Heart, lungs and posterior mediastinum

Before I tell you about today, let me just say that I am disappointed in Google/the internet.  There are basically no good pictures of human lungs out there.  Most of what's out there are poor CG images of lungs.  And I thought the internet had everything.

Anyway, this is one of the better pictures I found...and it's not even that realistic.

Today we got to actually cut out and remove the lungs from our cadavers.  (We did the heart yesterday).  It is difficult to really understand the beauty and efficiency of these extremely complex organs until you see them up close and personal.
In many ways, the human body is pretty resilient.  I mean, it's a downright miracle that all of what we are (physically) came from 2 "half-cells" coming together into one cell and differentiating a trillion times into tissues and organs.  Then, the fact that all of these highly specialized organs and systems work together so perfectly (or at least so functionally) is mind-boggling.  Even in very sick people, the body has redundancy systems that compensate for deficiencies.
Yet, at the same time, it's humbling to realize how fragile it all can be.  Our little lady had a collapsed left lung.  Instead of being full, firm, and healthy, it's this little, shriveled, wrinkly thing.  Another cadaver had suffered lung cancer.  His lung was dang near unrecognizable for what it was.  And it is alarming that with a few well placed swipes of a scalpel, our lady's heart and lungs were taken from her body.
But to hold these organs in your hands, to open them up, to see with your own eyes just how amazing they are, is something I wish everybody could experience.  It sure gives you appreciation for what God has created.

Moving on.

So, we got to take out the lungs and examine the trachea, primary and secondary bronchial branches, and where all the major blood vessels enter.  Once the lungs and heart were removed, we could (with a little work) see many of the blood vessels (azygos, accessory, and hemiazygos veins; the neuro-vascular bundles of the intercostal (between the ribs) spaces, the descending aorta with its many branches, as well as the thoracic duct of the lymphatic system and the sympathetic trunk of the nervous system.  There are about a hundred other structures I have to know, but I won't bore you with them.  Today completed our look at the thorax.  Tomorrow we'll move below the diaphragm and into the abdomen.

I also wanted to say that I am really appreciating a lot more the already prosected cadavers we worked with at BYU.  I can't tell you how much of the inside of our bodies is just fat and connective tissue.  Most of our lab time is spent clearing this crap out of the way so that we can see actual structures.  I don't know how many hours were spent by students and professors at BYU to get a cadaver cleaned and ready for the lab, but it must have been a ton.

Lastly, I got this email as I was sitting in class today.

EVMS was the only school that I hadn't heard back from yet.  For some reason, their program starts in January whereas everybody else starts in either Summer or Fall, which I think is silly.  That's why their email came so late.  I just thought it was funny, because there I was, sitting in class at what I think is the best Physician Assistant school in the nation, and in pops this rejection letter.  Oh well, their loss, not mine. :)