Learning from the deceased.
Today was the first time I saw a dead body. Well, I should say a cadaver. Today I walked into the cadaver lab at Bastyr, dressed in a lab coat, goggles, gloves, and a respirator mask. The lab was filled with body bags on metal tables and for a moment, I felt like I was in an episode of CSI.
First, my living anatomy professor described each body we would be observing for the quarter. One is a 63 year-old-man, the other a 32-year-old woman, and the last a 90-year-old man. They all donated their bodies for the use of our university. They stay at the campus for a number of years as thousands of students learn from them. Once all is said and done, their bodies and whatever organs, tissues, and structures removed, are sent back to their families for cremation. My professor made it a point to remind us of what a gift they are to us. Before their body bags were removed, she asked us to observe a moment of silence to reflect on their gift as well as that of their families.
When my professor broke the silence, she revealed the first body slowly to make sure we were all okay. She didn't want any "fainters". The blue body bag was unzipped first. We all nodded we were okay for the next step. Then a white plastic sheet was removed. My eyes peered at the white cloth sheet now covering the cadaver. I could see familiar shapes and bumps. Once we all gave her the okay, she removed the sheet where it covered the back and shoulder areas (what we are currently studying). I was surprised to feel okay at that moment. I've seen cadavers in photos and books and I've dissected cats (which I hated), so the sight seemed familiar and not scary to me.
Immediately, my eyes scanned the body finding the muscles and bones we had just been discussing and palpating on our bodies not more than 20 minutes ago during lecture. It made what I was learning about and palpating on myself and my partner make so much more sense. I was mesmerized by the body! She revealed the other two bodies, one of which was facing upward (supine position). She wanted us to feel the muscle textures, as she wants us to differentiate the fiber directions when we palpate our partners in class. It did feel surreal at that moment to be moving my fingers along a human pectoral muscle still attached to a human.
A word about my professor: she is amazing. Her knowledge of the human body is incredible and her passion is contagious. For such a challenging subject, she is definitely who I want teaching me.
Overall, it was an amazing experience. I feel lucky to be able to see the human body in such a way and grateful for those who decided I should, thus giving of themselves after death. I'm looking forward to my time in the cadaver lab every week.
The human body never ceases to amaze me.
First, my living anatomy professor described each body we would be observing for the quarter. One is a 63 year-old-man, the other a 32-year-old woman, and the last a 90-year-old man. They all donated their bodies for the use of our university. They stay at the campus for a number of years as thousands of students learn from them. Once all is said and done, their bodies and whatever organs, tissues, and structures removed, are sent back to their families for cremation. My professor made it a point to remind us of what a gift they are to us. Before their body bags were removed, she asked us to observe a moment of silence to reflect on their gift as well as that of their families.
When my professor broke the silence, she revealed the first body slowly to make sure we were all okay. She didn't want any "fainters". The blue body bag was unzipped first. We all nodded we were okay for the next step. Then a white plastic sheet was removed. My eyes peered at the white cloth sheet now covering the cadaver. I could see familiar shapes and bumps. Once we all gave her the okay, she removed the sheet where it covered the back and shoulder areas (what we are currently studying). I was surprised to feel okay at that moment. I've seen cadavers in photos and books and I've dissected cats (which I hated), so the sight seemed familiar and not scary to me.
Immediately, my eyes scanned the body finding the muscles and bones we had just been discussing and palpating on our bodies not more than 20 minutes ago during lecture. It made what I was learning about and palpating on myself and my partner make so much more sense. I was mesmerized by the body! She revealed the other two bodies, one of which was facing upward (supine position). She wanted us to feel the muscle textures, as she wants us to differentiate the fiber directions when we palpate our partners in class. It did feel surreal at that moment to be moving my fingers along a human pectoral muscle still attached to a human.
A word about my professor: she is amazing. Her knowledge of the human body is incredible and her passion is contagious. For such a challenging subject, she is definitely who I want teaching me.
Overall, it was an amazing experience. I feel lucky to be able to see the human body in such a way and grateful for those who decided I should, thus giving of themselves after death. I'm looking forward to my time in the cadaver lab every week.
The human body never ceases to amaze me.