Welcome to my new world journey!

I begin a new life
A student Midwife!
Blogging will be my diary
An Anchor in the sea of mighty waves..

WOO-HOO!!!!

Friday, 25 April 2008

MOTHERS RULE!

No matter how much shize or pressure or maths or rabbits or she said this he said that or nonsense as such
permeates your existence
you know
you know

let it ride, be kind
to yourself, first
then all else will follow

Tuesday, 15 April 2008

FOR THOSE OF YOU WITH OPEN MINDS....

http://www.brightcove.tv/title.jsp?title=1442372416

My friend who is a horror freak sent me this as I have been talking so much about biology recently
The film is about mutated male and female and what happens in the Horror world of Biology experimentation...

ummm.. wonder what Jenny would make of it all

Vene


practicing Student Midwives!

Needles and pins. Clare fixing a puncture

Wednesday, 9 April 2008

http://www.birthdiaries.com/diary/ext025/

The Pentacle

The Pentacle, the most famous symbol of Witchcraft is a bold and fascinating statement about our place in the Universe. When the pentacle is drawn or written, the image created is called a pentagram. The pentagram represents an ancient concept that can be found in philosophical thought in both East and West. Although over 8,000 years old, the image of the pentagram is applicable in our modern world. The pentagram tells us that we have the ability to bring Spirit to Earth; this applies to every area of practical day-to-day living, as well as spiritual thought. The ability of bringing Spirit to Earth is what makes us whole.
Traditionally, each of the five angles has been attributed to the five metaphysical elements of the ancients:

EARTH: (lower left hand corner) represents stability and physical endurance.

FIRE: (lower right hand corner) represents courage and daring.

WATER: (upper right hand corner) represents emotions and intuition.

AIR: (upper left hand corner) represents intelligence and the arts.

SPIRIT: (at the topmost point) represents the All and the Divine.

The Circle around the star represents the God-Goddess; it refracts and reflects all light, bringing to the wearer total intelligence, universal wisdom and protection.

It is the ruling of the higher mind over the lower elements of our being and signals the awakening of cosmic consciousness and the beginnings of our own human psyche, moving beyond the realms of physical form and the perceptions limited to the five senses. It allows the infinite possibilities that exist within the Universe and frees us to explore and to grow.
This becomes a graphic portrayal of Spirit ruling over the five elements. When the pentagram is placed within a circle, it's energy is focused and directed. The pentagram upright, to those of spiritual perception, represents the redemption of Spirit by ruling over matter.

Tuesday, 8 April 2008

WHAT IS THAT?

Buzy buzzy day..Biology exam A.m with a different lecturer who had, shall we say, a different style from what we've grown by these past few weeks. Anyway, that went alright eventually.

It feels good having my brain expanded by challenge and difference and long thoughts.

The afternoon of wanting to get hands on steths and sprghs (ha-ha!)
led to not hearing heartbeats
or feeling pulses
or using equipment the right way round
or the wrong way up
but
being happy to be supported and encouraged
laughing at myself
getting it wrong
but feeling alright
I'm a student midwife!

Leaving medical school to go and get a tattoo

That's another story, but I'm blissed right now

PBL tomorrow.....


Sunday, 6 April 2008

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ankyloglossia

http://www.beastar.org.uk/archives/23#more-23

TONGUE TIE

NICE guidelines stating ''a suitably qualified health professional'' being able to perform the TT snip; is it correct that Midwifes used to routinely perform this in hospital? since the onslaught of bottle feeding whereby the Infant can be less active in the use of it's tongue- we don't check anymore.
This meant many sad and frustrating nights for me, I still look at my wee girl (30 months now) and wish my start with her hadn't been so distanced. I struggled feeding her and knew something was wrong, I had already fed, in varying conditions and circumstances,
my 4 other children.
I knew she wasn't getting my milk, it was there alright, I had to pump it out of me around the clock- she just couldn't access it.
The breastfeeding support Midwife told me there was nothing wrong with her feeding technique, or my positioning etc. but She didn't checked for TT.
I remembered a time when some friends had their first child; the difficulties Jeanie faced in feeding her daughter seemed to be the same as what was going on with me and Suki, my little hungry bird.

Jeanies daughter was TT.

