Yes, once again, Thursday was a day of birds at VCA Cedar. Well, more specifically, I saw some birds toward the end of the day, but that was really the only exotic thing I saw. The most interesting points of the day were a couple of dentals (yes, I did just use the words "interesting" and "dentals" in the same sentence) and seeing a pair of cockatiels.
The dentals were cool because the technicians actually explained to me what they were doing and what they were looking for as they probed around in the dogs' mouths. Dr. B taught me a little about anesthesia drugs and post-operative medications, so I was able to understand a little better about Emmie's surgery. On a side note, we found out yesterday that Emmie's lump was a (probably) benign plasmocytoma, a tumor that can occur on either bone or soft tissue and that usually does not spread to other parts of the body. Plasmocytomas are usually cured by removal, which is really good in our case because I don't want Emmie to have to go back into surgery again! It is also a relief to know that she most likely does not have cancer of any kind, so for right now, we are done with the expense associated with the tumor.
The pain medication that Dr. B gave Emmie made her very loopy, and I didn't enjoy seeing her so unlike herself. She cried quite frequently throughout the day, and she looked like a dazed cow. However, Dr. B said that her cries were from a common post-operative condition in which an animal makes noise simply because it is confused and disoriented. So Emmie probably just didn't know what was happening to her, and she was upset because of it. Her post-operative medication was hydromorphone, a stronger version of morphine that also has a sedative aspect. The vet can usually give a reverse injection to counteract the drowsiness after surgery, but the medication can be hard on the heart. Emmie has a slight heart murmur, so Dr. B couldn't give her the reverse injection. As such, Emmie was more loopy than she would've been if she did not have her heart condition. This relates to the dentals because Dr. B used hydromorphone on them, as well (she was just able to reverse on those dogs because their hearts were fine).
Dr. B also explained to me that during surgery, the vet should not use too much gas nor too little. Too much can have an adverse effect on blood pressure and body temperature, and--obviously--too little doesn't do enough to sedate the animal (so it ends up feeling too much pain and discomfort during surgery).
At the clinic, I also learned more about ear cleaning, which seems really simple on the outside but actually has a method to it. First, a solution for breaking up wax and debris is poured into the ears and rubbed around. After that, a rinse is poured into the ears, and the animal can shake its head to drain the ears. If the ears can't be flushed for whatever reason, the solution for wax and debris can't be used because it's not good for all the loose gunk (that's a technical term, mind you) to sit in the ears. Maybe you knew this about ear cleaning, but I had never really considered it, so it was pretty neat for me.
Also cool for me was learning how VCA Cedar is trying to be more cat-friendly. A recent trend in companion animal medicine is attempting to get clients to bring their cats in more for vet visits. Most cat owners are reluctant to take their pets to the vet because the cats hate it, and owners hate doing things that make their cats unhappy. Obviously, a vet's job is to keep cats healthy, and vets can't do that if they never see the cats. Anyway, some new methods include giving away free cardboard cat carriers to cat owners that don't have them and using FelAway plug-in hormone diffusers to create a calming atmosphere in the clinic. Dr. B says that the FelAway has had a surprisingly positive effect on her feline patients
While I don't get to participate as much at VCA Cedar as I do at St. Francis, I did get to help a little on Thursday with things like holding dogs on leashes when a doctor or tech went to get something, cleaning exam tables before new patients arrived, and retrieving things that the doctors or techs needed. I'm mostly there to see the exotics that I don't get to see everyday or even every time I am at St. Francis, so I don't really mind too much.
Finally, a pair of cockatiels came into the clinic because they were from the same house, and one of the birds had started plucking the insides of its wings and its back. The case actually belonged to another doctor, Dr. P, who I think is also really cool, nice, and funny. She told me that wing-picking can be caused by multiple conditions, from giardia (which is intestinal but manifests itself dermally, too, I guess) to yeast to mites. Some birds pick their chests, but this is usually behavioral and not because of any condition. Dr. P taught me that birds must be examined quickly because it is very easy for them to become stressed. She is really a great person because she walked me through some of her thinking processes as she was examining the bird (like how to rule out behavior, yeast, etc). I love getting little windows into things like that.
For the last few minutes, I stood waiting for Dr. B while she was talking with a client and met a parrot who was waiting for Dr. B to examine him. I didn't actually learn anything from the case; I just wanted to mention it because it was another bird.
