I recently completed a 6 week evening class devoted to Photography and Story.
It was a fun, light class, mixing the technical skills of photography (exposure, speed, focal length, etc.) with the creative aspects of story, (perspective, mood, message, beginning, end, etc.).
The picture above shows some of my handiwork, in which I was given a small figurine as a story character, then let loose to create. Not too bad, if I say so myself!
Sorry is a powerful concept in medicine, and probably one we don’t spend enough time considering.
Nearly every patient I have seen has required a “History of Present Illness” – the HPI – which is effectively my interpretation and recording of their story of why they are being seen: a short health story, within their life story , so to speak.
More often than not, their HPI story is the most critical part of the assessment, usually more important than the physical exam and any lab test or X-ray (which usually are just confirming their story).
And more often than not, their assessment of me as a physician is based on their perception of how well I have listened and heard their story.
Now stories are, by their very nature, a creative construct, and may not always contain the absolute factual truth.
But I think it is worth reflecting on how story – within medicine, our own personal lives, and even photography – does contain other, potentially more important truths.