Human Autopsy

A couple of days ago, I finally went to assist to a human autopsy. It was something I had been wanting to see for quite some time and never really got around to do. My main interest was strictly academic. I am one of those who learns from experience. Nevertheless, I also went I guess you could say to "test myself", to get a proof on my real predisposition and attitude for the medical profession. Having been preparing myself for any possible (and very understanding) shock or insufference, I was totally surprised to see how incredibly well I took the whole thing. I was impassive,couragious, strong and, dare I say, excited somewhat like a little girl in a candy shop.. (I truly hope you won't judge this harshly as it is a mere representation of my profound passion for medical sciences). On the way home I started to elaborate what had actually happened: the 65, male, cancer patient suddenly became a father, friend, employee, neighbour. His body may have been torn apart on a slab, but the memory of who he had been still remained. Who was he? What had he been up to his whole life? It made me think of the "Everyman" morality play from the XV century when Death comes knocking on the Everyman's door and he has to figure out, before he hits the grave, what really mattered in life. Beauty vanishes. So do Discretion and, obviously, Strength. A man's strength had definitively left his body and I couldn't help but wander what had he actually left behind,but more personally if I will actually take Knowledge and Good Deeds away with me to Heaven one day.. I'll sure try to do my best.

Facticious

I have always considered Robin Williams to be a versatile and very talented actor. From Peter Pan to Patch Adams to Good Will Hunting, he has never failed my expectations. Tonight I am feeling a little sleepless, so I thought I'd kick in the good old blogging habit after watching yet another Robin William's movie, The Night Listener (2006). To be fair, I found it a rather predictable psychological thriller..yet another one based upon a successful American novel
( Armistead Maupin, "The Night Listener", 2000), a roman à clef as they call it. Robin Williams was intriguing in his I believe first role as an older gay writer. Gray intellectual beard, a bit of a belly, cord trousers and reading glasses look. Very intriguing,charming. The focal surprising twist towards the end is,however, not about the protagonist, but the undermining and unfathomable dualism of mental illness. Fascinating. I have always found the issue of mental illness interesting. Knowing how complex and perfect machines the human bodies are is one thing, but the ability of the mind it's quite a stunning concept. The issues highlighted by the movie can be related to a series of syndromes known as Factitious Disorders, when a person's mind is able to recreate the pathology of the illness they believe to be affected by or even arrive to the point of making illness up of their keens or even make up the people in their care. At first sight,these disorders could be assessed as blatant lies of unbalanced, shameless subjects. However, on a closer analysis it is easier to noticed that this is often the subconscious work of unhealthy people who, out of feeling unworthy of attention, recreate desperate situations, personages, "lies" which they believe will gain them more popularity. As many of you probably already know, I wrote my BA dissertation on the possible contribution of psychiatry and religion to the cure of mentally ill patients, with particular regard to schizophrenia. Despite the fact I was on the point of giving up on a number of occasions (here it's a recomandation to anyone undertaking an undergrad degree not to complicate your life with a difficoult topic for your first dissertation!!!), I thoroughly enjoyed the research and I was pleased with the end result. What stunned me the most is how mental disorders are nothing much more than the exasperation of human emotions which should make us all more symphatetic to those issues. Maybe none of us would have result to similar solutions as those highlighted by the movie (am trying real hard not to spoil the movie for you!) but who has never,not once felt unworthy of love to the point of being willing even to lie in order to feel better included? To undergo compromises. To lie. To exaggerate a story. To laugh at a rude joke. To cheat. Just for that priceless feeling of acceptance,belonging. If we think hard enough we are never too far from those we are judging and condemning.

Quicky News

Hiya!

For those who have been following on the story and are interested. There is some great news about my mom - and some not as great. The good news is that, even though the diagnosis will only be thoroughly confirmed in 5 years time, mom has been declared in COMPLETE REMISSION from Lymphoma which is an unbelievable result and a huge sigh of relief. Nevertheless, the cancer has left a severe lesion to one of her spinal vertebrae for which she is due to be undergoing surgery by Friday this week. If the situation hasn't deteriorated since her last scan, the procedure should be relatively simple and micro-invasive. If not, they will need to implant her with an artificial vertebral replacement - which is a lot trickier. If you are a believer, please do pray for her. If you aren't, just may her life be an inspiration to you. We, as a family, have certainty that your thoughts and intercession have made her feel a supernatural straightening throughout the whole time she's been ill and will surely continue to encourage her. Doctors wise, we are in good hands. Even better hands when we consider that God watches over us all. Thanks for your time.

Mirror, Mirror on the Wall, Who is the Fairest of Us All?

~ An Apple A Day Keeps the Doctor Away...

I rembember I used to be petrified, then enraged, then ecstatic whenever the evil witch from Snow White appeared on the next page of my book of fables as a child. Similarly, my fury against unhealthy eating has reached a culminant point of indignation.I can guarantee that if you watched it you'll surely remember Morgan Spurlock's 2004 film/documentary on the effects of binge eating and fast foods. "Super-Size-Me"is a comical yet tragically realistic depiction of what unhealthy consumption of the wrong kind of foods can do to our organisms. If you haven't seen it yet, I raccommend you do or at least read about it on this link. I am proud to say that thanks to my wonderful mom and cultural heritage, I have been a conscientious eater for most of my life. My grandparents,who became farmers in their 50's, impressed upon me (quite forcefully at times) the nutritional value of fresh ingredients, five-a-day,living a balanced life-style and that half a glass of wine per meal can be considered as a miraculous medicinal remedy! I love fruit & veg of all sort (even though I am allergic to bananas..) and I have never had an issue with eating my greens - at my house there were no questions asked about it: you could cry,trow up on the dining table, fake an epileptic fit-you had to eat them regardless. Call it harsh, call it unnecessary, I am so incredibly grateful for all that. I had a very little appetite and an unimaginative palat as a child.Then,as a teenager my relationship with food became more and more conflictual and my twisted little head would forcefully rule over a debilitating body. I now thank God for making me whole again by reconciling my mind with my spirit and anatomy. I now love food in all of its extravagant and creative forms; however,my personal experiences have massively shaped my current views. Whenever I see wee Ronald McDonald there are a few images that spring to mind:

1.If he lives by what

he preaches,Ron should
look a lot more like the

picture on the left than

the iconic smiley git on
the right...

2.It's no sci-fi: look at his striking resemblance with my other childhood nightmare,It the Clown,with who he shares not only a similar phisical aspect,but also a common determination to viciously distroy and make kids' lives miserable...nice!


3.And last but definitively not least, this is a picture I would like to see a lot more often!Ihihih!
By now I've kinda lost my train of thought..oh yeah, the reason I started to blog about this is that I am frustrated to see hyperactive,lazy teenagers who stuff their faces with junk food and cheap pop whilst being unnecessarily fussy with their greens! Enough, so from tomorrow we will be ditching the old style tuck shop from the youth group to start selling fruit smooties and home made healthy cakes to promote healthy eating and,hopefully, happier individuals in the long run --WATCH THIS SPACE! (and lets pray the smoothies don't get chucked at me instead!)