In the Dark Depths of the Mortuary

The novelty of working in Endoscopy is beginning to wear off, so I was pleased to discover that I was able to view some post-mortems today. Depending on what they have, they don't tend to allow observers.

It was interesting, yet quite sad. Four bodies were bought in: two were suicides, one was a sudden death and the other was an organ donation. Sadly, the first three were all young men - mid thirties. The two suicide cases were both due to asphyxiation by hanging. One gentleman had been found in a park. He had a wife and five children in his home country. The other was discovered in his flat by an Estate Agent showing around prospective buyers (I think we can assume they didn't put an offer in). It was so sad to see that there are people who are so desperate, they take their own lives. Just think what these men could have achieved if only someone had been there to support and encourage them.

The sudden death gentleman had visited his GP with a severe headache. An ambulance had been called and he was admitted to ICU with drains fitted to either side of his brain. He died shortly after. The post-mortem found a large cyst smack bang in the middle of his brain, about the size of a large grape. His brain was red and swollen, and it was obvious to see that it had been pressing heavily against his skull.

The fourth body was of an elderly lady who had a CVA. As a result, she suffered from dysphagia. Her family had consented for her brain to be used in medical research. It was actually really interesting to see the side of the brain that had been affected: it was pale and watery-looking.

So it was a fascinating morning, and one which caused me to think about the value of each individual life. At some stage, these people had had passions, hobbies, desires, ambitions, and for the three gentleman, these will never be realised.