Colm Henry - 14734981
This essay will explore how living with a chronic illness can alter a person’s experience of space and place. The essay will begin by defining chronic illness and will reference some common features that will determine what it is like to be chronically ill. The essay will then explore a sufferer’s experience of ‘place’ and ‘sense of place’ which in turn may lead to him/her feeling isolated within society. Moving on from this, the essay will explore some differences with regard to place and space in both children and in adults. That said, the essay will use a case study to increase the understanding of space and place, with regard to a man, in connection with a chronic illness known as Friedreich 's ataxia. Moving on from
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FA is a chronic illness which affects balance and co-ordination in its patients which leads to limited mobility (Kaneshiro, 2014). This case study of patient 0 may help construct a better understanding of the experiences endured from a chronic illness victim. A victim is exactly what this man is, he had no control over this illness attacking his body, his FA was inherited to him by his Father, and his body had begun to fail on him from birth. When a person is struck with a chronic illness, all rational thinking begins to decline. This man’s experiences of place and where he felt he belonged in society was nearly none existent. He felt he was a ‘burden on society’ (Sieger, et al., 2012). Loneliness and depression were side effects of his chronic illness which made his everyday life experiences very difficult. Even in the hospital where patient 0 was treated, he felt isolated; this was the space that he should have felt most safe and comfortable. Patient 0 was confined to his bed with little ability to move around, much like the other patients on his ward. This lack of mobility often felt by various forms of chronic illness sufferers can lead to a lack of motivation in recovery (Sieger, et al., 2012). Chronic illness sufferers’ constant struggle to find a place in society where they feel accepted and valuable can be …show more content…
This effect can be exasperated in married women who have contracted a chronic illness such as multiple sclerosis. This essay will now explore how experiences of space and place have been reconstructed in patients after they have been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. According to the MS Society, multiple sclerosis ‘involves an immune-mediated process in which an abnormal response of the body’s immune system is directed against the central nervous system’ (The National MS Society, 2015). Women who suffer from this chronic illness often consider themselves as doubly handicapped and lose confidence according to the same article. They believe that their ability to perform in the home space and workplace has been diminished because of illness. Illness can lead to stress on the family unit and in some cases a permanent breakdown may occur (Thomson, et al., 2002). This can leave married women especially having to ‘reconstruct the home space’ in both the physical surroundings inside their home and also the location of their home (The National MS Society, 2015). The importance to reduce a woman’s dependency on others can leave women feeling more isolated than before. Women may be afraid to ask for help or care as doing this, reaffirms them of their burden within
The rhetorical situation Sacks addresses in this book to respond to was his disagreement of how case histories were conducted at the time of publican. His exigence was a response (Bitzer 48) to the mainstream consensus of the impersonal approach that he felt was causing an unrealistic disconnect between the disease and the individual suffering from such illness. The lack of empathy expressed in the
Atul Gawande’s book, “Being Mortal: Medicine and What Matters in the End,” explores different themes such as, aging, death, and the mishandling of both aging and death by the medical profession’s. This book also addresses what it means to live well near the end of life. It is not just to survive, not just to be safe, not just to stay alive as long as the medical technology allows, but, according to the author it is about what living truly means to an individual. The author describes that the idea of “Being Mortal” developed as he watched his elderly father go through a steep decline in his health and the eventual death. He soon realized that during his medical education and training he was never taught how to help his patients with managing
The unsatisfying setting that appears around the ill woman unravels an understanding
Murphy lacks mobility and sensation in his lower body other than the feeling of occasional muscle spasms, and has limited movement in his upper body below the neck including his arms. Murphy writes the story as it recounts events throughout his entire life, from childhood onwards. He was sixty-two when he wrote the novel. The story provides Murphy’s anthropological commentary on the life of a person with a disability and how society views and treats people with disabilities (Murphy, 1990). Murphy’s performance patterns both support and inhibit his occupational engagement.
This quote shows that even though Mairs sometimes has difficulty accepting her illness, she knows that there is a growing acceptance of people who must deal with the difficulties that she faces. This ultimately lends a hopeful and positive tone to an otherwise serious and depressing section of her essay. This contrast in tone, but general feeling of hope is key to the type of emotions that Nancy Mairs is trying to educate her readers about. Mair is successful in using multiple rhetorical strategies to connect with the reader.
