In this excerpt from Kate Gies’ memoir, she reflects on her childhood experiences with the medical system that sought to "fix" her missing ear through a series of surgeries and the emotional impact of these interventions.
He pulled up my shirt and motioned to his men to come closer. They each took turns pushing into my bottom ribs. I could feel the cartilage bend to their touch. I could feel the bone curve into my guts. I wanted to curl into myself, turn into a ball like an armadillo.
With Uncle Louie, I became two bodies: the one I experienced and the one he measured