Analysis Of Oliver Sacks A Leg To Stand On

A Leg to Stand On, by Oliver Sacks, is a written narrative about Oliver Sacks and his personal struggles. Sacks depicts the story of his self-induced disability, the mental/physical barriers he faced within recovery, and acceptance. Sacks broke down this process into seven steps: the mountain, becoming a patient, limbo, quickening, Solvitur Ambulando, convalescence, and understanding. Along with the physical and mental barriers he faces within this journey, he encounters differing macro/micro contextual issues. These issues include problems with his doctors, with his self-identification, and body ego. Sacks grew up as an athletic individual, his health being a main priority throughout his life. He talks about how he grew up valuing his physical …show more content…
At this hospital he encounters the issue of being a patient instead of the doctor. He faces this issue especially after surgery. After surgery his doctors were satisfied with the results of his leg, stating that he should have full mobility and feeling of his leg shortly within weeks. Weeks passed, and feeling within his leg did not come, despite the doctor’s beliefs. After surgery, Sacks finds that his leg is completely numb, that he is unable to move his leg at will. This creates the internal conflict of not believing his leg is a part of him because his leg does not physically work. He states: “I had a sudden sense of mismatch, of profound incongruity-between what I imagined I felt and what I actually saw, between what I thought and what I now found” (Sacks, O page 48). Many individuals with disabilities have issues with this, learning how to now create new identities for themselves within the face of a sudden disability. Sacks faces the issue of situational depression, which occurs during the adaptation process, and may happen at other times or continue during other stages in life (Pierce, L.) In Sacks case, his situational depression is due to the anxiety from his situation. He goes through many of the symptoms of situational depression throughout the book, including: changes in sleep or eating patterns, rumination/negative thinking, and agitation/irritability (Pierce, …show more content…
They view Sacks as a very black and white patient, not taking into account his medical background and his educated opinions. Medical sciences were also different at the time of his injury than they are now. Sacks was injured in the seventies, when there was much less understanding of such injuries and how to rightfully treat a patient. Now there is more of a professional culture with more of a patient centered mindset within doctors regarding their patients. Doctors take into consideration patients mental state now, whereas within Sacks situation his doctors only cared about his physical state, constantly ignoring his obvious stress and need for communication. Sacks also faced differing accommodations than he was used to. He traveled far from home to hike the Hardanger Fjord Mountain, so the care he received from his doctors in that area was not what he was used to or expected. When he did eventually switch hospitals and got a second opinion from another doctor on his leg, he found that this doctor, who was from his hometown, was much more understanding. This doctor was willing to listen and understand. This doctor did not only think in terms of a textbook, he listened to Sacks medical opinion and put that to consideration when reviewing his diagnosis. Therefore the doctors Sacks had and their professional bearing/methods differed within the different cultures/regions each practiced