Anyway, it was an all-around good day. Everyone at the clinic seemed to be in a good mood, so I had a lot of fun while I was learning all of this. In other news, I am basically done with my VMCAS. My last evaluator submitted her letter of recommendation, and I finally got my personal statement down to the required 5000 characters (with spaces!). I felt like I had to compromise my writing a bit, but it basically gets the same things across as it did when it was all the way up at 8000 characters. I double-checked everything to make sure it was correct, and now I am just waiting to pay for the application, update my hours for shadowing after this week, and print everything to save for my records. I can't believe how well everything came together! My goal is to hit the "E-Submit" button by Thursday so I don't have to worry about it after I go to the cabin, get my school shopping done, and head back to Augie for my final two trimesters of courses.
I am so very excited for the cabin! We just heard that Dad can go the full week (we weren't sure because of his new job), and I definitely got my full week off. This coming week, I will work an extra couple of days to make up for missed time, but I don't mind in the least. It is always the best week of the summer (no, the year!) for me, and I always enjoy myself. We are leaving this Saturday and will return on the 11th. Luckily, I have access to a TV up there, so I can still watch the Olympics! I love the Olympics, and this summer is especially great because they are in London. I already feel nostalgic and wish I could go back this fall again. That would be the best thing ever. I will try to blog about the cabin after I get back, but we'll see how it goes. Like I said, after this coming week and the cabin week, I only have one week before I go back to school, so I will need to do some serious shopping and last-minute planning. I still need to find a desk and a bed-frame and mattress for my room in the house, and I am quickly running out of time. What happened to summer?
Sunday, July 29, 2012
Monday, July 23, 2012
Summer 2012--St. Francis Veterinary Clinic Visit #9: Bulldogs and Boxers and Bailey, Oh My!
Sorry for the kitschy title. I really couldn't think of anything better. Anyway, today was Dr. J's surgery day. I got to see five surgeries, all very interesting. And no dentals! I find them not that fun most of the time. Anyway, the first was a canine spay on a French Bulldog who had never had a litter but who had always had trouble getting pregnant. The uterine tubes were quite large and deeply muscular. Dr. J said they felt hard and lumpy, which might explain the whole infertility thing. The dog will be much happier, I think, after the procedure.
The second surgery was a lip mass removal on a Boxer. The mass was no bigger than a pea, but the owners had told one of the doctors that it had doubled in size since they first noticed it, prompting the vet to recommend removal. The mass was placed in a jar of formalin to be sent for analysis. I'm hoping it's something pretty minor.
The third surgery was a feline neuter combined with a front declaw followed by another front declaw--this time without the neuter. Both went according to plan.
Finally, the fifth surgery was as spay on a pregnant feral cat. She was not very far along, so the kittens in her uterus just looked like big beads on a string. I found myself sort of emotional about it, but the world really doesn't need more kittens looking for homes. Besides, one of the techs drew up some euthanasia solution and injected about 0.5 mL into each kitten, so they died peacefully and pain-free, instead of dying slowly after being cut off from their mother. I felt a little better after that.
I suppose I should mention at this point that I was unable to do much of my usual stuff today because there is a student there who is interning to become a vet tech. Needless to say, she must learn to do a lot of the things in surgery that I am used to doing, such as anesthesia monitoring, taking temperatures, assisting with intubation and catheterization, and the like. I did take a few temperatures and record a few numbers, but that was pretty much it. I felt a little useless and in the way today. I guess I shouldn't complain because I did get to carry a couple of the patients from the cat room to the surgery room and assist with extubation after surgery, catheter removal, and restraint, so it wasn't a complete bust of a day. But I am looking forward to getting back to my usual Wednesday morning surgery routine next week.
The morning passed quite quickly so that before I knew it, it was time to eat lunch. I was just recording some of my observations when Dr. J said it was time to go home. Frankly, I wasn't ready. I'm so used to my 10-hour days that 5.5 just doesn't seem like enough. I didn't even have time to make more puppy and kitty packs like I usually do! It's something small but important that I can do for the clinic, so I like doing it. It sure beats flipping through a novel and feeling out of touch with the clinic atmosphere (this would happen frequently when I was still early on in my shadowing experience).
