Page 34 - OctSam2019
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MEDICAL STUDENT PERSPECTIVE
A Bilateral Pleural Illusion
By Christian Jacobsen, MS2, UTHSCSA – LSOM
It's easy to forget our lungs and the type of air that we
breath. After taking anatomy, seeing the lungs, and taking a class in pulmonology, it really struck me how important it is to breathe
clean air. My grandfather passed away from lung cancer that metastasized to his brain; cancer that was originally caused by working
with asbestos combined with a lifetime of smoking. His death was ultimately caused by breathing in toxins, polluting his lungs.
This drawing highlights the importance of keeping our lungs clean. The opposing sides of the image reflect the color of what a
lung looks like in each given circumstance. On the polluted side, lungs turn black and dark. On the clean side, lungs retain a pink
and healthy looking color.
In summary, it's easy to neglect things we can't see. "Out of sight, out of mind." Our lungs reflect what we breathe.
34 San Antonio Medicine • October 2019
