Ephemeral Threads: Weaving Emotions and Embodiment in Terminal Cancer Care

Resumen

This article explores the experiences of patients undergoing palliative cancer treatment, with a focus on how they perceive and manage their health meanings and emotions in a complex, embodied context. The research is based on narratives from individuals receiving treatment at the outpatient department (OPD) of Crescent Valley Oncology Institute in Kolkata (a fictionalized name for ethical reasons). Given the lack of a clear sample frame of cancer patients, the study focuses on terminally ill cancer patients who visited the OPD between April and July 2005. The study employs in-depth qualitative research interviews to understand how each patient’s experience of illness is shaped by their perception of their body, emotions, and its changes in the palliative care setting. The theoretical approach proposed in this study is the "Managing Meanings of Embodied Experiences" (MMEE) framework. MMEE is a three-fold framework that delves into how individuals navigate and interpret the meanings of their health experiences and emotions. The study examines how patients’ body-selves are intertwined with their relationships with others, biomedical interventions, and the ongoing, dynamic nature of their physical, emotional, and psychological experiences.
A key finding is that patients’ embodied experiences and emotions are not static; rather, they evolve as they cope with their illness, make choices, and incorporate these experiences and emotions into their identities and relationships. This reflects what is termed the body-self-society 'triad,' showing that the self, body, and emotions are in constant interaction with society and its medical structures.