It is a common occurrence that in healthcare, people's illness stories are often overlooked in order to focus on the presenting disorder. In this way, doctors provide purely biomedical care rather than holistic care. By interacting with a patient's narrative, the clinician can simultaneously gather the information needed to present a conclusive diagnosis while addressing any contextual issues that may impact the patient's recovery. To illustrate the benefits of engaging with a patient's narrative, a 60-year-old Black male – who will be referred to as "Henry" to preserve his anonymity – graciously agreed to tell his story of diagnosis, living with, and ultimately , defeat cancer. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay Since he is a close family friend and his illness was not hidden, it was easy to arrange a face-to-face interview where he felt comfortable and openly described his experience. The essay will provide a brief definition of “narrative medicine” and why its application is necessary in healthcare practice, identify and analyze key themes that appear within the narrative by referring to various journal articles, and conclude by answering the essay's initial question “what is the value of engaging with a patient's narrative and creating meaning in the process of providing healthcare? each individual patient as a person with their own individual history, rather than as a collection of symptoms” (PCC Institute for Health Professionals, 2017). Divinsky (2007) argues that the application of narrative medicine is very promising as it aims to reduce the emotional burnout experienced by healthcare professionals and to cultivate empathy that often diminishes with long practice. This allows your doctor to refine their treatment suggestions and provide more comprehensive care. By listening to the story surrounding the patient's illness, the illness is contextualized and the doctor is provided with a better understanding of the circumstances experienced by the patient. In January 2016, Henry began experiencing constant stomach pain. After visiting a general practitioner, he was referred to Groote Schuur Hospital (GSH) to undergo a positron emission topography (PET), as Henry had suffered from throat cancer two years earlier and the doctor was concerned that he might be a relapse as standard medications had no effect on relieving the pain. Once the scans were done and the results were obtained from the doctor, Henry was told outright that he had stage four stomach cancer and that it had spread throughout his body, particularly to his liver. He was shocked by this diagnosis and feared that he might die, as he had more friends who suffered from cancer and did not survive than those who did. Henry then began aggressive chemotherapy in the hope that it would shrink or ideally kill the cancer cells, however, he did not respond well and became very ill, losing approximately 36 kilograms (he originally weighed 75 kilograms) and the cancer showing no signs of abating. He continued this treatment for 18 months (and was bedridden the entire time) until June 2017, when he was told it was highly unlikely he would survive beyond February 2018, however, he may be able to "have 3 months longer if he took an additional 17 sessions of aggressive chemotherapy.” Henry refused to spend his final months seemingly confined to hospital, enduring a treatment that was doing him more harm than good for the slim chance.to live a few more months. He was released from GSH, returned home and decided to put his life in God's hands, opting to use less conventional cancer treatments. Soon after, Henry miraculously began to gain weight, his appetite returned, and he had more energy. This trend continued and in March 2018 he went to the oncology department at GSH to meet with his former oncologist. Everyone was amazed at his recovery and when another CT scan was performed, the cancer had completely regressed. By knowing the history behind an illness, you can identify key themes in the patient's life and how they influence the experience of being a chronically ill person. Throughout Henry's journey living with (and ultimately overcoming) stage four stomach cancer, five key themes presented themselves: fear, desperation, family, spirituality, and optimism. Being both a father and grandfather, the fear of leaving the family was always present, to the point that he was afraid to fall asleep at night because he might not wake up. This was something he chose to keep to himself because he didn't want to burden his family. According to the American Cancer Association (2018), putting on a brave face is a common occurrence among cancer patients, as they want to protect their loved ones from seeing the pain they may be feeling. If doctors are aware of these fears in their patients, they can provide appropriate resources to help mitigate this feeling, thus providing more holistic care. Despite hiding this fear from his family, Henry relied heavily on them for motivation during this difficult time. Family was also incredibly important during this time, as they not only provided him with irreplaceable support, but also motivated him to get out of bed every day. They were a constant source of motivation to do whatever was necessary to be healthy again. His family's involvement in managing his condition helped him stay positive and not feel completely isolated and provided him with a sense of normality in an otherwise abnormal situation. Therefore, promoting family support in patients living with chronic conditions helps create a sense of comfort while helping to preserve a sense of autonomy within the patient (Whitehead, et al., 2017), thus motivating the patient to Adopt and adhere to positive health habits. With this in mind, it would seem obvious that healthcare professionals need to include the patient's family in their thought process when dealing with treatment options – considering how the patient together with their family will be affected emotionally, psychologically and/or financially by certain treatments they the doctor may deem it necessary. The more serious and/or chronic the disease, the greater the effect it will have on the patient. Please note: this is just an example. Get a custom paper from our expert writers now. Get a Custom Essay The chronicity and severity of his illness also led him to reflect on his mortality and led to a confrontation with his faith – he described arguing with God and discussing the illness until he concluded that it was time to put all his trust in the Lord. Awareness of one's mortality is often combined with a sense of spirituality, especially regarding chronic illnesses (Mabena & Moodley, 2012). Surrendering himself completely to his faith led him to have a sense of optimism that pushed him to try alternative medications once his poor prognosis was communicated to him. This optimism allowed him to dedicate himself to helping his loved ones despite being weak and further strengthened his spirit,.