medical

‘Punch Views His (A/S) Body’, by Phil Hawtin

Anthology /

Punch views images from the lead-lined room of hunched, misshaped bones. Punch dances round the room – head on a pole, chest iron-maiden bound with extra spikes, hips a claggy crucible, wooden knees. Mismatched red socks sneak past frozen feet, up past stiffened ankles. Punch plays St Sebastian. Punch is put to the rack —… Continue Reading ‘Punch Views His (A/S) Body’, by Phil Hawtin

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‘TWENTY FOUR SEVEN’, by Hedgehog

Anthology /

I am your pain. Like Puck; quicksilver, impish, mischief-making. You’re easily fooled, you make my nonsense real, you feel what is not true. I stab and prickle, or transform into A metal straitjacket, squeezing your foot, your leg. Imprisoned. Around each toe, elastic bands pulled tight. You call me neuropathy; I say there’s no such… Continue Reading ‘TWENTY FOUR SEVEN’, by Hedgehog

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‘there’s a metaphor here but im too tired to find it…’ by socks

Anthology /

morphine tastes nasty, ive called it ‘the devil’s cough syrup’ before. it’s sickly sweet and cloying, but you know what’s Weird? when you first take that spoonful into your mouth, it’s not that bad. not great, it’s still medicine, but it’s tolerable. only when you attempt to swallow it does it make its true terribleness… Continue Reading ‘there’s a metaphor here but im too tired to find it…’ by socks

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‘The Day That Never Ends’, by Mariana Gurgis

Anthology /

From our window, the clouds seemed static, frozen. Orange-and-green taxicabs drove through the slush six floors down. Tilly whimpered, buzzed for the nurse, asked for Dilaudid, whispered “good morning.” Swaddled in her sheets, she breathed hard. Phenolic air. She asked me how I was feeling. We lolled in our beds, our mothers asleep in their… Continue Reading ‘The Day That Never Ends’, by Mariana Gurgis

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‘Partners In My Care’, by anonymous

Anthology /

I sit in my place—the patient’s chair—prepared to be a partner in my care. I’ve brought an expanding bible of medical tests and consultant notes, a list of medications and interventions, including what has worked and what hasn’t, and a diary of symptoms I now describe with familiarity. Muscles spasm in my core when I… Continue Reading ‘Partners In My Care’, by anonymous

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