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OK, BIGGEST HIGHLIGHT WAS OBVIOUSLY THE HUMAN ANATOMICAL DISSECTION!  I learned a lot about the visual and textural differences between healthy hearts and lungs and abnormal ones. Real hearts i mean healthy hearts are roughly about the size of my fist and we examined and carried some hearts and we saw sone abnormal hearts where they were like twice the size of the normal ones. Some of these hearts were so large due to the buildup of calcium within the heart valves and the heart tries to unclog the calcium by pumping blood harder and what that does is the heart partially builds more muscle and also some of the blood gets congested and stuck in the right atrium, the chamber in your heart in which blood gets pumped away,  your heart expands and it eventually fails. We also saw a heart with a substitute aortic semilunar valve, the flap of tissue responsible for not letting blood reverse its flow on the way out. Its so blood only flows one way. Another highlight was having a conversation with social justice professors who have been questioned about their identities as tri-racial people who happened to be black, white and native by their own professors in school. They asked people what are their fears of being in college and i brought up the fact that most professors are kind of like one way people so when you tell them your native, they will question your authenticity and cultural affiliations as a native person because they were taught that all natives went extinct when really they are more of us than they picture. So i asked them about how i can speak for myself or on behalf of my people when they assume we gone or that i am not what i said i am and they helped me a lot in terms of what i will say and identifying in what way they will target me like antagonizing me or belittling me because of stereotypes they may have grown with. but yea, i thank everyone  for making my day possible, especially my little brother!

today we went to western university its a fairly sized university very humbly placed it was only two roles of buildings it reminded me of the community it cowboy movies. we learned how native medical students cope with there spiritual and medical lives. in most native american community its not ok or not preferred to do surgery. so it kind of go agents there tribal beliefs but they go through special ceremony so they can stay safe. we came back to Pitzer and went to aztec math class it was very productive he clarified many doubts about dividing equations and place vale. about an hour after that class we attended a very intreating class called Vertigo in the Diaspora. from my understanding the class was very well based around civil rights activism in a collage setting/community. i found i very interesting the topic on injustices on a collage campus and any talk on civil rights and activism

From the beginning of the day, I felt a negative vibe emanating from my soul and body. The first destination was Western University. I was familiar with my surroundings and felt comfortable. We prepared for an entry into the University’s cadaver lab with a ceremonial smudging of sage and giving thanks to Mother Earth and her elements. We also honored to wear an herb on our ears called “Ruda” that will keep us protected from lost souls or negative energies. We walked to another building in the campus and entered through stairs. We were outside the door and I was feeling uncomfortable about my surroundings. When I entered the door and put on gloves, I felt the hairs on my neck stand. The room was cold and felt like it was empty even though I was able to see over twenty covered bodies. The bodies were covered with white plastic sheets. Only two or three were uncovered in the chest area for showing.

We were separated into four groups to see different stations on different body parts and affects deceases had on them. It was overwhelming at first to know these were living people, but my curiosity over came it. I witnessed the affects aneurysms had on hearts, an artificial heart valve and cancer that spread to multiple parts of a body internally and in the exterior. This helped me think about the lifestyles and changes I wanted to have in my life to prevent the same result. This day struck me at a physical and mental level. It has helped me look at myself in a totally different way and what I will become in the future.

This morning, after being rushed for breakfast, we were rushed to get ready to meet in the parking lot. Today we went to Western University of Health Sciences to learn about ourselves on a deeper level. Today we were to examine cadavers and learn about the relationship we have with those who pass away and the impact they have on our lives. Before heading into the cadaver lab, our elder Vicente Candonache smudged us with sage as and gave us Ruda to place behind put ear as he performed a ceremony. The purpose was to protect us from along with blessing any bad energies with the dead bodies. As we examined the cadavers we were given the chance to hold and examine human hearts. This tested our limitations from the harsh smell of formaldehyde to the realization of standing in front of a human with their chest cut open, a person who pretty recently walked and breathed as we do. As we stood there over cadavers with open hearts and other hearts sitting on the table, my group began to look at each other. Curious of why these specific bodies are in front of us. I asked how these bodies were chosen and what are done with them after. We learned that these people all wanted to be apart of a caver lab. To help teach and inspire youth and young doctors about medicine and the human anatomy. After these bodies are not to be used they are cremated and send to their families of spread out at sea. We did not feel as awkward with these bodies, knowing that after death they are being treated with respect and keep their rights.