Even though I was only at the clinic a short time this week, I still learned something. When surgery patients need vaccines, those vaccines are usually given a few hours post-operatively instead of immediately after the surgery. This ensures sufficient time for the anesthesia gases and other drugs to wear off. Plus, if the patient has a reaction to the vaccine, the clinic can be sure that it is actually the vaccine causing the reaction and not the anesthesia gases or other drugs (vital information for future vaccination or surgery). I also learned that cats, when they experience reactions, tend to exhibit more gastrointestinal symptoms, such as vomiting and diarrhea--instead of more dermal symptoms like hives or a rash. I asked one of the techs why this was the case, and she told me that's simply how it is. Just like people react differently to different vaccines based on physical makeup, there is just something about the physical makeup of cats that makes them more susceptible to GI reactions. I guess some things in life cannot be explained in full. Anyway, I hope you learned a little something today, just like I did. One of my mantras is that it is important to learn at least one new thing everyday, no matter the thing--it can be academic, emotional, social, physical, you name it. That is part of what gives each new day purpose for me and helps me feel like I am not wasting my time here on Earth. I suppose that is one of the reasons why I am so intrigued by veterinary medicine. It is a career that requires constant learning, and I want to be a true lifelong learner.
I hope you all out there had a happy Monday, too! Stay tuned for a post about Thursday's shadowing at VCA Cedar!
The second surgery was a lip mass removal on a Boxer. The mass was no bigger than a pea, but the owners had told one of the doctors that it had doubled in size since they first noticed it, prompting the vet to recommend removal. The mass was placed in a jar of formalin to be sent for analysis. I'm hoping it's something pretty minor.
The third surgery was a feline neuter combined with a front declaw followed by another front declaw--this time without the neuter. Both went according to plan.
Finally, the fifth surgery was as spay on a pregnant feral cat. She was not very far along, so the kittens in her uterus just looked like big beads on a string. I found myself sort of emotional about it, but the world really doesn't need more kittens looking for homes. Besides, one of the techs drew up some euthanasia solution and injected about 0.5 mL into each kitten, so they died peacefully and pain-free, instead of dying slowly after being cut off from their mother. I felt a little better after that.
I suppose I should mention at this point that I was unable to do much of my usual stuff today because there is a student there who is interning to become a vet tech. Needless to say, she must learn to do a lot of the things in surgery that I am used to doing, such as anesthesia monitoring, taking temperatures, assisting with intubation and catheterization, and the like. I did take a few temperatures and record a few numbers, but that was pretty much it. I felt a little useless and in the way today. I guess I shouldn't complain because I did get to carry a couple of the patients from the cat room to the surgery room and assist with extubation after surgery, catheter removal, and restraint, so it wasn't a complete bust of a day. But I am looking forward to getting back to my usual Wednesday morning surgery routine next week.
The morning passed quite quickly so that before I knew it, it was time to eat lunch. I was just recording some of my observations when Dr. J said it was time to go home. Frankly, I wasn't ready. I'm so used to my 10-hour days that 5.5 just doesn't seem like enough. I didn't even have time to make more puppy and kitty packs like I usually do! It's something small but important that I can do for the clinic, so I like doing it. It sure beats flipping through a novel and feeling out of touch with the clinic atmosphere (this would happen frequently when I was still early on in my shadowing experience).
Even though I was only at the clinic a short time this week, I still learned something. When surgery patients need vaccines, those vaccines are usually given a few hours post-operatively instead of immediately after the surgery. This ensures sufficient time for the anesthesia gases and other drugs to wear off. Plus, if the patient has a reaction to the vaccine, the clinic can be sure that it is actually the vaccine causing the reaction and not the anesthesia gases or other drugs (vital information for future vaccination or surgery). I also learned that cats, when they experience reactions, tend to exhibit more gastrointestinal symptoms, such as vomiting and diarrhea--instead of more dermal symptoms like hives or a rash. I asked one of the techs why this was the case, and she told me that's simply how it is. Just like people react differently to different vaccines based on physical makeup, there is just something about the physical makeup of cats that makes them more susceptible to GI reactions. I guess some things in life cannot be explained in full. Anyway, I hope you learned a little something today, just like I did. One of my mantras is that it is important to learn at least one new thing everyday, no matter the thing--it can be academic, emotional, social, physical, you name it. That is part of what gives each new day purpose for me and helps me feel like I am not wasting my time here on Earth. I suppose that is one of the reasons why I am so intrigued by veterinary medicine. It is a career that requires constant learning, and I want to be a true lifelong learner.
I hope you all out there had a happy Monday, too! Stay tuned for a post about Thursday's shadowing at VCA Cedar!
