The lure of MedLit - National Post

Last year, The Abaton, a Des Moines University literary and arts journals devoted to the healthcare professions, inaugurated a prize for medically themed writing. The prize is named for Richard Selzer, a now-retired surgeon who in midlife embarked on a parallel, successful literary career.
The announcement caught my eye because I got hooked on medical literature for lay people in the 1970s through Dr. Selzer's exquisite writing: first his non-fiction about a surgeon's life -- in particular, Mortal Lessons: Notes on the Art of Surgery, and Taking the World in for Repairs -- and then his short fiction.
His stories never stray far from the lives and quandaries of doctors. In one, the protagonist, a surgeon, is making love to a woman he has no interest in beyond transient sex. Exploring the young woman's body for erotic pleasure, his sensitive fingers find a minuscule, but (to his practiced hands) suspicious, lump in her breast. He is conflicted. The surgeon's knight-like urge to protect vulnerable prey from a marauding disease wrestles with his selfish human wish to escape further involvement with a woman in whom he has no emotional investment. The not-so-subtle message: The good doctor is the better man.
The market for eloquent, moving MedLit is already large, and demand for more will doubtless increase in this touchy-feely culture of ours, as an aging population's health wanes and urgency in pushing back medical frontiers waxes. Doctors who write beautifully are everywhere today, it seems to me (Google "doctors, writers," and you'll agree). When you consider that in most cases the writing is accomplished in patches of time stolen from a particularly demanding profession, the literary polish and sophistication on display is astonishing.
At the apex of the genre, Oliver Sacks has achieved worldwide fame for his profoundly empathetic sojourns into the interior worlds of the neurologically impaired. He continues to work as a neurologist, but mainly, one suspects, to provide material for his greater passion, writing. Prize-winning novelist Ethan Canin took a degree in English literature before attending Harvard Medical School, and after publishing his third novel, quit medicine to teach writing at the Iowa Writers Workshop.
Canada has produced gifted doctor-writers, such as Vincent Lam, a Toronto emergency-room doctor who won the 2006 Scotiabank Giller prize for his book, Bloodletting and Miraculous Cures; and psychiatrist Norman Doidge, who hit pay dirt with his 2008 book for lay people on neuroplasticity, The Brain that Changes Itself.
Both artists and doctors are drawn to the existential mysteries of life, so it is no surprise that there are more doctor-writers than, say, dentists or accountants. Doctor-writers are a demographically diverse group, but they have in common constant exposure to human nakedness in all its manifestations: They see people at the beginning and end of life, in their darkest and their most hopeful hours, at their most craven and at their most heroic.
Writers who have studied medicine are not an exclusively modern phenomenon. But in the past, most writers with medical degrees tended to write about life, not medicine. Rabelais, Somerset Maugham, Oliver Wendell Holmes, Arthur Conan Doyle, William Carlos Williams and Anton Chekhov used their superior powers of observation gleaned from medical training to enhance their literary powers, not as primary creative fodder. As Chekhov put it: "Medicine is my lawful wife, and literature is my mistress."
Medical writing per se is popular today because in our secular culture, science and an obsession with physical health have taken the place of God and concern for the soul. It was only fairly recently in human history, after all, that disease and suffering (relatively) submitted to human control. In other words, it wasn't until medicine became more about healing and hope than pain and fear that doctors became heroes rather than placebo-potion mongers and butchers, and medical professionals could exploit their domain aesthetically with pride.
Poet John Keats's is surely the saddest writer-doctor story. Keats spent six years of his cruelly short life -- he died at the age of 25 in 1821 -- studying medicine, but never practising it. He did make a single, tragically correct diagnosis, though. One day, weak and exhausted, driven to
bed, he noticed the stain on his sheets from a fit of coughing, and announced to a friend: "I know the colour of that [arterial] blood ... that drop of blood is my death-warrant. I must die."
No physician can heal himself, ultimately. But for gifted doctor-writers, at least their words are immortal, a forever-healing balm to the world's existential angst.
http://www.nationalpost.com/todays-paper/lure+MedLit/4207360/story.html

22 comments:


  1. الفك والتركيب والتغليف والتحرك من خلال شركة نقل اثاث بجدة متميزة تحتاج الي ركن البيت للاستفادة من خدماتها التي لا تقدم غير خدمات نقل اثاث بجدة رائعة لتلبية طلبات العميل. فرؤية الشركة لدينا وضعت طريقة جيدة وضعت كخبراء في نقل الخدمات التي يحتاجها العملاء عند التعاون مع شركة نقل عفش بجدة فاختيار المواد الخاصة بك التي تستخدم في تغليف الاثاث فهذه المواد أو الأشياء ستكون موجودة على عتبة المنزل للتحرك بكل آمن و بقوة إلى المكان الذي ترغب فيه
    شركة نقل الاثاث بالدمام
    استخدام الأصول الأولى داخل الاستراتيجية التي تستخدمها شركة نقل عفش بالدمام لدينا تدفعنا إلى التفكير في إعطاء نوع من الخدمات المتميزة الي العملاء التي تترك نجاحا مباشرا يمكن أن تنقش على نفسية الزبائن التي تقدم لهم خدمة نقل العفش.فلدينا ميل إلى أن يشار جيدا إلى العاملون والفنين والمغلفون ان يقوموا بعملهم في شركة نقل اثاث بالدمام نتيجة للمعيار والتنمية والعقل
    شركة نقل الاثاث بمكة
    مجموعة معينة لدينا في شركة نقل عفش بمكة تساعدنا في خدمتك في أي وقت من اليوم، وأنهم على استعداد للبقاء على طول هذه الخطوط لاعطاءك خدمة متميزة عن باقي شركات نقل اثاث بمكة التي توجد بهذه المنطقة فلا أحد لدينا في خدمات النقل يترك شيئا حتي لا نقع في قليلا من السخط.
    شركة تخزين الاثاث بالرياض
    التعبئة والتغليف يبدأ بالعمل المتميز من اجل الحصول علي شركة تخزين عفش بالرياض متميزة تمتلك مستودعات تخزين اثاث بالرياض تحافظ علي الممتلكات الخاصة بكم من الخراب. كما ان التعبئة والتغليف على استعداد فريد للتعامل مع كل نوع من الأدوات والأشياء الزجاجية والمواد التي تميل إلى الإضرار أو تحمل بانتظام أسوأ جزء في عملية الحركة. فخدمات شركة تخزين اثاث بالرياض تقوم بإرسال أفضل مجموعة يتقن الوصول إليها في الوقت المناسب لتلبية طلب العميل وفقا لمتطلبات محددة خاصة بك في هذا المجال بسبب الطريقة التي كانت لدينا مجموعة من الخبراء في كيفية ادارة مستودعات تخزين اثاث منذ فترة طويلة في هذه الصناعة لفترة طويلة جدا.
    شركة تخزين اثاث
    شركة تخزين عفش

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I was suffering from Warts Simplex Virus, i was totally depressed due to my predicament , until i meet Dr Nana the great Traditional healer who cured me. you can also contact him now on whatsapp +2347014784614.or via email:on drnanaherbalsolutionhome@gmail .com for more information.






      I was suffering from Warts Simplex Virus, i was totally depressed due to my predicament , until i meet Dr Nana the great Traditional healer who cured me. you can also contact him now on whatsapp +2347014784614.or via email:on drnanaherbalsolutionhome@gmail .com for more information.

      Delete
    2. I Never believed i was ever going to be HSV FREE again, DR.Ehiaguna has given me reasons to be happy, i was HSV positive for 2 years and all the means and medicine i tried for treatment was not helpful to me, but when i came on the Internet i saw great testimony about DR.Ehiaguna on how he was able to cure someone from HSV 2, this person said great things about this man, and advice we contact him for any Disease problem that DR.Ehiaguna can be of help, well i decided to give him a try, he requested for my information which i sent to him, and he told me he was going to prepare for me a healing portion, which he wanted me to take for days, and after which i should go back to the hospital for check up, well after taking all the treatment sent to me by DR.Ehiahuna , i went back to the Hospital for check up, and now i have been confirmed HSV NEGATIVE, friends you can reach DR.Ehiaguna on any treatment of any Disease cos i saw many testimony of different disease like, HEPATITIS,HIV AIDS,EPILEPSY, CANCER,CFS he is the one only one i can show you all up to, reach him on drehiaguna@gmail.com or whatsApp him now +2348073908953. quick contact him for help and you can just quickly drop your number on your first mail as i did for easily conversation

