Recovery

A simple book on the topic of convalescence: recovery, return to health, rehabilitation.

A fine little thing full of reflections and thoughts on the feat of somehow getting back health after illness.

There’s maybe more references to other books and works than necessary, but it only confuses a tiny bit. Francis’ reflections are still very present and full of power.

His main argument is that of making care and recovery into a separate domain pretty much as important as the medica intervention itself. He explains that the thought of good aftercare being imperative to recovery was more present before the 20th century. In modern medicine we tend to focus more on the intervention itself and less holilstically.

• To recover one needs time, sun light, quiet, nature
• Good care from a fitting carer
• Social connections
• A positive outlook
• Listen to the language of the body and make note, learn it if you need to.

Charge your environment with as much as you’re able of space, light, cleanliness, greenery, quiet.

To be healed is to be reinvigoriated by the same force that animates trees as much as it does human beings.

health as the equilibrium between extremes rather than an end in itself to be ‘reached’ or ‘acheived’.