We Can Be Heroes!

Allow me to be a bit self-indulgent here and talk about heroes. Two of my heroes are my parents. Both my Mom & Dad are dead, but in their deaths they stayed true to their beliefs that the social good was more important than individual recognition. Both of my parents donated their bodies to science, specifically to the University of Nebraska Medical School and to the Creighton University Medical School to train medical students to hopefully make the world a better place.

On Friday night I got to finally say goodbye to my mother. The memorial service for all the unselfish folks who had donated themselves to the betterment of mankind was held and we were there. It was a beautiful, respectful service and all the students were there. The surprising part to me was a good 75% of them were women. You go, girls! A young lady, a first year medical student, expressed her thanks to me and informed me of the great knowledge she obtained from the body she worked on. She didn't have to do that, she just happened to sit next to me. I was moved, and expressed her my thanks and wished her luck. I am sure she will make a fine doctor. She already has the bedside manner down pat.

My Mom is now buried in a mass grave with the others with a simple headstone and an expression of gratitude from the UNMC. My Dad has been in a mass grave for about 10 years now with another simple headstone expressing gratitude from Creighton. They are in separate cemeteries but that just makes my visitation more difficult. A small price to pay for what they did. All in all I think it worked out well since Dad was much more Catholic than Mom. He belonged at Creighton and she belonged at the secular place. That's who they were.

I know most people would never consider doing what my parents did with their bodies. My Mom used to say after Dad informed her of his post-demise plans that she didn't want some young kid looking at her saying "look at that old lady". But the respect shown by these "young kids" really does impress you. Hey, they all can't be that great of actors so I believe it. I plan on continuing this family "tradition" by donating my carcass to science. I sure as hell won't need it anymore. So I urge you, as my heroes I had as parents did, to at least be an organ donor, and if you can get past the headstone with your name on it part of death, consider helping others by donating your body to your local medical school. Thanks for reading.