BookMeghan O'Rourke
Summary: "A landmark exploration of one of the most consequential and mysterious issues of our time: the rise of chronic illness and autoimmune diseases. A silent epidemic of chronic illnesses afflicts tens of millions of Americans: these are diseases that are poorly understood, frequently marginalized, and can go undiagnosed and unrecognized altogether. Renowned writer Meghan O'Rourke delivers a revelatory investigation into this elusive category of 'invisible' illness that encompasses autoimmune diseases, post-treatment Lyme disease syndrome, and now long COVID. Drawing on her own medical experiences as well as a decade of interviews with doctors, patients, researchers, and public health experts, O'Rourke traces the history of Western definitions of illness, and reveals how inherited ideas of cause, diagnosis, and treatment have led us to ignore a host of hard-to-understand medical conditions, ones that resist easy description or simple cures. And as America faces this health crisis of extraordinary proportions, the populations most likely to be neglected by our institutions include women, the working class, and people of color. Blending lyricism and erudition, candor and empathy, O'Rourke brings together her deep and disparate talents and roles as critic, journalist, poet, teacher, and patient, synthesizing the personal and universal into one monumental project arguing for a seismic shift in our approach to disease. The Invisible Kingdom offers hope for the sick, solace and insight for their loved ones, and a radical new understanding of our bodies and our health." -- Provided by publisher
Contents:
Part one: Obstacles. Introduction
"Gradually and then suddenly"
What is an autoimmune disease?
Disease concepts
Impersonation
The doctor-patient relationship
Alternatives
Downward spiral
The woman problem
The immune system gone awry
Part two: Mysteries. Autoimmunity as metaphor
Mind/body
Positive thinking
Possibility
Nadir
Lyme disease
Futurity
Uncertainty
Part three: Healing. Silence and healing
Solutions
The wisdom narrative
RequestLocation
Version
Call Number
Items
New Books: Duck Room
RC108 .O765 2022
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