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    3. i want to  inform the public how i was cured of herpes  Virus by a Doctor
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      4)Pregnancy problem
      5)Financial problem and Job promotion
      6)To get a good and rich life partner
      7)To Lose your wrath
      8)to enlargement of penis

      Delete
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    ReplyDelete
  3. i have been suffering from (HERPES) disease for the last four years and had constant pain, especially in my knees. During the first year,I had faith in God that i would be healed someday.This disease started circulate all over my body and i have been taking treatment from my doctor, few weeks ago i came on search on the internet if i could get any information concerning the prevention of this disease, on my search i saw a testimony of someone who has been healed from (Hepatitis B and Cancer) by this Man Dr Isibor and she also gave the email address of this man and advise we should contact him for any sickness that he would be of help, so i wrote to Dr Isibor telling him about my (HERPES Virus) he told me not to worry that i was going to be cured!! hmm i never believed it,, well after all the procedures and remedy given to me by this man few weeks later i started experiencing changes all over me as the Dr assured me that i have cured,after some time i went to my doctor to confirmed if i have be finally healed behold it was TRUE, So friends my advise is if you have such sickness or any other at all you can email Dr Isibor on his email :drisiborspellhome@gmail.com or his whatsApp contact +2348107855231.

    ReplyDelete
  4. I am so happy, i never believe i will be this happy again in life, I was working as an air-hoster ( cabby crew ) for 3years but early this year, i loose my job because of this deadly disease called Herpes virus (HSV), I never felt sick or have any symptom, till all workers were ask to bring their doctors report, that was how i got tested and i found out that am HSV positive that make me loose my job, because it was consider as an STD and is incurable disease, i was so depress was thinking of committing suicide, till i explain to a friend of mine, who always said to me a problem share is a problem solved, that was how she directed me to Dr Isibor, that was how i contacted him and get the medication from this doctor and i got cured for real, I just went back to my work and they also carry out the test to be real sure and i was negative. Please contact this doctor if you are herpes positive diseases his email is: drisiborspellhome@gmail.com or you can call or whatsApp his mobile number on +2348107855231.

    ReplyDelete
  5. I am so happy, i never believe i will be this happy again in life, I was working as an air-hoster ( cabby crew ) for 3years but early this year, i loose my job because of this deadly disease called Herpes virus (HSV), I never felt sick or have any symptom, till all workers were ask to bring their doctors report, that was how i got tested and i found out that am HSV positive that make me loose my job, because it was consider as an STD and is incurable disease, i was so depress was thinking of committing suicide, till i explain to a friend of mine, who always said to me a problem share is a problem solved, that was how she directed me to Dr Isibor, that was how i contacted him and get the medication from this doctor and i got cured for real, I just went back to my work and they also carry out the test to be real sure and i was negative. Please contact this doctor if you are herpes positive diseases his email is: drisiborspellhome@gmail.com or you can call or whatsApp his mobile number on +2348107855231.

    ReplyDelete
  6. I was suffering from Warts Simplex Virus, i was totally depressed due to my predicament , until i meet Dr Nana the great Traditional healer who cured me. you can also contact him now on whatsapp +2347014784614.or via email:on drnanaherbalsolutionhome@gmail .com for more information.





    I was suffering from Warts Simplex Virus, i was totally depressed due to my predicament , until i meet Dr Nana the great Traditional healer who cured me. you can also contact him now on whatsapp +2347014784614.or via email:on drnanaherbalsolutionhome@gmail .com for more information.

    ReplyDelete
  7. I am so happy, i never believe i will be this happy again in life, I was working as an air-hoster ( cabby crew ) for 3years but early this year, i loose my job because of this deadly disease called Herpes virus (HSV), I never felt sick or have any symptom, till all workers were ask to bring their doctors report, that was how i got tested and i found out that am HSV positive that make me loose my job, because it was consider as an STD and is incurable disease, i was so depress was thinking of committing suicide, till i explain to a friend of mine, who always said to me a problem share is a problem solved, that was how she directed me to Dr Isibor, that was how i contacted him and get the medication from this doctor and i got cured for real, I just went back to my work and they also carry out the test to be real sure and i was negative. Please contact this doctor if you are herpes positive diseases his email is: drisiborspellhome@gmail.com or you can call or whatsApp his mobile number on +2348107855231.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Hello viewers, i want to thank Dr for his medical treatment which she used in curing my Genital herpes and am so happy that am cured completely. This is my first blessing of 2019 am so grateful to her please contact her on +1678) 723-1775 and she can also cure other manner of deadly virus email her: samherbstreatment@bk.ru or my Whatsapp number: +1 (213) 349-2159.

