1) This helped me think about why I don’t identify with the term “survivor” in terms of trauma (even though I support anyone choosing to use it). I’m not washed up on a beach or pulled out of wreckage: I’m coping, processing, changing. This is my normal.
2) I recently called myself a “Guinea pig” as I’m trying some off-label medications for fatigue that are making me feel awful; a friend gently suggested “co-investigator” instead, which made me feel more empowered to own my experience and ask my doctors to rethink the meds.
3) I’m sure you’ve read it a million times, but Sontag’s Illness as Metaphor has tons on the warrior/battle metaphor and how it relates to broader socio-economic values around war.
4) I like your language shift from cutesy/battle-y to straightforward: “disabled,” “managing.” I’ve been thinking about alternative metaphors for living with illness that are not your typical “kingdom” (why does every recent chronic illness memoir have kingdom in the title?) or “war.” I love gardening and find helpful analogies in that practice for the multifaceted experience of disability/chronic illness. Pruning, composting, environment, failure, adapting, etc.
Ok, essay done. Thank you for such a thinky piece! Now for a rest.
I too shall respond in numbered form (so efficient, thank you!)
1) I never identified with the word survivor either.
2) I love that. It can be so challenging when you feel like a guinea (oy a hard word to spell) pig and that things are just happening TO you. I love how your friend has reframed that so you feel part of the process too.
3) You know I still haven't read it. I really need to buy it but I'm on a strict book no buy. It's definitely on my list though!
4) Thank you! I would recommend the new book The Invisible Kingdom by Meghan O'Rourke though. I cried. It's excellent.
Worth the spoons.
1) This helped me think about why I don’t identify with the term “survivor” in terms of trauma (even though I support anyone choosing to use it). I’m not washed up on a beach or pulled out of wreckage: I’m coping, processing, changing. This is my normal.
2) I recently called myself a “Guinea pig” as I’m trying some off-label medications for fatigue that are making me feel awful; a friend gently suggested “co-investigator” instead, which made me feel more empowered to own my experience and ask my doctors to rethink the meds.
3) I’m sure you’ve read it a million times, but Sontag’s Illness as Metaphor has tons on the warrior/battle metaphor and how it relates to broader socio-economic values around war.
4) I like your language shift from cutesy/battle-y to straightforward: “disabled,” “managing.” I’ve been thinking about alternative metaphors for living with illness that are not your typical “kingdom” (why does every recent chronic illness memoir have kingdom in the title?) or “war.” I love gardening and find helpful analogies in that practice for the multifaceted experience of disability/chronic illness. Pruning, composting, environment, failure, adapting, etc.
Ok, essay done. Thank you for such a thinky piece! Now for a rest.
Thank you, Bea!
I too shall respond in numbered form (so efficient, thank you!)
1) I never identified with the word survivor either.
2) I love that. It can be so challenging when you feel like a guinea (oy a hard word to spell) pig and that things are just happening TO you. I love how your friend has reframed that so you feel part of the process too.
3) You know I still haven't read it. I really need to buy it but I'm on a strict book no buy. It's definitely on my list though!
4) Thank you! I would recommend the new book The Invisible Kingdom by Meghan O'Rourke though. I cried. It's excellent.
Happy resting!
Love your numbered replies!
Hehe thanks!
Ps - here’s a PDF of the Sontag: https://monoskop.org/images/4/4a/Susan_Sontag_Illness_As_Metaphor_1978.pdf