Heart Surgery, bellydance with Sahra Saeeda

So I am now officially performing open heart surgery on mice. It's pretty awesome, really. It's amazing to have their chest cracked open a bit and seeing their tiny little hearts beating away. It just cements the miracle of life for me. The life on this earth is put together in such an amazing, perfect way. As a biologist, everywhere I turn I see the fingerprints of God. I just don't understand how people can believe in macroevolution.

I was nervous because yesterday, I performed the surgery in front of the LIMR vet, so we could get full approval for the procedure. My hands were shaking at first, but as soon as I made the first incision, I was good. The surgery went so well! And the mouse patient, I am so happy to say, came out perfectly. I was a little worried late yesterday because when I checked him before I left, he was trembling and shaking really badly because he was so cold. A lot of mice actually die not from the actual surgery, but from hypothermia resulting from the surgery (decreased blood flow, anesthesia, pain reliever drugs, all can lower body temp). I warmed the little guy in my hands for a while, and then put him back in a cage with his other brothers, instead of letting him in a cage by himself. I was a little concerned that they'd run all over him, but since he was awake and alert, just cold, I figured this would be better. Their body heat would keep him warm and that was the important thing. I was ecstatic when I checked the cage this morning- not only was he still alive, but he was doing so well, I couldn't even distinguish him from his cage mates! I had to actually pick them up and look for the suture to find the little guy I performed the surgery on. So that was nice to see him doing well.

In other news, I'm attending a special bellydance class with Sahra Saeeda tonight. She's a world famous bellydancer, and it's a real privlege to be able to take a class from her. I'm excited! More info on how it went later, for now I need to get ready cause it starts in about a half hour! :)