Invisible Illness: An Interview with Author Emily Mendenhall
This month we talk on The Butterfly Pavilion Podcast with Georgetown Professor and author of "Invisible Illness: A History, from Hysteria to Long Covid.," Emily Mendenhall. "From lupus to Lyme, invisible illness is often dismissed by everyone but the sufferers. Why does the medical establishment continually insist that, when symptoms are hard to explain, they are probably just in your head?" Emily takes a unique historical approach in her book while weaving in a number of patient stories in an advocacy "tone." She interviewed over 150 patients (including me,) and chronic illness professionals for the book. We address the early "Bluesky blow-up" where she took some "heat" for some of the passages in her book, historical context of disability and invisible illnesses, the unavoidable "politics," The Anthony Fauci Senate hearing, and of course a recurring segment on the show; "Movie Quotes." It was a thrill to catch up...
