Blood, Phlegm, Yellow Bile, Black Bile, Or: The Story of How My Sibling and I Time-Travelled to Kill God
"Nureyev’s Foot" is a collaborative project between Macquarie University and WestWords, aiming to publish nonfiction stories and essays on living with, or caring for, illnesses and disabilities.
Contributors include Macquarie University's current and alumni, and WestWords writers, each submitting up to 5000 words. The project spans July to November for submissions and mentoring, December to early February for editing and design, with publication set for May 2025. Targeting a wide audience, it seeks to foster empathy and awareness, highlighting diverse experiences in illness and disability.
"Nureyev’s Foot" shines a light on the often-hidden realities of illness and disability, providing a platform for voices that are rarely heard. By sharing personal stories and essays, this project fosters empathy, reduces stigma, and promotes a deeper understanding of the challenges faced by individuals and caregivers alike. It bridges the gap between lived experiences and societal perceptions, highlighting the resilience and diversity of the human spirit. Supporting this initiative contributes to a more inclusive dialogue around health and disability, encouraging community support and awareness. It's a step towards a society where all experiences are valued and understood.
Blood, Phlegm, Yellow Bile, Black Bile, Or: The Story of How My Sibling and I Time-Travelled to Kill God is an creative non-fiction essay on living with disability and chronic illness. Written with a focus on the absurd, body-horror, and speculative fantasy, this anthology essay focuses on the author’s lived experience with endometriosis and adenomyosis, alongside their sibling’s popliteal artery entrapment syndrome.
Exploring the relations of care/non-care between institutions and the individual, alongside gendered medical negligence, Blood, Phlegm… is a love letter from the author to their younger sibling, and how traditional familial dynamics are challenged by illness, transforming positions of caretaking, guardianship and authority into ephemeral states occupied by either sibling depending on ability.
These scars art deep, she says. What w’re thy physicians looking f’r?
We fought after I murdered Freud— your birthday present to me. I tried to give You yours while my hands were still sticky. Instead, I didn’t hear from You for years, not till Napoleon strode across Russia to the hollow belly of Moscow. I found You there, astride a horse dressed in the uniform of a Polish Winged Hussar.
