Nasruddin and the coin.

Abstract

Many problems can be solved through following clinical guidelines and algorithms. In this essay, however, I explore the importance of narrative by connecting an ancient Middle Eastern teaching fable to a contemporary story of healing. A middle-aged Latina, Magdalena, comes to my residency clinic with chronic hypertension, cerebrovascular disease, and depression. Using standard biomedical approaches, I attempt to manage and cure these chronic conditions. After several months of failure, I seek the guidance of an eccentric mentor, who points me toward broader and deeper interactions with my patient. Ultimately, Magdalena heals herself through revisiting her past. Her story suggests that the cause of illness may sometimes be found outside the usual biomedical framework of explanation.