Uncertainty
Beth Healey
Based on Dorothea Lange’s ‘Migrant Mother, Nipomo, California’ my drawing is an expression of the emotions I associate with the uncertainty of illness. The emotions captured, particularly in the eyes of the mother, still pierce me despite now – having seen this image several times.
‘As doctors we deal with aspects of life that people feel very intensely’ – David Reilly.
The original photograph conveys to me the intensity of the mother’s uncertainty. Through the photograph I am able to feel emotion without having to experience it. As a doctor it will be important to empathize in such a way with patients.
Interpreting the image through drawing, I was able to both express and clarify for myself the emotions I felt.
Whole Person Care – Year One
This piece stood out to me as the artist is clearly very skilled and has produced a window into a very intimate emotion. Uncertainty is something that is inevitably is inseparable from medicine, but every doctor should strive to minimise such feelings – which often go hand in hand with fear. This can be achieved by human empathy and support, and not by drugs. I think pencil was a wonderful choice of media for this piece as the lines themselves are uncertain and sketchy, alike to the emotions the woman is feeling.
I related to this piece the most because during my GP visits the theme of uncertainty was central to a lot of the consultations. This uncertainty was the root a lot of the anxiety and fear that patients felt. I especially liked how the artist used pencil because the absence of colour, using a grey scale, made the piece have an intense mood. I also liked how some parts of the drawing was left unfinished as I think this emphasised the uncertainty the lady is feeling. This is further shown by the haphazard strokes used. More over the worried expression, emphasised by the frown of the lady, reflected the mood very well and the hand on the lip also supported this mood. Furthermore, this relates to whole person care as it emphasises the importance of hearing the patients story. This is because, for example, the patient may have clinical symptoms which are actually due to the anxiety the patient is feeling of the uncertainty of their disease.
I love the detail in this piece, although it is not a clear portrait the lines help depict the emotion behind this piece. The patient looks very perplexed and the lines in this piece do an excellent job in expressing her emotion and how a GP may empathise with that
The pained and confused expression of the subject of this piece really sparked my interest as I believe it portrays the anguish experienced by patients awaiting diagnosis very well. I think that the lack of colour works well to convey a sense of loneliness and isolation, and also a feeling of being ‘left in the dark’. The fact that this piece is untitled also suggests the woman’s feeling of losing her identity and her illness taking control of her life. This emphasises the importance of emotional support from healthcare professionals, family and friends during a patient’s illness and healthcare journey.
The anxious and confused expression of the patient is an excellent representation of the emotions many patients experience, which I have observed on GP placements. The strong focus on the patient’s expression highlights that the emotional distress of illness can feel inescapable and constant. Moreover, the style of sketch adds a sense of chaos and panic that being ill can instil in an individual .
I found this really eye catching as the pain in the mothers eyes along with the sharpness of the strokes gives such a strong feeling of despair. I really like that the image is without colour as this emphasises the devoid of hope and turmoil facing the woman. It is generally a chaotic image, with uncertain pencil lines and shading in various places which gives you an insight into how the mothers brain must be crawling with thoughts.