Episode 2 - Caoimhe

The Bipolar Doc has asked to remain anonymous. Hers is a story about mental illness as a doctor. Working in a system where she was caring for patients but wasn’t being cared for herself. It’s a story about feeling broken, about leaving medicine and then about gaining a deeper understanding of what she needs in her professional life and as a human.

Sameera’s is a story not only about gender identity but about acceptance of self and acceptance by others. As a child in India, Sameera could only ever be herself in secret. Would she ever be able to be honest with the people she loved and feel accepted for who she really is? This is a journey of discovery across continents and time. It’s a story of suppression, loneliness, bravery and love.

Simon’s is a story about being broken. What’s it like as an ED consultant when you lose your ability to keep all the plates spinning? This is a story about how our professional identities inform how we view ourselves as humans. And does being fixed mean that you have to be able to spin all the plates again?

Emily’s is a story about being a patient as a healthcare professional. It’s about our reluctance to accept illness in ourselves, the comfort we find in keeping our professional roles and the perceptions of other professionals about what we need when the roles are reversed. Through being a patient, Emily has learned that it’s the human touches that really matter. 

Caoimhe’s is a story about existing at the interface of clinician and family member during a moment of exquisite trauma.  Caoimhe and her father shared a love of cycling. She shares a story that is about both experiencing and bearing witness to an unforgettable moment in a loved one’s life.

Liz’s story starts when she goes for her 12-week scan and hears there’s a problem. Faced with the question of whether to terminate the pregnancy, Liz and her husband made a decision to keep the baby, Amy. But what would this mean for her family and friends and for any subsequent children? This is a story about loss, adjustment, the judgments and preconceptions of others. It’s about how Liz’s life and the lives of others have been changed through Amy being a part of it.