Mid-Sagittal Head Dissection

Well, the worst is over with.  All quarter long I have dreaded the day when we cut the head completely in half and study the sinuses.  Our cadaver was selected for this procedure because he didn't have any teeth which made it easier for the head to be separated.  I can't say it was easy to watch and I had to walk away to get something to eat at first because I forgot to eat lunch today.  Going into the lab always leaves me a bit queasy with the smells and if you are 'bonking' due to not eating food it makes the experience intolerable.  

When I returned, Jim Carolla, our anatomy professor, had hacksaw in hand and he was cutting our guys head in half.  The cut went directly between the eyes and down the nose, through the chin and into the throat.  He then (with help from my lab partners) peeled the head in half just like a piece of string cheese.  It was gruesome and quite hard to study afterward.  Another cadaver had it's head split in a coronal section straight through the ears and down the spine.  The instructors dug deep into the back of the neck into the throat to gain a view of the tongue, esophagus, larynx and pharynx.  It was emotionally challenging to see such things.  I made it though and now I only have to pass an exam to move to the next level.

Much of my ranting and bitching from the last email is due to the incredible amount of stress I am under right now.  The material is loaded heavy on my shoulders and I have to get through it with some sense of authority to be successful next week as well as the future.  It is go time and I have to go.

Cheers,

Nate