Nancy Mairs forces a sharp-witted and blunt tone on the reader in her essay, “On Being A Cripple.” A new perspective is explored, on being disabled as well as the word “crippled” which is found offensive by most of society. While keeping the piece light and relatable, she shines a light on the guilty pity thrown on the disabled, treatment no one asks for. Although it is a generally light piece, Mairs uses humor, anecdotes, and diction to improve the treatment of physically disabled. Humor- Mairs lives with multiple sclerosis, and when the reader realizes this it immediately makes them feel sympathy for her.
Maintaining hope is key for long-term survivors of diseases such as HIV infection and breast cancer. Healthy coping, however, differs from the common societal notion of “positive thinking.” Having the capacity to tolerate and express concerns and emotions not just the ability to put anxieties aside, and additionally, discussing these as well as uncertainties and fears, losses and sadness that usually accompany severe illness is generally
The novel The Diving Bell and the Butterfly, begins with the awakening of the author Jean Bauby, who slipped into a coma after suffering from a stroke. In Bauby own words, “you survive, but you survive with what is so aptly known as “locked-in syndrome,” With feelings of despair and sadness, it must be hard for many people suffering from any kind of chronic illness to remain hopeful and realistic. Chronic illness is a condition that lasts for a long time, and while some can be controlled or managed, most cannot be completely cured. Chronic illness can make it impossible to continue everyday activities, do things that people used to enjoy, and create feelings of hopelessness. Before the accident, Bauby was an active, fashionable, and sociable
The poet successfully illustrates the magnitude with which this disease can change its victim’s perspective about things and situations once familiar to
Basic Information Robbie J, a 19-year-old single Caucasian male. His income and community description is not applicable. He is living with his parents, and is a first-year college student. He has been referred because he has started drinking again and lack motivation. He is currently in family counseling with a social worker on the rehabilitation team.
In his book, author Oliver Sacks tells the accounts of many of the stories he has encountered throughout his career as a neurologist. Each individual story ranging from a variety of different neurological disorders, displays a common theme which add to Sacks’ overall message conveyed. The themes that are conveyed by Sacks include losses, excesses, transports, and the world of the simple. Each theme consists of grouped stories that coincide with the overlying message. In the losses section, the nine chapters all deal with some sort of deficit inside of the brain.
Two weeks later, he was not coping well at home and was admitted to an acute hospital because of heart failure and poor mobility. He was recommended for rehabilitation due to his inability to become motivated and lack of interest in doing everyday tasks for himself. Communication Patterns Communication throughout the case study was sometimes clear and positive, and other times unclear and negative. In Part one (in the Acute Hospital), communication between the ward nurse and the junior nurse at the community hospital was unclear.
People are treated differently when others find out about their illnesses. For instance, Crooks and Lennie have a conversation and Crooks figures out why Lennie acts a certain way, “ ‘Jus’ nuts,’ said Crooks… ‘You couldn’t remember it anyways’... ‘George can tell you screwy things and it don’t matter.’” (69-71). Crooks understands what Lennie’s problem is, which is to comprehend what people are saying.
A Small Place authored by Jamaica Kincaid is consistent with these words. Her work showed great passion illustrated through rude language to demonstrate her experiences. She, one of many people, experienced struggle and pain throughout her childhood. Now she shares the story of Antigua, her home. By viewing through the Postcolonial, Marxist, and New Criticism lenses, the reader is able to perceive Jamaica Kincaid’s perspective on the changes.
For my Realism Documenting project, I tried to focus on things that most people do without thinking, things like cleaning off a counter top. A very small part of why I chose to do this was because of The Spoon Theory by Christine Miserandino, it is a small story about how Christine explained to her friend what it is like to have a chronic illness via spoons, spoons are kind of like energy. She explains how your average healthy person would have an unlimited number of spoons in a day, but when you have a chronic illness your number of spoons is limited and varied by day. Every activity that you do takes away a spoon, from making food to taking a shower. I have a few chronic illnesses, such as chronic migraines with an everyday headache, chronic joint pain, and a mystery illness that affects my immune system that doesn’t have a diagnosis yet.