The almost dead woman arrived on a Sunday afternoon on an oxcart from seven leagues away. Dr. Orihuela came to our house to ask for my assistance since all of the nurses were home with their families at farms outside of town that day. He told me that the woman had been in obstructed labor for 4 days, her baby had died inside, and she was moribund. He said that maybe a cesarean section would save her life; he wasn't sure; it might be just too late. Still, the family had brought her, and he thought he should try. Of course I said I would help, but since I never had seen or assisted at surgery before, he would have to tell me what to do. We went to the Centro de Salud, stopping to ...