    ReplyDelete
  9. God bless Dr Isibor for his marvelous work in my life, I was diagnosed of HERPES since 2017 and I was taking my medications, I wasn't satisfied i needed to get the HERPES out of my system, I searched about some possible cure for HERPES i saw a comment about Dr Isibor, how he cured HERPES DIABETES and CANCER with his herbal medicine, I contacted him and he guided me. I asked for solutions, he started the remedy for my health, he sent me the medicine through UPS SPEED POST. I took the medicine as prescribed by him and 14 days later i was cured from HERPES, Dr Isibor truly you are great, do you need his help also? Why don't you contact him through drisiborspellhome@gmail.com Or contact his number via (WHATSAPP ONLY: You can also whatsapp him via +2348107855231.

    ReplyDelete
  10. I have been suffering from (HERPES) disease for the last four years and had constant pain, especially in my knees. During the first year, I had faith in God that I would be healed someday.This disease started to circulate all over my body and I have been taking treatment from my doctor, a few weeks ago I came on search on the internet if I could get any information concerning the prevention of this disease, on my search I saw a testimony of someone who has been healed from (Hepatitis B and Cancer) by this Man Dr. Silver and she also gave the email address of this man and advise we should contact him for any sickness that he would be of help, so I wrote to Dr. Silver telling him about my (HERPES Virus) he told me not to worry that I was going to be cured!! hmm i never believed it,, well after all the procedures and remedy given to me by this man few weeks later I started experiencing changes all over me as the Dr. assured me that I have cured, after some time i went to my doctor to confirmed if I have been finally healed behold it was TRUE, So friends my advice is if you have such sickness or any other at all you can email Dr. Silver (drsilverhealingtemple@gmail.com) sir I am indeed grateful for the help I will forever recommend you to my friends!!! with your lovely Email Address ( drsilverhealingtemple@gmail.com or whatsapp him on +2348123877102

    ReplyDelete
  11. I Want To Appreciate Dr.OYAGU for hs great deeds, I Was Diagnosed With type 2 Herpes Virus Last year,And Was Look For Solution To Be Cured Luckily I Saw Testimonies On How Dr.OYAGU Cure Herpes Virus I Decided To Contact Dr.OYAGU I Contacted Him He Prepared A Herbal Medicine Portion And Sent It To Me,I Started The Herbal Medicine For My Health.He Gave Me Step By Step Instructions On How To Apply It, When I Applied It As Instructed, I Was Cured Of This Deadly Herpes Within 2 weeks, I Am Now Herpes Negative.My Brother And Sister I No That There Are So Many People That Have There Same Herpes Virus Please contact Dr OYAGU To Help You Too,And Help Me To Thank Dr.OYAGU For Cure Me, I’m Cured By Dr. OYAGU Herbal Medicine,His Contact Email:oyaguspellcaster@gmail.com

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    ReplyDelete
  12. Hello! I'm very excited to inform everyone that I'm completely cured from my HSV 1&2 recently. I have used Oregano oil, Coconut oil, Acyclovir, Valacyclovir, Famciclovir, and some other products and it's really help during my outbreaks but I totally got cured! from my HSV with a strong and active herbal medicine ordered from a powerful herbalist and it completely fought the virus from my nervous system and I was tested negative after 18 days of using the herbal medicine. I'm here to let y'all know that herpes virus has a complete cure, I got rid of mine with the help of Dr OKITI and his herbal exploit. Contact him via email: drokitiherbalhome100@gmail.com or +2347050670365

