Abstract
The study is divided into three parts. The first part presents an overview of less common patients´ conceptions of illness – illness as a temptation, delusion, protection from danger, symbol, cultural phenomenon, myth, game, task, trial of strength in faith.
The second part shows the illness in the context of a patient´s life story. The third part is a qualitative research carried out in four patients hospitalized in the ICU.
Talking with hospitalized patients at bedside, we tried to find out the changes of their views of illness after they had experienced a major health problem, life threatening situation and resuscitation. The interviews were recorded, transcribed in protocols and analyzed using a simple coding.
The following topics were opened: illness is an enemy; illness forces people to humility and is a challenge to life; illness is a life trial sent by God, illness is a demonstration of life terminality.