Abstract
This poem describes the evolving interaction between a clinician and patient on a neurology stroke unit. Originally written as a 55-word story, this poem was adapted to capture a quiet yet significant transformation with the daily ritual of asking, "Can you smile for me?" Through the slow awakening of cranial nerve VII, this piece reflects on the convergence of recovery, connection, and the human capacity to heal.
Nicole Fye is a second-year pathology resident at Milton S. Hershey Medical Center. She enjoys narrative medicine as a way to make sense of clinical work and to honor the stories within it.
Recommended Citation
Fye, Nicole M. MD
(2026)
"Cranial Nerve VII,"
Survive & Thrive: A Journal for Medical Humanities and Narrative as Medicine: Vol. 11:
Iss.
1, Article 7.
Available at:
https://repository.stcloudstate.edu/survive_thrive/vol11/iss1/7