Life and Veterinary Adventures

Last month I started a new job. While I really liked the hospital I was working at, it had a few too many management and employee issues that it couldn't quite sort out. It also left me feeling very stressed and drained. I was lucky to get an offer to work at a practice with a vet I used to work with at my last job. Everyone at my new job is very friendly and appreciative. I actually get to sit down and have a break during long shifts, and the practice is closed 2 days a week. I'm so happy I made the switch. I'm far less stressed out, and I'm not completely drained of energy when I get home from work. (My scrubs aren't ugly and I get to work with one of my favorite area rescue groups, too!) Hooray for new beginnings!

In September, I volunteered with the Humane Society of the United States' vaccination and spay/neuter program called Pets for Life with my coworker, Angela. The Humane Society is such a great organization and I love how hard they work to ensure that everyone has the opportunity to get vet care for their pets. I worked in the "reactive" dog line with a vet from a local ER hospital vaccinating the dog or human aggressive animals. It was pretty amazing how many pets were getting vaccinated and leaving the house for the first time! We also educated owners about the importance and the benefits of spaying and neutering. Note: This is a post I had saved in September and forgot to share!

Surprise, surprise... I've been ignoring my blog again. I think I'm going to cue up a few posts to prevent any more cobwebs from forming over here. So I last left you with a post about Cookie having some GI upset. It actually continued for about a month, while I experimented with different medications and continued to use some, until a vet I worked with suggested to change her diet. I had not thought about that because she had been eating the same puppy food for months with no issues. I gradually transitioned her to a new food with a different major protein, and sure enough, I saw an improvement. (I'll spare you the details.) I discontinued her meds, and she's been back to her old self ever since. Cookie just turned 1 year old this past month! Her big sister, Honey also had a birthday and turned 3. They grow up so fast...

Cookie got sick this past weekend, and we spent a great deal of time taking care of her, cleaning up after her, bathing her, and figuring out a way to get her to and from my work. I was concerned that she ate too much of her rope toy, but after taking some x-rays of her, everything looked fine. I gave her some fluids, got her on a couple meds, and fed her a bland diet for a few days. I'm happy to say that she's fully recovered today. Phew. She's been super cuddly lately, which is more of Honey's thing, but I'm enjoying the extra love. Maybe she's trying to say, "Thanks, Mom!"

I've been at my job for one year now. I've learned so much in that year that I didn't learn in school. I've become much more confident in my technical skills as well. Everything really just takes time, patience, and practice. I'm not afraid to try to place a catheter in a dehydrated kitten anymore. I'm not too much of a wimp to place a muzzle on an aggressive dog (within reason, of course) and surgery isn't nearly as scary as it once was. I've been lucky enough to work with some really amazing vets, techs, and kennel staff, who have made the transition from school to work not so bad. Don't get me wrong, there are days that are really difficult and make me question my career choice. Sometimes I just have too much on my plate and get overwhelmed. Sometimes I feel like I just don't make enough money for the things I have to put up with. At the end of the day, I just have to remind myself that it's not always about the money and that I...

Since my last post, I spent about a month searching for a job. After a few interviews (and job offers) I settled on what happens to be my favorite practice in Chicago. It's a new non-appointment practice in the West Loop. I've shadowed at this practice while still in school, and I knew I really wanted to work here. They weren't hiring until I stumbled upon a Craigslist ad they had posted. I obviously applied right away! I've been working here for about 3 weeks now. At first, it was really stressful learning the ropes and being efficient at the same time. Everything is paperless, so if we do anything, we have to make sure to log it into the computer and put in the charges. I'm also responsible for calculating and prescribing out medications (usually for parasites) which is something I haven't had much practice at since Pharmacology class. I'm also new to digital x-ray, ultrasound, and laser therapy. I've thankfully had some practice with Cornerstone ...

Howie and Giani at my externship I finally did it! I'm done with school and my externship and it feels great. I'm proud of myself for working hard and finishing this demanding program. I can now say I have my Associates degree in applied sciences. The next step is for me to get a job. I was offered a position where I completed my externship, but the pay they offered was less than I was making nannying before I decided to go back to school, so I couldn't justify working there. It's too bad, because I think it would have been a great hospital to start out in, and it was so close to my apartment. I have an interview at another hospital tomorrow, and I'm hoping they will be able to offer me something closer to what I'd like to make. Once I start making some money, I can actually register to take my VTNE (the board exam to become certified). And once I get a job, I think I'll be able to stop stressing about finances, and start stressing about studying and...