Two treks through the same trauma, with and without social support

This article expands on a hospital diary I began after my second coronary b ypass surgery in 1987. My wife, son, and daughter were close at hand throug hout my second, 1987 surgery, and this level of support contrasts sharply w ith my social isolation for my first surgery in 1977. My two surgeries can be construed as a repeated-measures quasi-experiment in which the same trau ma is experienced with high and low social support. Noteworthy features of the diary include a surprising amount of concrete instrumental support (aid and assistance), which comprised the proximal stimuli of emotional support , a rich and nourishing intrapsychic life during the second, supported surg ery, a prominent role for my computer and a teddy bear ("Bear"), and help w ith the implementation of decisions. My interactions with Bear and the Micr osoft Word artificial intelligence broaden my conceptualization of the "soc ial" in social support. Cognitive representations of interaction sequences with my supporters from the past were supportive gifts that that kept on gi ving when the individuals represented in my relationship schemas were physi cally absent.