Body Worlds 3

For those of you tuning in to read Dad's post, just scroll below to "Chris Speaks." It is far more meaningful than what I am about to write, but I had some info I wanted to pass along as well as update the current recovery rally.

First things first, Dad is continuing to improve daily. That's not to say that each day is better than the last, but the overall trend is definitely on the upswing. He walked one lap around the block today in 10:47, according to his Timex. My instinct was to reach through the phone and take his watch away, but he spent over 20 years in Wheaton timing the exact same 3-mile run loop through his neighborhood so I'm letting this slide under the adage of "old habits die hard."

His pain seems to be shifting around his body...from neck, to back, to legs to head. After being completely out of commission for such a long time, Dad developed some aches and pains he wasn't previously aware of. Luckily, there's a possibility of getting some outpatient physical rehab in the near future. The hospital gave Dad some stretching bands, but he isn't sure what to do with them. I'm just hoping he doesn't injure himself further.

Now for the public service announcement: For any of you who have become unusually interested in the brain since this incident (as I have), I recommend going to see the Body Worlds exhibit at your local science museum. I know it is in Dallas, Chicago, and Phoenix right now (http://www.bodyworlds.com/) as Brad and I had the opportunity to check it out while we were in Phoenix over the weekend. (I know I have been gone from the kids a lot lately, so please don't call the authorities). If you're not familiar, some guy used this plastification process after people died to get a shockingly clear view of the human body. It's like high school science books coming to life (or death, as it were). For a more detailed explanation (in case this seems shady) you might check the website above.

Anyway, it was amazing to see REAL BRAINS and all the little intricacies therein. It kind of reminded me of a spherical English muffin. There were several different cross-sections on display with all the veins, arteries, and even membranes labeled. It actually made sense why it took 7 days to drain all the blood from the sub arachnoid area (now that I know where the sub arachnoid area is located) after seeing it in greater depth.

Just a word of warning, though: This is not for the faint of stomach. About 10 minutes into our BodyWorlds journey, Brad mentioned that he was getting a little nauseous and wanted to look for some air. Moments later, I heard my name shouted and saw violent gesturing. Before I knew it, Brad's arm was slung around my shoulder like a wounded quarterback leaving the field. Thankfully, we made it to the only bench in the whole display where he discreetly put his head between his knees to avoid passing out altogether. After regaining composure, he high-tailed it out of the museum (past the entire digestive tract laid out end-to-end, no less) and graciously walked next door and waited for our dinner reservation.

To be fair, I too, had some woozy moments, but a few weeks in the ICU had toughened me a little bit.

In summary, if you want to learn more than you ever wanted to know about the human body or just pre-screen yourself for med school, BodyWorlds might be right up your alley.