A Day Full of Activities

I enjoyed class today; it was an organ recital day. We started the day by learning about the different cranial nerves. I did not know that we had twelve nerves in our brain. We also went through the steps of the neurological exam. We were able to perform it on each other in pairs. I had to examine my partner's mental status such as their attention and memory. For example, I asked her to spell a word backward to test her attention. I also performed a physical examination: I had to flash a light in her eyes and mouth to make to make sure that everything was normal.

One of the tools for the neurological exam

After the examination, we went to the lab room. For the first half hour, we looked at slides under the microscope. I was able to view an eye's structure. However, I found the slide of a cross section of a lung to be particularly interesting. The lung we viewed had a small tumor. We could tell it was a cancerous lung because the nuclei of some cells were greatly enlarged. There was also blood that had leaked into the lungs.

 During the the latter part of the hour, I had the opportunity to see a liver, brain, and the lower half of a leg. I saw a healthy and damaged liver. The damaged liver was hard, bumpy, and discolored. I also saw a normal brain and a brain that had experienced a stroke. It was hard to identify the cranial nerves because they were extremely small. I learned that the brain is covered with a membrane-like structure called pia mater that protects the brain. I did not enjoy looking at the lower part of a leg along with the foot. I found it to be extremely disgusting.

Afterwards, we had a guest speaker who talked about obesity on a global level. She showed us examples of how third world countries are affected by obesity. We then divided into groups, and each group tried to find a solution to a real life situation. My group discussed ways on how the obesity rate can be lowered in the Dominican Republic. We decided that the country can start a farming program that grows more fruits and vegetables; this would create healthier food and more jobs. We ended class by finishing our PSA projects. My group and I came up with a very creative idea that is supposed to be kept a secret. I am excited to present it to the class tomorrow.

Today was the last day of Arete. We have the showcase tomorrow, and I am going to terribly embarrass myself in front of everyone.  Unfortunately, I still cannot call myself a juggler; however, practice makes perfect.

Instead of having SOFT night, VSA had activities planned for us today from 7-9 PM. I wanted to go to the Vanderbilt bookstore, but all the spots were filled up. Therefore, I watched the movie, Princess Bride, and I really enjoyed it.