My latest Netflix obsession

“Starting medical school, I thought — and most people think — a diagnosis is like multiplication tables. This collection of symptoms equals this diagnosis. Once I got to the places where doctors talked about these things, I realized that’s not the case. Diagnosing was as much Sherlock Holmes as math.” — Dr Lisa Sanders

Hello dear BVs,

For the past few days, I’ve been stuck in bed with a head cold. Amidst long sleeping spells and nose blowing, I did what any sick person does when they’re well enough to sit up: I found a new Netflix series to binge-watch.

Based on a NYTimes Magazine column, Diagnosis features Dr Lisa Sanders in an on-screen journalist role, finding unusual, unresolved medical cases, then bringing the symptoms to light using the wide reach of the NYTimes. People from around the world write in to share their thoughts of what might be happening, including researchers, experts, and people with similar symptoms. I won’t give away any specifics, but suffice it to say that the crowd is able to bring new ideas into the mix, and each episode ends in a very different place than it began.

Having spent 39 years of my life confused about my own symptoms of migraines, nausea, and dizziness, and having given up hope that anyone could help, I could relate to these patients, many of whom had seen doctor after doctor without finding out conclusively what was wrong with them.

I was deeply moved by this show. Seeing the patients grow from confusion and isolation to confidence and community with the help of a reporter felt like a profound experience. I would love to know what you think. If you’ve watched Diagnosis, did you find resonance in your own experience? What did you think of the show?

Have a great long weekend friends. I hope you’re feeling your own growing sense of clarity and comfort, wherever you are.