Hi everyone! Sorry that I haven't written in a while. This week has been incredibly busy with classes and studying. Let's just say, the "shtuff" started to pile up (or hit the fan, if you will). There's so much going on now that most days consist of waking up, going for a run or lifting, showering, class until noon or 4, labs and then study time. I have been trying to get home by midnight every night. Whoa am I tired.
This week we started working on our cadavers. What an amazing and humbling experience. The people who donate their bodies for medical students to learn on are remarkable. My cadaver is the smallest cadaver in the entire lab. She is a 75 year old female who died from complications of Alzheimer's. Most of her muscles have atrophied and she has barely any fat on her entire body (which is good for us because there's less cleaning up for us). Still, it makes me reflect upon the fate that she experienced and what her family must have gone through during the process of disease. I am grateful that she gave us her body to learn from.
Okay back to some cell biology...I am categorizing all of the organelles in a cell and what they do and don't do. FUN!
Hope you all are doing well. Keep sending emails! It's always good to hear from home.
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5 comments:
Hey Amy,
I hope that all is well at medical school, it sounds like you are really busy these days. I enjoyed reading your blog and looking at your pictures from your experience so far. I hope that you are enjoying your adventure so far.
Megan Luse
Let the good times roll! Cadavers! Has anyone ever told you that you are slightly strange? Ok, ok, I think it's cool too what can I say. It is a really nice thing to do to donate your body to science. Treat her well.
First round of my exams are this week...Micro and Nutrition. Fingers crossed I do ok.
Hang in there, stay on top of things and you'll be fine. :o)
Wow! I am insanely impressed! I admire you so much for creating a new home for yourself in a totally different world and jumping in headfirst! Congratulations! You should be so proud of yourself.
I have to come for a visit. There is sooooo much to photograph. Have you had a chance to see what the people believe spiritually there? Very interesting!
Aim.....did you write this for me? I know you know, but my Mom was 79 when that disease took her. I always wished my family would have done that so that she could teach a nice young aspiring physician, and who knows find a cure for that brutal disease. Instead I am pretty sure I will donate mine since that opportunity was gone. Have you named her? It could always be Anne.
The compassion in your writing is phenomenal.....I'd go to you! But would I have to get naked?
Amy,
So jealous!
Very cool that she's in the condition she's in, you stand to learn a lot. And I can definitely say, be glad you did not get an obese cadaver...
A fun fact to know and tell...
Before the 19th century, most cadavers were bodies of executed criminals or, more rarely, corpses donated by relatives. However, as demand began to oustrip supply, shortage of corpses often discouraged medical schools from scrutinising their suppliers too closely. Criminal elements were attracted to the lucrative trade and body snatchers resorted to grave robbing to supply the market.
The practices of the body snatchers caused widespread fear and revulsion as the indignities and humiliation of exhumation were compounded by the horror of being the subject of dissection. The criminal temptations ultimately led to the 1827-1828 West Port murders in Edinburgh, UK, where likely candidates were killed and sold for cash.
In the UK, the murders led to the passing of the Anatomy Act 1832 that finally provided for an adequate and legitimate supply of corpses.
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