MY MOTHER, MY STORY

Area of Science:

• Medical Humanities
• Narrative Medicine
• Writing Studies

Background:

• Caregiving for a chronically ill family member presents unique challenges.
• Memoir essays offer a platform for exploring personal experiences with illness and care.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine the interplay between caregiving and writing.
• To differentiate between narrative medicine's healing goals and a writer's personal motivations.
• To explore writing as a form of caregiving.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of memoir essays focusing on a mother's chronic lung disease.
• Comparative examination of caregiving obligations versus writing imperatives.
• Exploration of the potential for honor and mutuality in illness narratives.

Main Results:

• Writing and caregiving have distinct, often conflicting, imperatives.
• Personal needs, self-reflection, and career influence the writing process.
• Writing about illness experiences can foster connection and honor.

Conclusions:

• Writing, while distinct from traditional caregiving, can serve as a unique form of care.
• Illness narratives hold potential for mutual understanding and respect.
• The act of writing can transform the caregiving experience.