Posted by:
Juan Juarez, Patient and Artist interviewed by Frances Ancheta-Becker, Supervising Creative Arts Therapist at San Mateo Medical Center
Juan is a patient in the long-term care/skilled nursing unit at San Mateo Medical Center, in San Mateo, California, a local county government hospital in the San Francisco Bay Area. Juan was originally from ...
A truly remarkable spirit. Rather than running away from her diagnosis of multiple sclerosis, Elizabeth Jameson used her newly acquired medical condition as an opportunity for transformation. Not only did she change her profession from attorney to artist, but she allowed her new perspective to pervade her artwork and view of the world.
Continue Reading →
Primary diagnosis: Diabetes Mellitus Type 2, s/p below the knee amputation
Story:
Ravi was a former landscaper and gardener who ended up getting a below the knee amputation due to uncontrolled Type 2 diabetes. Ravi had no previous interest in the arts, and led an active daily life doing intense physical work in gardens and garden stores.
Ravi was depressed and ...
In 1988, Jon Sarkin suddenly developed tinnitus (ringing in the ears), and hyperacusis (over-sensitivity to certain frequencies).
This led to surgery and as a consequence a brain hemorrhage and subsequent stroke.
He awoke deaf in one ear, his vision splintered, and his balance permanently skewed. Parts of his brain had been sliced and removed.
His brain was broke, however the neurons that were left made new connections.
As a result, he developed a drive to compulsively create art which helped his recovery.
To this very ...
Continue Reading →Posted by:
Artist living with Multiple Sclerosis creates art out of her old medical supplies. Her creations present an opportunity to regain control from the chaos and unpredictability of MS.
Susan Trachman was born in 1961 in the Rancho Park section of Los Angeles. She loved art from an early age and remembers fondly her favorite family outings going to the art museum on Sundays. Susan always loved doing art and thanks to her mother she still has the self portrait she ...
Continue Reading →I am first generation born in raised in Wallingford CT. I attended Saint Michael’s College and earned a liberal arts degree in political science.
My current medical condition has been an on-going challenge.
A boat accident in 2015 resulted in a broken back, 2 injured wrists and shoulders.
To date, I have had 2 major back surgeries, 1 shoulder surgery, 2 left wrist surgeries and more surgeries scheduled.
I have had over 50 MRI’s and x-rays, more than 100 doctors visits,1,680 days of chronic ...
Continue Reading →Joe Barrett worked in the film industry in Los Angeles in several positions, including Production Design, Camera Operator, and Director. Active and involved in multiple artistic projects, In 2013 he was diagnosed with a debilitating neurologic condition and now is living with MS. In spite of the challenges, Joe worked on his recovery and turned to photography and video.
With a lot of hard work and perseverance he began shooting videos for local musicians and bands. Through his work, he ...
Continue Reading →Posted by:
When I was fifteen, my life as I knew it took a very sharp turn. I began to have pain in my chest, which, over the course of two years, spread to every part of my body, a surge of burning, throbbing, numbing, overwhelming pain that would not relent. My parents took me to every doctor imaginable searching for answers, but there were none to be found. Many times, they, the doctors, made the problem even worse with their poking ...
Continue Reading →