; Graves’ Disease. 

With a doctor’s note that prevented her from playing in any sports, Amanda was sidelined in more ways than one. Her mysterious absence in school grasped the attention of all her classmates. Her internal shame made it difficult for her to come to terms with her diagnosis. Amanda was isolated– no friend group, no confidence, just a girl in the middle of a battle nobody could even see. 

We can all agree that once a competitor, always a competitor. And that’s exactly what Amanda did. She battled that disease like it was nobody’s business, making her epic comeback to school and sports. Her confidence rebuilt over time, and new friendships came along with it. 

So remember, Upper West-siders, when life throws you a curveball, there’s always a way to bounce back. 

Metaphor

Spotted: Susan Sontag and James Baldwin caught in a bit of a scandal. You think the world of medicine is all about healing? Think again. Turns out that those little word tricks called metaphors could be harming patients in ways we never truly considered. 

We all know physicians often turn to metaphors for simpler explanations of diseases. But, they may not be as helpful as we once thought. The queen of truth bombs herself, Susan Sontag, tackles this issue in her text, Illness as a Metaphor. Sontag calls out how these metaphors negatively influence a patient, increasing their suffering and decreasing their hope. Sontag utilizes metaphors describing an invasion of filth that some physicians refer to when explaining cancer’s effect on the body. I mean, these people are already suffering from cancer, and now you’re going to tell them that they’re being invaded by dirt? Talk about adding insult to injury. 

Enter James Baldwin, the author of Go Tell It on the Mountain. Baldwin connects a character’s struggle with God to the dirt inside of his home, emphasizing a sense of filth within this character. Baldwin’s point? To reiterate that these metaphors of filth have a negative influence on one’s self esteem. 

So, what’s the takeaway? Our language has some cleaning up to do. Whether you’re a doctor, a friend, or someone who’s just trying to do some good: remember that some metaphors may do more harm than good. 

Critical Lens

Society’s obsession with normalcy seems to be the one lens we can all agree upon. But don’t take it from me, take it from the experts. Lennard Davis explores the concept of normalcy in his work Constructing Normalcy, where he argues that society places those who exist within the “norm” in the spotlight, and those who deviate– pure outcasts. Enter Gregor Samsa, from Franza Kafka’s short story, “The Metamorphosis”, the average man who turned into a bug overnight. Remember him? Posterboy of an outcast. While Gregor’s physical transformation may be a little out of this world, his physical transformation is all too real. His family’s disgust with his new appearance agrees with Davis’ depiction of outsiders. In the end, Gregor’s fate is sealed by his rejection from societal acceptance. 

So, what’s the takeaway, Upper West Siders? Those who deviate from the average, tend to be silenced and erased. But maybe, just maybe, if we embrace these outliers, our world could be just that more interesting.

Research Paper

XOXO, Narrative Girl here with an inside scoop from Amanda’s family fold. Word on the street? Her Uncle Mike was once behind bars for his illegal possession of drugs. That right darling, the same Uncle Mike who used to give the best piggyback rides or sneak her candy after her mom said no. But what happened? Well, I’ll tell you, but this one’s not all that pretty. 

Just like a plot twist in any good drama series, his life turned dark when he got involved in the wrong crowd. Drugs became his reality, and eventually, the person Amanda once saw was a distant memory. 

Until her junior year of high school, this was the only thing Amanda knew about addiction. It wasn’t until she took AP psychology that her perspective on addiction was completely flipped. Isn’t it amazing how one class can change your entire perspective on life, kinda like this Narrative Medicine one? Suddenly, the truth hit like a ton of bricks. 

But here’s the kicker: society’s negative stigma on addicts remains. People refer to addicts as “junkies” and “crackheads”, leaving them feeling hopeless and confined by their disease. This paper illustrates that everyone deserves a second chance, especially when it comes to addiction.

Addiction isn’t glam. It’s a war within the mind, and society’s judgement just makes the fight that much worse. So, remember this Upper West Siders, before we define someone simply by the struggles they encounter, try putting yourself in their shoes. While they might not be the stilettos you’re used to, they might change the way you perceive life. 

Source Report, Research Presentation, Research Invention, & Research Proposal

Hey readers! Looking for more on the research project? Well do I have a few extra resources for you! The “Source Report” details all of the juicy finds utilized within the full paper. A range of journal articles, to songs, to poems all included for your viewing pleasure. The “Research Presentation” is a condensed version of the research paper in a more visually appealing aesthetic. The “Research Invention” dives into Amanda’s thought process behind the text she chose. Spoiler alert: it’s Ian Hacking’s Moving Targets: Kinds of People. The “Research Proposal” gives us a preview into Amanda’s mind before writing her research paper. It reveals a surplus of deets from what she knew, what she wanted to learn, and her questions. Be sure to check those out for more hot information, so you too can be involved in diminishing the stigma around addiction.

XOXO, Narrative Girl 💋