So, I've been trying to learn how to do this surgical procedure at work over the past few weeks. It's not an especially difficult procedure, but it does require a little finesse. Basically, I have to locate a specific blood vessel in a mouse (left common carotid artery, labeled lcc in the diagram below), scrape off the smooth muscle layers without puncturing it, and transplant a tissue graft on top of it.
Well, up until this morning, it wasn't going so well. And then, all of a sudden, this morning I was able to do it like I've been doing it for 20 years. I love it when that happens. Actually, that kind of thing happens to me a lot. One day I can't do something and then the next day I can. It's happened with musical ability - one day I can't play something, I sleep on it, and the next day I can. It's happened with physical tasks like being able to ski or cast a fly fishing rod. It's also happened with the ability to understand information - one day I won't get something, the next day I will. The interesting part is that I never put much effort into the equation. It's not like I go to bed willing myself to acquire a new skill while I'm asleep. Maybe my brain needs time to process the new information. Maybe in the heat of the moment, I over-think the task. I don't understand how it works or why it works, I'm just glad that it does.
2 comments:
besides the picture setting off my gag reflex, good post and interesting idea about sleeping on it.
Yeah, that doesn't sound particularly difficult at all. I've been doing this for years. You should have called me for advice.
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