Leila Chatti makes it clear that she’s not shy about addressing her medical afflictions within her work (and I find it really amazing and inspiring). “MRI” discusses an experience of hers while getting an MRI scan in which she observes those around her and her own situation. There’s a negative mood set from the very beginning as she describes that she “[wears] a gown that ties in the back” and “this is how [she] knows [she’s] sick.” Rather than focusing on the positive idea of her addressing her medical problem, she’s consumed and distracted by the ages of those around her, assisting with the scan.
She notes that “the nurse can’t be more than a few years older than [her], smiling as if [they’re] friends while [she grips] closed the gape of [her] frock,” highlighting her discomfort with the scenario. She reflects back on certain activities from childhood when mentioning how “it’s a bit like a grotesque sleepover,” with her in the “nightdress and the nurse making jokes.” And though the nurse is treating her well and kindly, “fetching [her] a blanket to throw over [her] knees,” she can’t help but “think these things,” and associate them together, “because [she] is young,” and might feel out of place being in that place at that time, especially at her age, getting an MRI.
Chatti goes on to mention that “the nurse waves to a technician behind the glass-- a boy,” and then corrects herself that he’s “a man,” still thinking from that young child’s perspective (perhaps wondering what she’s even doing there). She says that he asked her what she wanted to listen to “the way a boy does on a date… or at a party where he knows everyone,” once again exhibiting behavior of the youth she’s a part of, uncomfortable with the normalcy of everyone else around her except for herself (due to her own health). She mentions that she says nothing as she slides in with her, “arms by her side as if slipping into the sleeve of a sleeping bag and it were simply [her] friends whispering in the next room, trying not to disturb [her].”
Much of Chatti’s discomfort is hinted at in “MRI” along with the theme of young age, I believe to emphasize the odd emotion of feeling out of place in a time of her life in which she’s supposed to be thriving and healthy as a young individual. Instead, she’s left in awkward situations where the nurses helping her mirror her in age, observing everything so much as if wondering ‘Why is it that I’m here and you’re there,’ sadly and pessimistically. I find it truly sad since she didn’t choose to have to live her life that way and deal with her medical concerns (and not feel “normal’ because of it).
This is such a sad poem. No one considers how the patient feels emotionally when they go through medical treatments. Physicians and nurses are so focused on physically treating the patient that often times the staff forgets to take care of a patient emotionally. As both factors are equally as important. Lastly it is quite upsetting when a young adult becomes ill as most of the time those around them of similar age are healthy and thriving.
ReplyDeleteThis poem allows us to realize that when people go through treatments it affects them mentally the same as physically if not more. People's emotions are extremely important as well.
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