"Being ill like this combines shock - this time I will die - with a pain and agony that are unfamiliar, that wrench me out of myself"

Harold Brodkey's quote uses a poignant and reflective glance into the mental and physical turmoil of experiencing severe disease. It records the extensive existential distress that accompanies being faced with one's mortality. The expression "this time I will die" suggests a moment of acute awareness and worry; a stark confrontation with the finiteness of life that a serious illness can evoke. This declaration does not simply relay worry however rather an acceptance or expectation of death that illness brings to the leading edge.

The use of the word "shock" shows the abrupt shock that such ideas can have on one's awareness. It's not simply a passive acknowledgment of mortality however an extreme, instant grappling with the end of presence. This reflects how severe disease can strip away the illusions of invincibility, laying bare the raw fragility of life.

The subsequent description of discomfort and pain as "unfamiliar" emphasizes how particular levels or type of suffering are alien to everyday experience, pressing individuals beyond their regular thresholds of endurance. This agony doesn't just populate the body; it permeates the self, forcing a reevaluation of identity and existence. The expression "wrench me out of myself" reveals how extreme suffering can interrupt one's understanding of who they are, tearing them from their accustomed truth and casting them into an unidentified space where identity becomes fragmented.

In Brodkey's reflection, health problem is not just a physical ailment but a harrowing existential journey. It is an experience that transcends the body, deeply affecting the mind, prompting those afflicted to face the inherent vulnerability of being human. This point of view clarifies the extensive user interface in between the physical and existential domains, illustrating how disease can modify one's understanding of self and the imminence of death.