Monthly Archives: September 2005

Breast exams

By The Midwife | Published: September 28, 2005

We’ve spent the past two days palpating each other’s breasts. Which hasn’t been nearly as uncomfortable as you might imagine. In fact, everyone seems quite professional so far, and comfortable with their bodies: eager to learn and very willing to let other’s have a feel if something interesting turns up (for example, one woman in […]

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Opening poetry

By The Midwife | Published: September 26, 2005

On the very first page of our Varney’s Midwifery (4th edition), before you even get to the table of contents, is the following poem, by Dana Quealy, CNM, MSN: Holy Births and Howling Babies In my backyard there are nuns who live in a shaded brick building next to the St. Stanislaus church and elementary […]

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Books galore

By The Midwife | Published: September 25, 2005

In preparation for the pelvic portion of our class, I just bought me a copy of Anne Frye’s Healing Passage, which, I have been told, is THE bible on suturing, and is required reading. Looks very interesting, I can’t wait for it to arrive. I also had a moment to peruse all of the other […]

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One hell of a night

By The Midwife | Published: September 24, 2005

Last night at work was the night of six minute bradycardias. Scary scary night.

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The Pelvis, Chief Justice nominee, and Miles for Midwives

By The Midwife | Published: September 22, 2005

We had a quick consultation yesterday with the professor who will be teaching us the pelvic part of our physical assessment class, which will begin in October. She had a three ring binder with her that was 4″ thick, filled to the brim with paper, and all of this was our pelvic unit. It was […]

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Opthalmoscopes are cool (and other odds and ends)

By The Midwife | Published: September 20, 2005

We spent the morning playing with opthalmoscopes and otoscopes and working on the Eyes and Ears portions of our physical exams. First you inspect the eyes and eyebrows for symmetry, lack of bumps, lumps, swelling, lesions, nodules, conjunctivitis etc. etc., then you have the patient follow your finger while you lead them through a series […]

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Goooood morning

By The Midwife | Published: September 19, 2005

There’s nothing like illustrated pictures of skin lesions to wake you up in the morning! After getting up, pouring my cereal and stumbling blearily over to my desk, there they were: last night’s homework spread all over the place, the page open to primary and secondary skin lesions. Yum yum. Syphillitic chancres, Actinic keratosis, squamos […]

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Featured Artist: Misty Benson

By The Midwife | Published: September 18, 2005

I’ve stumbled upon some gorgeous birth art, and the artist, Misty Benson, has been kind enough to share. Here are my three absolute favorites: “Secret of the Butterfly” 24″x32″ Acrylic on Unstretched Cotton Canvas Sheet. Misty writes: There is a Native American legend that says, “If you have a secret wish, capture a butterfly and […]

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Research blues

By The Midwife | Published: September 16, 2005

I realized yesterday, while attending my first research class, that I have done my first homework assignment for that class completely wrong. I thought we were supposed to come up with a topic that we wanted to research, i.e. do a literature review of all of the relevant articles out there, and see what’s currently […]

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Way to go, Britney

By The Midwife | Published: September 14, 2005

I’ll grant you a terse congratulations, but that’s it. Britney Spears had a healthy baby boy today, via primary cesarean section. To quote the Reuters article: “Spears…had been previously reported as saying she planned to have the baby by Caesarean section to avoid the pain of a natural birth.” In other words, too posh to […]

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