I checked Suki's tongue and yes, it was a short little heart. I went to the GP and got an appointment with the Paediatrician who is in great demand as he only does 1/6wk visits.
My Midwife could have easily performed this job, the little snip that released us both together into nurturing harmony.
Instead I had to wait 5 weeks of pumping out, sat with gritted teeth only wanting to feed my baby. The only solace being my man, a wonder at each feed, taking up my girl in his arms, being 'mother'- feeding her my milk in replacement of me.
If breastfeeding is to be supported then we have to look at all and everything surrounding it. That's very big, so lets start with the tongue! It's the way we speak, what we say comes from who we are, the way we were nurtured.

The image “http://www2.fi.edu/images/heart_home.jpg” cannot be displayed, because it contains errors.

Okay, more Biology....

This time the Cardio side of things. My eyes aren't quite bleeding yet, though my heart beats faster everytime I think of all these things....

Coronary Arteries

Because the heart is composed primarily of cardiac muscle tissue that continuously contracts and relaxes, it must have a constant supply of oxygen and nutrients. The coronary arteries are the network of blood vessels that carry oxygen- and nutrient-rich blood to the cardiac muscle tissue.

The blood leaving the left ventricle exits through the aorta, the body’s main artery. Two coronary arteries, referred to as the "left" and "right" coronary arteries, emerge from the beginning of the aorta, near the top of the heart.

The initial segment of the left coronary artery is called the left main coronary. This blood vessel is approximately the width of a soda straw and is less than an inch long. It branches into two slightly smaller arteries: the left anterior descending coronary artery and the left circumflex coronary artery. The left anterior descending coronary artery is embedded in the surface of the front side of the heart. The left circumflex coronary artery circles around the left side of the heart and is embedded in the surface of the back of the heart.

Just like branches on a tree, the coronary arteries branch into progressively smaller vessels. The larger vessels travel along the surface of the heart; however, the smaller branches penetrate the heart muscle. The smallest branches, called capillaries, are so narrow that the red blood cells must travel in single file. In the capillaries, the red blood cells provide oxygen and nutrients to the cardiac muscle tissue and bond with carbon dioxide and other metabolic waste products, taking them away from the heart for disposal through the lungs, kidneys and liver.

When cholesterol plaque accumulates to the point of blocking the flow of blood through a coronary artery, the cardiac muscle tissue fed by the coronary artery beyond the point of the blockage is deprived of oxygen and nutrients. This area of cardiac muscle tissue ceases to function properly. The condition when a coronary artery becomes blocked causing damage to the cardiac muscle tissue it serves is called a myocardial infarction or heart attack.

Superior Vena Cava

The superior vena cava is one of the two main veins bringing de-oxygenated blood from the body to the heart. Veins from the head and upper body feed into the superior vena cava, which empties into the right atrium of the heart.

Inferior Vena Cava

The inferior vena cava is one of the two main veins bringing de-oxygenated blood from the body to the heart. Veins from the legs and lower torso feed into the inferior vena cava, which empties into the right atrium of the heart.

Aorta

The aorta is the largest single blood vessel in the body. It is approximately the diameter of your thumb. This vessel carries oxygen-rich blood from the left ventricle to the various parts of the body.

Pulmonary Artery

The pulmonary artery is the vessel transporting de-oxygenated blood from the right ventricle to the lungs. A common misconception is that all arteries carry oxygen-rich blood. It is more appropriate to classify arteries as vessels carrying blood away from the heart.

Pulmonary Vein

The pulmonary vein is the vessel transporting oxygen-rich blood from the lungs to the left atrium. A common misconception is that all veins carry de-oxygenated blood. It is more appropriate to classify veins as vessels carrying blood to the heart.

Right Atrium

The right atrium receives de-oxygenated blood from the body through the superior vena cava (head and upper body) and inferior vena cava (legs and lower torso). The sinoatrial node sends an impulse that causes the cardiac muscle tissue of the atrium to contract in a coordinated, wave-like manner. The tricuspid valve, which separates the right atrium from the right ventricle, opens to allow the de-oxygenated blood collected in the right atrium to flow into the right ventricle.

Right Ventricle

The right ventricle receives de-oxygenated blood as the right atrium contracts. The pulmonary valve leading into the pulmonary artery is closed, allowing the ventricle to fill with blood. Once the ventricles are full, they contract. As the right ventricle contracts, the tricuspid valve closes and the pulmonary valve opens. The closure of the tricuspid valve prevents blood from backing into the right atrium and the opening of the pulmonary valve allows the blood to flow into the pulmonary artery toward the lungs.