My day started off with the usual indigenous games, then breakfast. The day took a big shift from doing the usual writing classes with Shleva to going to Western University’s anatomy lab. I have been to the lab a couple of times before, so there wasn’t anything too crazy or shocking about the lab. What was different this time though is that since the program is full of very spiritual people we went through a ceremony before we went in with Tata Vicent. He brought a plant called rudda in Spanish (not sure about the name in english) from the garden at Pitzer, he told us that this plant is ancient remedy for ear aches but its also keeps you safe from different negative energies that linger with death. When we went into the lab a couple of students had difficult times being in the presence of deceased people so they had to step out; I was fine and actually became more familiarized with different human anatomy terminology that I had been taught before but forgot. I want to thank the native american doctor who facilitates the medical programming for us, she is someone who I have learned so much from in the past couples of years and someone continues to inspire me; thank you Kaydee (I think thats how you spell your name). Later on in the evening we had a workshop that basically was students sharing how they feel and the professor expanding on the idea of taking a different approach on tackling different social justice issues. The different approach is using our ancestral and traditional philosophies, culture, and tradition. Another topic the professor wanted to put a big emphasis on was the way in which our different languages and styles of talking are suppressed, oppressed, cut down, by this western educational system that doesn’t seem to work for most minorities.

If any of the mentors or staff read tonights blog post please fight for us to cut indigenous games tomorrow or the day after that so we can sleep in a bit and become well rested and ready for the day. I find that telling us to sleep during our breaks is a little difficult because some of us aren’t used to napping so I and Im sure other students would definitely benefit from time to sleep in.

Today in the Gross Anatomy lab, all of us were studying the organs of human being. As I was holding a human heart, I was amazed about how real that moment was. I was holding someone’s organ that beats with emotion and feeling. It was someone’s heart that beats at a fast pace when they feel love and excitement. I was always told that I have a huge heart. Not literally but emotionally. For me, it feels better to give than to receive because it gives me a warm feeling. It’s that type of warm feeling when you do something good and someone gives you appreciation. Even the smallest good deeds is always a good deed because there isn’t a lot of good people in this world anymore. So I really like to help people and that’s why I volunteer the most I can such as student council and National Honor Society. I don’t do this to get other people’s approval, i help people because it’s just how I was raised. Being a daughter of two Air Force veterans isn’t easy. My parents are always on me, but I know they are stern because they care about me. So by having a big heart, I hope to inspire and be a good role model.

Today I felt very groovy, humble, excited, shaky, nervous for some damn reason. I had some very fun interactive conversations with a very well educated professor she gave me the welcoming to such an open space, the activity that she asked us to do was very different she made a few points that caught my attention. What she had to say was just very mind blowing to me personally and also her friend she said some very strong wisdom words that I for sure walked away with and that I will keep in mind and bring it up in any situation that I come across in. But overall today was very nice Jumba Lamba Womba day and I for sure enjoyed thanks to my positive attitude and the friends that make the day extra special but yeah see ya later my natives.

Today was a pretty chill day for me , i woke up kinda late but had a great start still. We had breakfast hen headed over to western university to the cadaver lab. I didn’t get to go because i wasn’t old enouGH, BUT thats ok because physically and mentally i don’t think i was ready. I did get to do the virtual reality one though. Technology is so beneficial know. My mom would have never had the luxurious content things that we have today , that is why i am so grateful. After we came back we had sack lunches but that wasn’t so bad then we had some free time and even though i’m really shy i sang for some people here at the program. After i kind of felt unshy, then we got on the computer and i was even confident enough to show them some talent shows i’ve been in before. Then we started watching funny auditions on x factor and stuff and then we were watching wild’n out and those were funny. After we worked on some math with veesenthay and then it was free time so i headed to the gym with a few of my friends from here and we were putting in some work and then it was time for dinner. I kind of regret eating right after exercising because i just burned off a lot of calories and then gained them al right back, but thats ok.After dinner we had a lecture about our future kind of, its hard to say because we were on a lot of topics. Over all it was a blessed day.