In this painting, the artist is caught between the sun and moon. She described the sun as 'healing' yet her lingering expression doesn't portray any relief whatsoever. With a sullen look on her face, she is holding onto a single white lily.

During a solar eclipse, the moon blocks the sun. Mirroring this concept, we can infer how the artist is still recovering from the trauma of her cancer surgery and one part of her is visually clinging to the moon whilst another part aches to step into the sun. She mentions how she "offers" her suffering for which the lily serves as a metaphor. Despite going through this "eclipse" in life, she realizes that her pain has taught her to be more compassionate and understanding of the pain of others around her---friends, family and patients. Inadvertently, this will make her a better nurse since she can truly relate to her patients and her suffering has made her stronger as she has chosen to learn from it and heal in spite of how difficult it was.

This image also creates a tangible link to the nurse patient dynamic. Where once she controlled the procedure as a nurse, now she surrenders to it as a patient. This reversal emphasises her vulnerability and the universal need for care that transcends roles or professions. The transfusion scene displays the emotional journey Davis faces, portraying healing not just as a physical act but as an intimate, shared experience that blurs professional boundaries.

When compared to the article 'Care', there is an overlap with the treatment of patients as these health profession to patient relationships are mostly transactional and there is a lack of empathy. This also reinforces the fact that there is a hierarchy in the health system that determines how you are going to be treated.

In Lorde's Cancer Journals, her experience with breast cancer involved with a lot of pain and dread as well. However, Lorde had a hard time receiving pain meds from nurses at certain times, so she was not able to feel the full extent of the heavy peace and slumber Davis was able to experience with the Dilaudid she was often given. The contrast between the access of pain meds between these two women illustrates how the healthcare system does not see pain equally between different types of people. As a white woman, Davis most likely was believed more in regards to her severe pain while Lorde's pain was possibly dismissed due to her race since black woman's pain is often not given the same value. As a result, Davis was able to have here stillness and peace (although she felt dread as well) in the nights while Lorde describes how the hours between 8pm and 5 am were the worst times for her in the hospital.

She considers the experiences of those who were once her patients and who, like her, had to return to their homes to find themselves completely transformed in a now unwelcoming place. She is consumed by fear and uncertainty.

Although she describes her weak and deteriorating physical condition, I think the painting's most striking element is in her head, which alludes to the changes that have had a significant emotional impact on her. I view this as a representation of her disconnection between mind and body, as well as her separation from her past life before hospitalization.

In the segment attached to the original picture, she talks about how much time and effort her husband put into taking care of her and his consistent care. She also admits that while waiting this she felt his equally life-altering suffering. This made me think of how in all the care-related articles we have read, they all discuss how the patients are the ones going through the actual sickness or disease, but caretakers also take in some of that pain as well and I think that Davis expresses that very well in this painting.

Classwork:

"Add 1 other text, topic, or issue that we have discussed that overlaps with the idea you discussed in your original response to "When The Nurse Becomes a Patient" on padlet.

Another topic we have discussed that overlaps with my original response is the healthcare system as a whole and how transactional it is. Going from a nurse, who admitted caregiving and nursing had blurred lines to being the one lying in the hospital she expressed feelings of loneliness. This shows the view from the nurse vs the actual patient because as much care you think you give sometimes as a nurse, and although you may check all the boxes of what you are supposed to do, the patient can still experience loneliness.

In Renaissance paintings and their countless examples of divine intervention, there is always a feeling of magic and a higher power present that can be felt by color, tone, and mood. The tone of the paintings always contain lightness and the feeling of a higher power present-there is also usually a god watching over the main subject. But Davis' painting represents a departure from all things divine. The colors blue, black, and hints of red make up the entirety of the painting. These chosen colors are inherently depressing, with blue representing sadness, black as emptiness, and hints of red for moments of pain. The tone of the piece utilizes darkness to convey depth and keep the reader away from the main subject. The mood of the piece conveys a departure, through the subject's tears and distant expression. Even the brushstrokes contribute to the story, with the left side of the painting having a scratchy and inconsistent stroke.

The feeling of the painting feels like a divine departure. There is no presence of god, and the lighting is extremely off-putting. The subject is illuminated by the light of a screen or TV rather than natural light or divine light.

This image overlaps with Audre Lorde and her experience of loss. Davis explains, "I felt both abandoned and crushed" (15). Her feelings are similar to Lorde's and articulate the experience of losing something extremely familiar and personal.

I have chosen this particular piece from "When the Nurse Becomes a Patient" and have chosen to rename it "Eclipse."

In this painting, the artist is caught between the sun and moon. She described the sun as 'healing' yet her lingering expression doesn't portray any relief whatsoever. With a sullen look on her face, she is holding onto a single white lily.

During a solar eclipse, the moon blocks the sun. Mirroring this concept, we can infer how the artist is still recovering from the trauma of her cancer surgery and one part of her is visually clinging to the moon whilst another part aches to step into the sun. She mentions how she "offers" her suffering for which the lily serves as a metaphor. Despite going through this "eclipse" in life, she realizes that her pain has taught her to be more compassionate and understanding of the pain of others around her---friends, family and patients. Inadvertently, this will make her a better nurse since she can truly relate to her patients and her suffering has made her stronger as she has chosen to learn from it and heal in spite of how difficult it was.

In the way that Audre Lorde described her relationship between mind and body after going through cancer

I think this overlaps with metamorphosis.

In this Image Courtney Davis talks about a band of singers and how the song always moved her with it's blend of pathos and acceptance : the narrator is awaiting death.

During her hospital hours she was stuck between wanting to live but also inviting the "Angel Band" whose task was to come and carry her away. The author also talks about how vulnerable she was during the time in which she was hospitalised, but as she was recovering she came to the realisation that her Angel band had in fact been gathering around her all this time and that gave her a sense of relief and hope.

Her Angel band at this time did not prepare her for death but instead they were the nurses and aids who cared for her while she was in the hospital; friends and to those who kept her in their thoughts and sent flowers while recovering.

I related this to the care article, because care in the medical field is very critical to be patients well being in general. Medicine is changing and it also becomes less personal, less interactive and more technical. Nursing has changed too but the presence of nurses and ids at the bedside is still critical, perhaps now more than ever. Without good nursing care, patients cannot survive.