Monday, August 25, 2008

Bodies


While Woody was in Nashville for a guys weekend, I organized a fun mini road trip with a couple of girlfriends this Saturday. I've been "dying" to see the Bodies exhibit since Lana raved about seeing the exhibit in Chicago years ago while I still worked at Root-A-Bakers.

Medicine has always been a big part in my life. With parents in the medical field (Dad no longer) and having a fascination of the human body, I've witnessed surgeries, explored cadavers, and become engrossed in Discovery Channel presentations on the subject.

Seeing these perfectly preserved bodies at the Cincinnati Museum Center made me realize why scientists, doctors and researchers still have so much to learn about the body's complexity and response to disease. Why wouldn't I want my otherwise decomposing dead body to be studied and possibly contribute toward a cure for disease? Well, ultimately it is a decision for my family, but I thought the exhibit was very respectful of the deceased.

You may have heard the controversy surrounding the Bodies exhibit. That these unclaimed, unidentified bodies were the remains of incarcerated Chinese prisoners. Whether they are or aren't, the exhibit honors the bodies just as the Egyptians honor mummies, without all of the jewels of course. On second thought, maybe I did see a few jewels. LOL, oh I just crack myself up. Should they just be placed in an unmarked grave for all to forget without a proper ceremony? What I witnessed was a respectable presentation of science and human life. From the moment our LIFE begins in the womb (fetal exhibits died in-utero), to birth defects, to the display of lifestyle habits that eventually become fatal.

I would be honored to be preserved, parts of me or the whole thing. I think I would make a fine specimen. However, I think my husband and I will stick together and rest in peace along side one another someday in our earthly bodies. And someday we will be together in Heaven, spiritually, with our Father.

After spending the day with the Chinese, we treated ourselves to The Cheesecake Factory. I had ice cream for dessert, because I think the words "cheese" and "cake" don't belong together and the thought of the two together really grosses me out. Our meal was fabulous but our waiter was, what Woody would say, " a few chicken nuggets short of a happy meal".

The exhibit and the entire day was, well, to die for.

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