What I learned while holding a REAL human brain

The weight was heavy not because the organ was but what it represented. This brain, that has one belonged to a human. A human that wasn’t with us anymore. The weight of that responsibility was crazy. The fact that people had memories, heartbreak. Some lovely moments and fights stored in their memories of the person that had passed. The person who’s brain I was holding. It was such a surreal experience.

I went to a hospital to learn more about the human brain. Now as a student you have certain privileges that people that aren’t student (or academic professionals) don’t have. I love being a student because of this reason alone. Last year I went to ten lectures, most of them free or very cheap about the very diverse topics. Going to a lecture voluntary is so different than going because you have to for school. I love all (well, most) of my classes. I really enjoy school most of the time and I learn so much everyday but there is something about someone telling you something not because they have to but because they really do love it themselves. 

There I was starting down at a real human brain, I had seen pictures before and diagrams of course. But holding one, that is something else. I learned a few things which I would really like to share. I also want to quickly add that those brains we saw where their for educational purposes the family/the person themselves obviously gave permision. They don’t just take your brain out of your head in the hospital. For a lot of studies in the medical field there is no other way to learn things than by seeing it. If we want professionals we need to accept things like this (this is a disclaimer for if you didn’t know).

We have a skull luckily

When you are holding everything you are, you can’t help but think about the fact that a skull is something wonderful. It protects your whole being. It protects your body for so much harm. It’s incredible. A brain is so fragile but your skill holds it in place. It protects you from harm which is amazing.

Humans are truly amazing 

Human bodies are the most inspiring thing in the world. We saw all sorts and you can just see, how someone died (which is sad), what doctors did to save someones life. And in some aspects even how someone lived (an unhealthy lifestyle is something you can see in someones organs). Organs keep us alive. We breath, think, hear and feel because of our organs. We can eat and workout because of our bodies. A body is such a wonderful thing to have.

Life is short 

I do generally really love life and I feel very blessed that I am alive. For some people it is really hard to enjoy life and to release how short it all is. People really do die, everyday. That fact alone makes me feel blessed that I can live yet another day. No matter if it is because of circumstance, an illness or something else. A life lost is a loss. I think it is important for people to understand how blessed they are to be on this earth.

Importance isn’t measure in size 

There are parts of the brain that are important for let’s say emotions. Those parts of the brain are SO SMALL, you can hardly see them. The structures of the brain are tiny sometimes. Because we hear so much about them it sometimes feels as if they are really big but that couldn’t be further from the truth. How something so small can do such big things. It’s also really hard as a neuropsychology student I hear a lot about things like cerebral haemorrhages and how damaging that is for someones brain. I can just imagine the big damage a small haemorrhage can do. It puts it all in perspective.

How amazing that you are you

What are the chances that you are you. Your mum and dad got their genes together to imperfectly perfect create you. You have all these organs and all these ideas and memories. All because your genes tells them to. You brain makes you remember things. It makes you able to grab something, to hold it. You are amazing just by being you.

Lots of love,
Melissa