I chose to tell the story of my surgery because it is the single most life changing experience I’ve had so far. This is also the period in my life in which I was diagnosed with lifelong chronic illness, however I was unsure how to express that aspect of my story in this photo set.
I think I did well considering my limitations. Since I did not have many props or access to a multitude of locations I decided to frame the entire piece around my abdomen and how it evolved through the process of thinking something might be amiss, realizing something was wrong, recovering post diagnosis/surgery, learning to allow my loved ones to support me, becoming comfortable with my healed scars, and finally being ready to move past the entire experience and open the door for another journey.
I am most proud of the third photo in the series. For me, it simultaneously conveys the relief of no longer being incapacitated by a mysterious pain but now being overwhelmed with a multitude of post surgical medications and littered with fresh incisions. I believe I captured this dichotomy of feelings fairly well.
To me, the first image would not be very meaningful if it were not apart of the series as a whole. However, that is the nature of that photo. It is meant to reflect how I felt at the time – slightly uncomfortable but nothing serious enough to prevent me from going to school or force me to go to the doctor. It was a precursor to the immobilizing pain I would soon feel that would leave me unable to work or attend classes at all. When viewed as a piece of the larger picture it allows the viewer to observe the escalating symptoms I was experiencing.
My preference has always been to take photos of stories as they are happening. In this case, it was not possible. While going through this experience I was not motivated to take many photos capturing my experience or life in general due to being in extraordinary pain as well as extremely depressed. I stopped posting on social media for almost a year and was simply just surviving. However, I do wish that I had more photos of myself or my life during this time as it has shaped me into the person that I am today. Additionally, if there is anyone else going through a similar experience with injury, surgery, mental health, or chronic illness diagnosis I think having a photo set like this is a great way to reach them and express the message that they are not alone in their struggles. Moreover, I think it conveys that if they push through the really difficult times in their lives there are wonderful adventures to be had.
I would love to create a photo set that captures how I found and fell in love with roller skating after this difficult period of my life. After my surgery and eventual diagnosis of chronic illness I was depressed and grieving the loss of a “normal life”. So for me, finding a physical activity that got me outside, increased my confidence, and introduced me to new people and friends was precisely what I needed to fall in love with life again. To capture that story in a photo set would be very meaningful for me.
ART 110 Blog 