“Scars” - A Patient’s Perspective

Rebecca Wang, 2T3 MAM

Artist’s Statement: "Scars" is an original song that I wrote and recorded as my Humanism in Surgery project for the core surgery rotation.

The song is from the perspective of a patient, with the lyrics based on what various patients shared with us during our Humanism in Surgery course. There were common themes of feeling lonely/forgotten during lengthy hospital admissions for treatment, feeling dehumanized when seen as simply a disease/case, and reflecting on the lasting impact their health journey has made on their lives & identities—both seen & unseen. 

To me, the key takeaway is that we, as healthcare providers, can significantly transform an individual's experience by caring for them as a whole person instead of just treating them as a pathology—which is what I hoped to highlight in "Scars.”

Lyrics

Each day blurs into the next
And I’m still here, feeling like I’m all alone 
When will I be seen and heard
As more than flesh and bone

Though many people come through my door
It feels like all I am is a chore
All I want is someone to notice how I’m lonely
Just surviving every day wholly

To you I might just be a case
Another box to tick off on your list
But please remember this is my life
And I grieve for all I’ve missed

Though it may seem I’ve got it together
This journey’s scars will last forever
It takes all I have to keep going every day and 
Sometimes even still I’m not okay

It might sound like a cliche
But small things do add up 
So never underestimate 
The power of a smile
Your care carries me through
Some of the worst parts of my life
So thank you for taking the time to listen to my strife

Though it may seem I’ve got it together
This journey’s scars will last forever
The difference that it makes when you notice my despair
Makes healing less wearisome to bear