Left Atrium

The left atrium receives oxygenated blood from the lungs through the pulmonary vein. As the contraction triggered by the sinoatrial node progresses through the atria, the blood passes through the mitral valve into the left ventricle.

Left Ventricle

The left ventricle receives oxygenated blood as the left atrium contracts. The blood passes through the mitral valve into the left ventricle. The aortic valve leading into the aorta is closed, allowing the ventricle to fill with blood. Once the ventricles are full, they contract. As the left ventricle contracts, the mitral valve closes and the aortic valve opens. The closure of the mitral valve prevents blood from backing into the left atrium and the opening of the aortic valve allows the blood to flow into the aorta and flow throughout the body.

Papillary Muscles

The papillary muscles attach to the lower portion of the interior wall of the ventricles. They connect to the chordae tendineae, which attach to the tricuspid valve in the right ventricle and the mitral valve in the left ventricle. The contraction of the papillary muscles opens these valves. When the papillary muscles relax, the valves close.

Chordae Tendineae

The chordae tendineae are tendons linking the papillary muscles to the tricuspid valve in the right ventricle and the mitral valve in the left ventricle. As the papillary muscles contract and relax, the chordae tendineae transmit the resulting increase and decrease in tension to the respective valves, causing them to open and close. The chordae tendineae are string-like in appearance and are sometimes referred to as "heart strings."

Tricuspid Valve

The tricuspid valve separates the right atrium from the right ventricle. It opens to allow the de-oxygenated blood collected in the right atrium to flow into the right ventricle. It closes as the right ventricle contracts, preventing blood from returning to the right atrium; thereby, forcing it to exit through the pulmonary valve into the pulmonary artery.

Mitral Value

The mitral valve separates the left atrium from the left ventricle. It opens to allow the oxygenated blood collected in the left atrium to flow into the left ventricle. It closes as the left ventricle contracts, preventing blood from returning to the left atrium; thereby, forcing it to exit through the aortic valve into the aorta.

Pulmonary Valve

The pulmonary valve separates the right ventricle from the pulmonary artery. As the ventricles contract, it opens to allow the de-oxygenated blood collected in the right ventricle to flow to the lungs. It closes as the ventricles relax, preventing blood from returning to the heart.

Aortic Valve

The aortic valve separates the left ventricle from the aorta. As the ventricles contract, it opens to allow the oxygenated blood collected in the left ventricle to flow throughout the body. It closes as the ventricles relax, preventing blood from returning to the heart.

Saturday, 5 April 2008

the world makes circuses of reality

reality makes the world a circus

Friday, 4 April 2008

BIOLOGY MAKES YOUR MIND THINK

I was sat here, homestead today strugglin with my Biology and even though I had 6 books spread out in front of me (3 I got from the library yesterday) I KNEW i needed Totora (have you seen the film Totoro?)
Well I took myself off into town fearing that upon my return loads of kids would have stamped loads of feet all over the present 6 books opened up all over the floor..fear and dread preceded my leave of the homestead yet I didn't want to clear those books up from the floor, I wanted them to see, know, what I'm doing
I found myself in HMV buying bargain £3 dvds for my wee small girls, the original Planet of the apes (£3) for the boys and some highlighter pens (why?) for me (oh yeah and Totora + bonus book for 42 quid)
Totora gave me the insight to what those worksheets are about; I did more in the next 2 hours(10 points in question) than I had done 4 hours previously (3 points in question)
I can only think that Jenny dominatrix WANTS to say to us; cheaper, less in demand texts are the ones we can get answers from if we really TRY
fuddle SAY; Totora is the reference we use and all the answers we give you will be from that
It's something to inform the next 1st years about!!
have a good weekend xx

Pregnant man

This Man was a Woman who won Miss Hawaii beauty contest, he has balanced his Hormone intake so that he can maintain his essence of the Feminine, his womb- whilst on the outside appearing as a man- minimal hormone intake along with lobbing off the breasts = WHAT?
A Woman wanting to function (on the outside) as Man,yet intrinsically still a Woman? Presenting this to the Media as a fingers up freak show feed to the world? OR
A self-obsessed egomaniac wanting more attention, feeling as a female that wouldn't happen....?
And so on..OR
We are all puppets in the theater of Americana

DISCUSS

The real Queen

CURRENT MOON