Beyond the Diagnosis: A Photographic Inquiry of Chronic Illness
Abstract
The old adage for authors is to ‘write what you know,’ and I believe the same can
be
said for any other artistic medium. I was diagnosed with Irritable Bowel Syndrome
about four years ago and it has been a life-altering experience for me. I now have
to shape the rest of my life around the management of a medical condition that forces
me to locate the nearest bathroom whenever I go somewhere new, carry medication with
me at all times, and cook everything I consume. I have struggled with this new way
of life, and wanted to help remove stigma while building connections with others.
It finally occurred to me that I could use my passion for photography to document
the experiences and stories of myself and others with chronic illness.
The main portion of this project is a website, www.monroephotos.com, that shows photographs
I made with each individual as well as a portion of the story behind their illness.
I struggled to give a name to this project but I ultimately decided on Beyond the
Diagnosis because it implies that there is a story to tell after a diagnosis of chronic
illness, and that an authentic life can be lived in the face of illness. And, as I
will outline in the paper component of this project, there is real world evidence
and scholarship that examines the need for a reclaiming of the self after facing a
life-altering diagnosis.
The project provides a window into the lives of five survivors of chronic illness
beyond what is detailed in their patient charts – they are more than their diagnosis.
With the contributions of my collaborators- Kevin, Eleri, Sam and Alex, as well as
my own story- the website and paper explore the ways in which chronic illnesses impact
the daily lives of each participant.
Type
Master's thesisDepartment
Graduate Liberal StudiesPermalink
https://hdl.handle.net/10161/14586Citation
Monroe, Alexandra (2017). Beyond the Diagnosis: A Photographic Inquiry of Chronic Illness. Master's thesis, Duke University. Retrieved from https://hdl.handle.net/10161/14586.Collections
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