Illness, biography, and the interpretation of self following a stroke

The concept of biography as both knowledge of the self and as an expression of part of theSelf that needs attention following serious illness is explored.

Abstract

Drawing on case material from interviews with a 65-year-old woman who had suffered a stroke, this article explores the concept of biography as both knowledge of the self and as an expression of part of the self that needs attention following serious illness. Using a phenomenological approach, the kinds of bio-graphical work that individuals define and face as they recover from major illness are elucidated. The goal is to explore the consequences of a stroke for biographical issues that emerge in later life.