Everyone is different, aint that the truth!

When someone has been curled up in bed for a long time and they die, they are often 'set' in that position; usually foetal.   This makes me re-think my usual choice of artery, the axillary within the axilla (armpit).   This means I need to choose another starting point for injecting the formaldehyde and usually I move a little way along the axillary artery to the shoulder.  This method is commonly called 'bra strap incision'.     

Bra strap incision is a neat little incision, easily hidden under clothes and if necessary easily cosmetised for strapless gowns.   Once the initial incision has been made, the vessels can be easily located between nerves and tendons and the injection and drainage process is exactly the same.   The axillary artery is just picked up at its topmost end. 

My colleague and I are fortunate to have a student embalmer training with us for one day a week.  This week was his first week and as he has already completed the theoretical training of his British Institute of Embalmers Diploma he is keen to get his practical examinations too.

He has had a little practical experience already so I asked him to choose his vessel to raise and he chose the right common carotid artery.    He showed me where he was to make his incision and as it was correct I instructed him to proceed.    A neat opening was created and he set to work dissecting tissue and raising the artery. 

Imagine my surprise when he pulled up the artery and it had three other small arteries running off it.  This was not the common carotid artery but most likely the subclavian artery which should have been more to the right of the clavicle.   We attempted to inject the formaldehyde solution but it wasn't working as well as we hoped so I ligated it off and sought the common carotid.  There it was!  Just a little more medial than expected.  The injection and drainage process was completed and the deceased looked super.  No different for the experience.

Trust a student to keep my brain active and keep me on my toes!

Photos with thanks from Anatomist 90 via Wiki

Seasonal blues

I haven't suffered with post Christmas blues since I had my child ten years ago.  You know that feeling of having overspent at Christmas, parties all finished, gifts demolished and pounds piled on?  Truly a melancholy.  But, being born in early January has made it an exciting time for us as a family and something we look forward to.   

This year, Christmas and birthday time was a little sadder following the loss of my mother in law.  We got through it though, and thought of her often.

Many dear friends have already watched their parents, or worse; child, die.  I have lately thought whether I offered enough support to them now having been on the receiving end of such sadness.  I certainly am determined to make sure I am as supportive as I can be in the future.

Having such a personal loss has made me a little more thoughtful for the deceased I look after and their families.   I have been very busy this last week and so have my colleagues.  Each embalming we do usually is connected with someones utter devastation at their loss.     I say 'usually' because there are some who leave behind very few who care about them.  Each year we carry out many funerals for people who have no family or friends resulting in no one at their cremation other than the funeral director, bearers and possibly a nurse from a home.    

On the other side, some funerals have so many people attending that they overflow the crematorium or cemetery. 

It makes no difference to my work either way.