The Miracle of My Physiology

When a health issue arises, whether for our pets or us, it is normal to focus primarily on the body part that isn’t working well. During such times, taking a moment to think about our normal physiology (all those amazing things the body is doing well) can be a wonderfully positive distraction.

I wrote the following poem when I needed some help refocusing my thought processes away from a nagging health issue. I invite you to use these words for the same purpose, if and whenever you like. This poem contains the word, “God”. If this word is not relevant to your belief system, please substitute whatever makes sense for you.

THE MIRACLE OF MY PHYSIOLOGY

Dear God,

Thank you for the miracle of my physiology.

The workings of my body astound me and, when I think about all of the pumping, churning, transmitting, digesting, absorbing, and replicating that go on each and every second within myself, I am in awe.

What an incredible invention my ears are- teeny tiny little bones cloaked just beyond my ear drums conveying and interpreting so many varieties of sound; fine ciliated tentacles in my inner ear keeping me upright rather than reeling with dizziness.

And God, I love my eyes. My retinas, each no larger than the peel of a grape yet capable of transmitting a visual feast to my brain.

My voice, unique to me, created in my vocal folds and safely enveloped by my larynx, allowing me to sing to you today.

And my immune system mystifies me! How can it possibly know that a splinter or a virus or a bacteria or a parasite warrants an army of white blood cells, yet my very own tissues are sacred and left alone?

God, thank you for my heart that rhythmically beats day in day out, round the clock, varying its speed in accordance with my whimsical demands for oxygen.

My bones. They allow me to stand upright before you today and, should one break, the pieces will magically, mystically, miraculously glue themselves back together again, good as new.Thank you God for inventing that.

And then God, there is the matter of my hormones. You must know that women’s hormones get a bad rap, but please know that I truly appreciate them. I am in awe of the fact that my hormones, microscopic conductors of the symphony of my body, tell me when to menstruate, when to lactate, when to get excited, when to digest food, when to be pregnant, when to lie down and when to rise up.

And, there is the wonder of my breasts. Imagine, my own body producing sustenance, enough to completely sustain another human being! And so impeccably efficient- milk produced at only the necessary moments in the total span of my life.

And my uterus is truly awesome! While nourishing a growing fetus, how can this muscle stretch and stretch and stretch and then stretch some more to become almost paper thin and yet, at just the right moment in time, still produce enough force to launch a brand new human being into this world. Simply magnificent!

Thank you God for my brain. No pulsing or peristalsis here, yet important enough to be protected underneath a thick bony dome. Beneath the camouflage is the control center of my being, a bevy of activity, neurotransmitters, receptors, and electrical pathways so that I can think and feel and sleep and dream. Like the sun, my brain rules in a stately fashion over the universe of my body.

Thank you God for the miracle of my physiology.

With love from,

An ordinary woman

Wishing you and your loved ones a happy and healthy new year,

Nancy Kay, DVM

Diplomate, American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine
Author of Speaking for Spot: Be the Advocate Your Dog Needs to Live a Happy, Healthy, Longer Life
Author of Your Dog’s Best Health: A Dozen Reasonable Things to Expect From Your Vet
Recipient, Leo K. Bustad Companion Animal Veterinarian of the Year Award
Recipient, American Animal Hospital Association Animal Welfare and Humane Ethics Award
Recipient, Dog Writers Association of America Award for Best Blog
Recipient, Eukanuba Canine Health Award
Recipient, AKC Club Publication Excellence Award
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Please visit http://www.speakingforspot.com to read excerpts from Speaking for Spot and Your Dog’s Best Health.   There you will also find “Advocacy Aids”- helpful health forms you can download and use for your own dog, and a collection of published articles on advocating for your pet’s health. Speaking for Spot and Your Dog’s Best Health are available at www.speakingforspot.com, Amazon.com, local bookstores, and your favorite online book seller.