Walter and Eileen decided over 40 years ago to donate their bodies for
medical training and research. This letter was written by 2 of Walter's
granddaughters and his step-granddaughter, a first year medical student
who wore Tyvek gear when working in the lab.
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Dear Medical Student(s),
We'd
like to tell you a few things about our grandfather, whose body you are
studying to further your medical education. We hope what we say here
makes your learning experience both positive and meaningful.
Our
grandfather signed up to donate his body to science back in 1976. He
carried a card with him in his wallet for almost 45 years indicating
that his body should be used for research purposes after his death. In
case you have any concerns that he (or we) felt conflicted about your
use of his body, you have no cause for worry. He thought that you, doing
what you're doing there in medical school, was a worthy cause. We
agree.
For those of us who knew him, this choice made perfect
sense. Our grandfather was excited by science above just about anything
else. He got a PhD in physics and worked as a chemist for his career,
then got seriously interested in computers. Maybe you're going to put on
some personal protective gear before you do any work on his body. If
you do, that gear is very likely made out of Tyvek and you might be
interested to know that he was on the team of inventors who created
Tvyek. When they first developed it they had no idea of all the things
it would eventually get used for. Shortly before he died we learned (and
told him) that it's often used for protective gear in medical school
labs. He got a kick out of that. We hope you do, too.
More
broadly, our grandfather delighted in trying to unravel the mysteries of
the world: physical, chemical, biological, technical, and social. His
excitement and humor as he explored something new made it fun to answer
his questions or investigate alongside him, and also fun to argue with
him.
Our fondest wish is that you learn from his body with
unbridled curiosity. He would be entirely supportive of you having
questions and poking around to find answers. We hope his body is a
chance for you to learn for yourself all kinds of memorable and exciting
things about how we humans are put together.
One last thing you might find interesting:
When
he turned 100, our grandfather decided he just wasn't going to eat
anything he didn't like ever again. Until our grandmother died, which
happened when our grandfather was 99, she managed to cajole him into
eating vegetables pretty regularly and occasionally succeeded at
curtailing his less healthy eating habits. But no more. Starting about
3.5 years before his death, he switched to a diet that consisted of
nothing but Milky Way bars, lemon hard candies, and store-bought
chocolate milk - the kind that comes pre-mixed in gallon containers.
Plus a vitamin pill. About eight months later, he dropped the lemon
candies and ate only Milky Way bars and chocolate milk. He was advised
this was not healthy eating but he didn't really care. It made him
happy. And who knows? After all, how many nutrition studies feature
people his age subsisting on chocolate milk and candy?
We
wish you the best in your studies and in your future profession. May you
be friendly doctors who feel genuine curiosity about your patients -
both as people and as bodies. May you enjoy investigating the mysteries
of their health and may you invite them to join you in that exploration.
In short, may you be as happy in a life dedicated to scientific
practice as this man who donated his body to you.
