Scanxiety

Scanxiety: by Rachel Mindrup

Exhibition made possible by the Richard L. Deming, MD Endowment in Medical Humanities

Cover art: Rachel Mindrup, “Ill-Fitting” Oil on Canvas. 60″ x 48″ 2021.

Opening reception: Friday, Feb. 4, 5-8 p.m.

Neurofibromatosis (NF) is a genetic disorder that occurs in 1 in 3000 births, can cause tumors to grow anywhere on or in the body at any time in an individual’s life. NF can affect the development of bones and skin, can cause learning disabilities, vascular issues, deafness, paralysis, blindness, cancer, and even death. My son was diagnosed with NF at 4 months old. He is currently a senior in high school and has a had a lifetime of appointments, procedures and navigating uncertain terrain. My son’s NF has resulted in an optic glioma which is a tumor that develops in the cells surrounding the optic nerve. He also has four other brain tumors one of which was operated on with a risk of paralysis and blindness. He has some cognitive issues, fine motor skill deficiencies, balance, and coordination issues as well as fibromas growing on his torso and back. We live in the spaces from MRI to MRI with “scanxiety” emanating into a “what next” subcurrent of daily life with NF.