Amniotic Twigs
“One morning while walking my dog, I noted a collectionn of small twigs with just a hint of frost on them. The pattern made by the twigs reminded me of the slides I examine when looking for ferning, a pattern made by amniotic fluid which confirms that a woman has ruptured her membranes during labor.”
Penal Code
Lisa S. Gussak ~
When I see Rosa’s name on my patient list, I smile. I have known her nearly eight years. Under my care, she’s given birth to her last two children, and although she takes the kids to a pediatrician rather than me, we have an uncanny habit of bumping into each other outside the office. I’ve seen her and the kids in the market, at a park and in the hospital lobby, and I have been invited to, but could not attend, a family birthday party.
Today she’s coming in for a routine physical. I last saw her fourteen months ago. She needs a Pap, a follow-up on her sometimes elevated blood pressure, and paperwork documenting her vaccinations so that she can volunteer at her kids’ school.
Callus
Lisa Gussak
About the artist:
Lisa Gussak is a primary-care doctor who has been practicing for nearly twenty years. Over the past few years, she has become increasingly interested in photography. “I am drawn to the natural world, where I find patterns and/or colors that interest me, particularly when the context is shifted or that which appears small is made large.”
About the artwork:
“I take a lot of pictures of trees, bark and lichen. In this image, I was interested in the way that this small knot of wood reminded me of the skin of many patients I’ve seen over the years.”
Visuals editor:
Sara Kohrt
Invasion
Lisa Gussak
About the artist:
Lisa Gussak is a primary-care doctor who has been practicing for nearly twenty years. Over the past few years, she has become increasingly interested in photography. She is drawn to the natural world, where she finds patterns and colors, and is particularly interested in contextual shifts and size distortions.
About the artwork:
“Patients often speak about their feelings of invasion, either by an illness or by a feeling, and fearing the loss of control. With my macro lens, I took this image of a small patch of moss and heard my patients’ voices in my head.”
Visuals editor:
Sara Kohrt