Comments on: White Silken Ribbons

By: Dianne

Dianne — Sat, 22 May 2010 23:09:58 +0000

I was moved by your thoughtful literary piece. As program administrator/director of anatomical gifts I hear from both sides; from potential donors and from first year medical students. It is an enormous responsibility each of us has, yet your story suggests it is an honor and I concur. These trusting souls place their body in our hands to carry out their wishes and to be treated with the respect and dignity they are so deserving of. For over ten years I continue to feel incredibly grateful to have found such a rewarding career. It was wonderful to read your words. I cannot thank you enough.

By: Patrick McNally

Patrick McNally — Fri, 21 May 2010 13:33:36 +0000

A beautiful and powerful piece! I remember my first experience assisting with a post-mortem examination. There was a gratitude, a reverence, and most memorably, a incredible sense of awe and wonder at the form and workings of our bodies.
Thanks

By: Kendra

Kendra — Thu, 20 May 2010 16:23:02 +0000

Wonderful. Beautiful. Touching. Made me think back to my own experiences with my cadaver in the anatomy lab. An experience that I’ll never forget!

By: Loki

Loki — Tue, 18 May 2010 08:52:37 +0000

Beautiful.

I’m donating my body to science when I die, because I will have created knowledge even in death. I expect I’ll be remembered anonymously as well.

By: robin andrea

robin andrea — Mon, 17 May 2010 21:10:34 +0000

It is quite a gift to give, one’s body to future doctors. There is a promise in that gesture, more real than wishful thinking for a heavenly afterlife. For all these years later, she lives on in the knowledge that you gleaned from her flesh and bones. A beautiful piece of writing.

By: Val Erde

Val Erde — Mon, 17 May 2010 12:22:44 +0000

Curious post. I’m close-ish to tears here, partly because my dad died from a brain tumour too (he was a doctor, but was too far gone to be able to comprehend what was wrong – apart from saying with a sense of pride, to his visitors a week before he died, “I went in for a broken rib and they found I have a brain tumour!”) but also because you manage to bring beauty to what – to a non-medical person like myself – could be quite unpleasant. Thank you.

By: WWWebb

WWWebb — Sun, 16 May 2010 19:04:26 +0000

And just as good the second time around.

There’s a relatively new medblogger, Dr. Jim, who expounds at StorytellERdoc.blogspot.com.

He’s worth a read, and an encouraging word.

By: drcharles

drcharles — Sun, 16 May 2010 14:25:29 +0000

[written July 2005]