Out of the wave : The meaning of suffering and relief from suffering as described in autobiographies by survivors of the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami

• The aim of this study was to explore the meaning of suffering and relief from suffering as described in autobiographies by tourists who experienced the tsunami on 26 December 2004 and lost loved ones. A lifeworld approach, inspired by the French philosopher Merleau-Ponty's phenomenology of perception, was chosen for the theoretical framework. This catastrophe totally changed the survivors' world within a moment. In this new world, there were three main phases: the power of remaining focused, a life of despair, and the unbearable becoming bearable. Life turns into a matter of making the unbearable bearable. Such challenging experiences are discussed in terms of the philosophy of Weil, Jaspers, and Merleau-Ponty. The survivors of the tsunami catastrophe were facing a boundary situation and "le malheur," the unthinkable misfortune. Even at this lowest level of misfortune, joy is possible to experience. This is part of the survivors' ambivalent experiences of their lifeworld. In this world of the uttermost despair there are also rays of hope, joy, and new life possibilities. © 2010 Å. Roxberg et al.

Ämnesord

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Hälsovetenskap -- Omvårdnad (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Health Sciences -- Nursing (hsv//eng)

Nyckelord

Autobiographies

lifeworld

catastrophe

tsunami

suffering

relief from suffering

le malheur

boundary situation

Caring sciences

Vårdvetenskap

Vårdvetenskap

Caring Science

Health and Caring Sciences

Hälsovetenskap

Nursing

Publikations- och innehållstyp

ref (ämneskategori)

art (ämneskategori)