The Phantom of the Organ

This personal narrative explores the psychological, emotional, and symbolic dimensions of organ transplantation through a patient's vivid postoperative experience. On the second day after a liver transplant, the patient begins seeing a silent female figure in his hospital room whom he identifies as the donor. Though medically stable and aware the apparition is not real, he draws comfort from her presence, believing she is watching over him. The author, a clinician, reflects on the human tendency to weave meaning from trauma and transformation, suggesting that the “phantom” may embody not only the donor but also the patient's attempt to process grief, gratitude, and complex personal history. The piece blurs the lines between hallucination and healing, illustrating how patients may construct narratives to reclaim agency, seek connection, and make sense of profound medical and emotional upheaval.

This personal narrative explores the psychological, emotional, and symbolic dimensions of organ transplantation through a patient's vivid postoperative experience. On the second day after a liver transplant, the patient begins seeing a silent female figure in his hospital room whom he identifies as the donor. Though medically stable and aware the apparition is not real, he draws comfort from her presence, believing she is watching over him. The author, a clinician, reflects on the human tendency to weave meaning from trauma and transformation, suggesting that the “phantom” may embody not only the donor but also the patient's attempt to process grief, gratitude, and complex personal history. The piece blurs the lines between hallucination and healing, illustrating how patients may construct narratives to reclaim agency, seek connection, and make sense of profound medical and emotional upheaval.