"Arms wide open: A midwife's journey" by Patricia Harman

I just *finally* finished reading "Arms wide open" written by nurse-midwife Patricia Harman.  Starting with entries from her red journal (Little Cabin in the North Woods, 1971-1972), to the green journal (Commune on the Ridge, 1977-1978), flashing forward to the silver journal (Cedar House on Hope Lake, 2008-2009), Patsy takes us on a whirlwind of portions of her life.  From her early days as the self-taught homebirth midwife, to the blossoming mother she became to her own sons, to the path that led her to nursing, and finally nurse-midwifery.

I am blessed and amazed that Patsy kept such an amazing record of the journey she followed.  It becomes apparent, early in the book, that midwifery is a calling that will not be ignored!  Patsy weaves stories of the difficult life of living on the homestead on 80 acres, far removed from society, with her partner Stacy, and son Mica.  You can feel the cold seeping through the homestead as you read about failed attempts at gardening, poor planning for the rough winter ahead, daily chores, and repairs needing done before the snow arrives.

Throughout the book, Patsy tells stories of memorable labors and births she attended.  As you progress to the latter portion of the book, the silver journal and her current life with her husband Tom, it makes me wonder: what other amazing and interesting tales does Patsy have to tell us in the intervening years?  How did it come to be that Patsy and Tom moved towards their practice that focused on chronic pelvic pain?  When did Patsy stop attending births -- and why?

This reader is left wanting to know more about those years in between homebirth to nursing to nurse-midwifery.  Please Patsy...more journals!  I just know that you have many, many more stories to tell.