Anatomy and some other things

Anatomy has been one of the most intense classes I've taken at BYU but it also seems to be the class most relevant to my life. It's not just because I start the nursing program next semester but because the more I learn about the body the more I realize what a gift it is. In the past semester I've spent two hours a week in lecture, two hours a week in lab, and at least two more hours in open lab studying off the cadavers not to mention the time I spent studying off the computer program at home. The more time I spent learning and memorizing bones, muscles, structures, and organs, the more I was in awe of all the intricate details that make up our bodies. I don't know how anyone could look at the body and not think a divine creator had some part in it.

The heart is my favorite organ. I get goosebumps when I think about how blood pumps through atria, valves, and ventricles then out though arteries to the body and then back through the veins to the heart. I love that it sounds like a simple process but how there are really so many other small pieces that contribute to it. I love that I can feel my own heart beating and know that by body is doing its job. I love that one muscle can keep us alive simply by pumping. It's also pretty cool to hold a human heart in your hand. Just saying.

I'm continually fascinated by the leg muscles. If you could look at the dissected quad and hamstring muscles of a cadaver I think you'd understand. The adductor magnus is my favorite one because it's this huge meaty piece of muscle on the medial side of the leg and it's there just so you can move your leg.

Galea aponeurotica is my favorite anatomical term to say. It's just the fibrious tissue that covers the top of your head but I can never say it enough. GALEA APONEUROTICA!

After I study for a long time I fall asleep naming anatomy terms. It's sort of a bad habit because it usually keeps me up longer than if I just laid there. The terms are constantly running through my mind.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that our bodies are awesome. Next time you climb a flight of stairs, eat a delicious meal, or lay down at night to sleep take a minute to stop and think about what an amazing gift it is to have your body. The last semester has been a real testimony strengthener for me as I've seen how great our bodies actually are. If I were Satan, I'd feel pretty foolish for giving up the opportunity to have a body. Be grateful for what you have and take care of your bodies because they are truly the greatest gift.