Bernard Laya

Interpreter of Shadows: Stories of Courage, Compassion and Inspiration Amidst Illness Bernard Laya

Advances in medicine, science and technology will continue, fueled by the changing faces of illness and our desire to eradicate suffering from it. But sophisticated tests and machines can only manifest the tangible aspect of disease and cannot quantify the emotional distress it carries. In spite of these changes, only the fundamental principle of healing remains? the concept of one man caring for another, because medicine is as related to love and compassion as it is to science and technology.

The "Interpreter of shadows" is a collection of stories that chronicles experiences of a radiologist, a physician expert in medical imaging. Although the main characters are initially introduced through their medical imaging tests, the real essence goes far beyond and explores the lives and relationships of the patients and people around them. In this book, the author attempts to address the extremes of human conditions of pain and comfort, rejection and acceptance, tragedy and recovery, hatred and love, all woven within the fabric of illness and incapacity. These stories are inspired by real people whose suffering touched many lives around them including that of the author. Illness has many different faces and in this book, we will meet some of them.