Conversations

Season

1

Episode

55

|

Dec 5, 2024

Smile Interrupted with Sarah Ruhl

Playwright and memoirist Sarah Ruhl discusses her book Smile, which chronicles her journey with Bell’s Palsy and the emotional and spiritual challenges of chronic illness. She reflects on the idea of the “slow” or “partial” recovery, how her work as a playwright informs her perspective, the challenges of navigating the healthcare system, and the power of storytelling to heal both writer and reader.

0:00/1:34

Conversations

Season

1

Episode

55

|

Dec 5, 2024

Smile Interrupted with Sarah Ruhl

Playwright and memoirist Sarah Ruhl discusses her book Smile, which chronicles her journey with Bell’s Palsy and the emotional and spiritual challenges of chronic illness. She reflects on the idea of the “slow” or “partial” recovery, how her work as a playwright informs her perspective, the challenges of navigating the healthcare system, and the power of storytelling to heal both writer and reader.

0:00/1:34

Conversations

Season

1

Episode

55

|

12/5/24

Smile Interrupted with Sarah Ruhl

Playwright and memoirist Sarah Ruhl discusses her book Smile, which chronicles her journey with Bell’s Palsy and the emotional and spiritual challenges of chronic illness. She reflects on the idea of the “slow” or “partial” recovery, how her work as a playwright informs her perspective, the challenges of navigating the healthcare system, and the power of storytelling to heal both writer and reader.

0:00/1:34

About Our Guest

Sarah Ruhl is a playwright, poet and essayist. Her books include Smile, a memoir; 100 Essays I Don’t have Time to Write (a New York Times notable book); and Love Poems in Quarantine. A two-time Pulitzer prize finalist and Tony award nominee, her plays have been translated into fifteen languages.

About The Show

The Nocturnists is an award-winning medical storytelling podcast, hosted by physician Emily Silverman. We feature personal stories from frontline clinicians, conversations with healthcare-related authors, and art-makers. Our mission is to humanize healthcare and foster joy, wonder, and curiosity among clinicians and patients alike.

resources

Credits

About Our Guest

Sarah Ruhl is a playwright, poet and essayist. Her books include Smile, a memoir; 100 Essays I Don’t have Time to Write (a New York Times notable book); and Love Poems in Quarantine. A two-time Pulitzer prize finalist and Tony award nominee, her plays have been translated into fifteen languages.

About The Show

The Nocturnists is an award-winning medical storytelling podcast, hosted by physician Emily Silverman. We feature personal stories from frontline clinicians, conversations with healthcare-related authors, and art-makers. Our mission is to humanize healthcare and foster joy, wonder, and curiosity among clinicians and patients alike.

resources

Credits

About Our Guest

Sarah Ruhl is a playwright, poet and essayist. Her books include Smile, a memoir; 100 Essays I Don’t have Time to Write (a New York Times notable book); and Love Poems in Quarantine. A two-time Pulitzer prize finalist and Tony award nominee, her plays have been translated into fifteen languages.

About The Show

The Nocturnists is an award-winning medical storytelling podcast, hosted by physician Emily Silverman. We feature personal stories from frontline clinicians, conversations with healthcare-related authors, and art-makers. Our mission is to humanize healthcare and foster joy, wonder, and curiosity among clinicians and patients alike.

resources

Credits

The Nocturnists is made possible by the California Medical Association, and donations from people like you!

This episode of The Nocturnists is supported by The Bucksbaum-Siegler Institute for Clinical Excellence which is dedicated to advancing the art of medicine through innovative programs that strengthen the physician-patient relationship and promote compassionate care.

Transcript

Note: The Nocturnists is created primarily as a listening experience. The audio contains emotion, emphasis, and soundscapes that are not easily transcribed. We encourage you to listen to the episode if at all possible. Our transcripts are produced using both speech recognition software and human copy editors, and may not be 100% accurate. Thank you for consulting the audio before quoting in print.

Transcript coming soon!  

Note: The Nocturnists is created primarily as a listening experience. The audio contains emotion, emphasis, and soundscapes that are not easily transcribed. We encourage you to listen to the episode if at all possible. Our transcripts are produced using both speech recognition software and human copy editors, and may not be 100% accurate. Thank you for consulting the audio before quoting in print.

Transcript coming soon!  

Transcript

Note: The Nocturnists is created primarily as a listening experience. The audio contains emotion, emphasis, and soundscapes that are not easily transcribed. We encourage you to listen to the episode if at all possible. Our transcripts are produced using both speech recognition software and human copy editors, and may not be 100% accurate. Thank you for consulting the audio before quoting in print.

Transcript coming soon!  

0:00/1:34