    ReplyDelete
  13. I Never believed i was ever going to be HSV FREE again, DR.Ehiaguna has given me reasons to be happy, i was HSV positive for 2 years and all the means and medicine i tried for treatment was not helpful to me, but when i came on the Internet i saw great testimony about DR.Ehiaguna on how he was able to cure someone from HSV 2, this person said great things about this man, and advice we contact him for any Disease problem that DR.Ehiaguna can be of help, well i decided to give him a try, he requested for my information which i sent to him, and he told me he was going to prepare for me a healing portion, which he wanted me to take for days, and after which i should go back to the hospital for check up, well after taking all the treatment sent to me by DR.Ehiahuna , i went back to the Hospital for check up, and now i have been confirmed HSV NEGATIVE, friends you can reach DR.Ehiaguna on any treatment of any Disease cos i saw many testimony of different disease like, HEPATITIS,HIV AIDS,EPILEPSY, CANCER,CFS he is the one only one i can show you all up to, reach him on drehiaguna@gmail.com or whatsApp him now +2348073908953. quick contact him for help and you can just quickly drop your number on your first mail as i did for easily conversation

    ReplyDelete
  14. i want to  inform the public how i was cured of herpes  Virus by a Doctor
    called Dr ishiaku. i visited different hospital but they gave me list of
    drugs like Famvir, Zovirax, and Valtrex which is very expensive to treat
    the symptoms and never cured me. I was browsing through the Internet
    searching for remedy on Herpes and i saw comment of people talking about how Doctor ishiaku cured them. I Was scared because i never believed in the
    Internet but i was convince to give him a try because i was having no hope
    of been cured of herpes so i decided to contact him on his email, i searched
    his email on net and i saw a lot of people testifying about his goodness.
    when i contacted him he gave me hope and send a Herbal medicine to me that
    i took and it seriously worked for me, am a free person now without
    problem, my HERPES result came out negative. You can contact him on his
    Email: ishiakuherbalcure@gmail.com or whatsapp him via +2348180828544
     and get all your problem solved.
    1)Sickness of any kind
    2)Help to CURE Hepatitis B, herpes, HIV/AIDS CANCER and BIPOLAR
    3)Divorce, Breakup problem and To Re-unit
    4)Pregnancy problem
    5)Financial problem and Job promotion
    6)To get a good and rich life partner
    7)To Lose your wrath
    8)to enlargement of penis

    ReplyDelete
  15. i want to  inform the public how i was cured of herpes  Virus by a Doctor
    called Dr ishiaku. i visited different hospital but they gave me list of
    drugs like Famvir, Zovirax, and Valtrex which is very expensive to treat
    the symptoms and never cured me. I was browsing through the Internet
    searching for remedy on Herpes and i saw comment of people talking about how Doctor ishiaku cured them. I Was scared because i never believed in the
    Internet but i was convince to give him a try because i was having no hope
    of been cured of herpes so i decided to contact him on his email, i searched
    his email on net and i saw a lot of people testifying about his goodness.
    when i contacted him he gave me hope and send a Herbal medicine to me that
    i took and it seriously worked for me, am a free person now without
    problem, my HERPES result came out negative. You can contact him on his
    Email: ishiakuherbalcure@gmail.com or whatsapp him via +2348180828544
     and get all your problem solved.
    1)Sickness of any kind
    2)Help to CURE Hepatitis B, herpes, HIV/AIDS CANCER and BIPOLAR
    3)Divorce, Breakup problem and To Re-unit
    4)Pregnancy problem
    5)Financial problem and Job promotion
    6)To get a good and rich life partner
    7)To Lose your wrath
    8)to enlargement of manhood

    ReplyDelete
  16. Hello everyone. Dr Omoru herbs is a good remedy for herpes Virus , I was a carrier of herpes virus and I saw a testimony on how Dr. Omoru cure Herpes Virus, I decided to contact him, I contacted him and he guided me. I asked him for solutions and he started the remedies for my health. After he finish he sent me the herbs which i took for 2 weeks before asking me to go for a check up and getting there i could not believe that i was confirm HSV 2 Negative after the test, Today i am so happy because i'm free from herpes disease with the help of Dr. Omoru . Thank God now everything is fine, I'm cured by Dr. Omuru herbal medicine, I'm very thankful to God for making it possible. you can reach him on his email, i strongly recommend him to any one out here looking for a cure.to herpes or any other deadly disease...Contact Dr Omoru via email: omoru81@gmail.com or whatsapp +234818082844

    ReplyDelete
  17. I think this is an informative post and it is very useful and knowledgeable. therefore, I would like to thank you for the efforts you have made in writing this article. trace and track china post

    ReplyDelete