Sunday, July 22, 2012
Summer 2012--St. Francis Veterinary Clinic Visit #8: Raining Cats and Dogs
Yes, Wednesday was a rather rainy day at the clinic. When I was in surgery in the morning, it was so dark outside that it looked like early night. We were concerned that the power might go out, which would have been really bad, obviously. Wednesday was a very surgery-heavy day. Long story short, I was watching surgeries until 4:30 in the afternoon, and the clinic closes for the night at 6 PM. I like those days, though, because they go by fast and are fairly interesting. We did break for lunch around 1 PM, but still. It was a pretty busy day.
First, I saw a very routine canine spay. It was still interesting, though, because Dr. K is trying a new technique of dripping nerve block on the ovaries and then on the incision site after the abdominal wall is closed in order to help the dogs feel more comfortable before their post-operative pain medications kick in. It was also interesting because Dr. K let me drip the nerve block on both the ovary and the incision site under her direction.
Then, I watched a couple of dentals on two older dogs. They took a pretty long time--over 1.5 hours each. Both had a lot of extractions, which really lengthens the procedure. What was cool was that the second dog had an ankylosed tooth, which means that the tooth is directly attached and rooted to the underlying jawbone instead of being connected merely by the gum socket and some ligaments. Being ankylosed prevents the tooth from being removed from the mouth--not good stuff!
After the first dental, I got to scrub the dental instruments in preparation for the second. Dentals tend to be less sterile than other surgeries, plus the dogs were living in the same home, so it wasn't necessary to use a whole new set of tools from an autoclaved pack.
I also saw a feline declaw on all four paws, which was pretty cool. For some reason, I like the smoothness and relative ease with which the claws can be removed from cats. I understand that declawed cats have an increased tendency to bite instead of scratch, but the surgery seems worthwhile if it gives owners peace of mind and if it means that the household can continue to operate harmoniously. The cats truly seem none the worse for wear.
Perhaps my favorite surgery of the day was an exploratory on a dog that had swallowed some hard plastic piping. Some of it had already come out by the time the dog arrived at the clinic, but the doctors wanted to see if there was any more in the GI tract that might be hurting the dog. Dr. K explained to me that in exploratories, the doctor checks the entire GI tract. She started with the small intestine, pulling it almost all the way out of the dog so that it looked like a neat and almost beautiful pile of coral. Seeing nothing there, she proceeded to palpate the large intestine and to examine the pancreas. It was a great little canine anatomy lesson. Earlier, I got to heat up some IV fluid, which one of the technicians used to flush the area and keep everything clean. The entire exploratory was negative, so Dr. K stitched the dog back up and sent her home to her family, instructing the owners to monitor the dog for continued symptoms of intestinal distress.
After surgery, I got to help with the placement of a urinary catheter in a blocked cat. I held the mask that delivered the mix of oxygen and isoflurane to the cat while Dr. N placed the catheter--an ultra sterile process. She taught me a little more about blocking and its consequences. Blocking occurs when an obstruction in the urethra prevents an urine from being eliminated. As a result, potassium--which is excreted in urine--builds up and cannot be removed from the body. This build-up is very dangerous because it can lower the heart rate enough to stop the heart. When the catheter was placed, the cat was hooked up to an IV drip and allowed to rest in the heated cages of the surgery room. I got to set the drip so that it delivered as close as possible to one drop every 10 seconds.
In the late afternoon, I started following Dr. J to appointments. The first one I saw was for a dog with a hot spot. Now, I had a vague idea about what a hot spot was, but I learned a bit more today. Hot spots occur in patches of skin where a dog or cat has been chewing, scratching, or licking at the skin (perhaps because it itches for whatever reason). It is mostly due to compulsive behavior rather than any kind of illness or infection. The raw skin that occurs can be susceptible to infection by "opportunistic" bacteria that take the chance provided by the open skin to attack the animal and enter its body.
I also learned how to run blood tests on serum on Wednesday. The clinic has all these cool analytical machines that I have never really had occasion to pay much attention to. The technicians have always been in charge of that, and I guess the opportunity has never come up for me to learn. Well, Peej decided that it was time for me to know how to do it. I used two machines called an Idexx VetTest and VetLyte analyzer. The VetTest measures values like bilirubin, glucose, albumin, calcium, and creatinine. The VetLyte analyzer measures electrolytes and ions like chloride, sodium, and potassium. These two machines are often used in tandem for pre-anesthetic blood work or as general gauges on animal health--mostly in reference to the liver and kidneys. After the pet's information is entered into the VetTest machine, the necessary tests are selected, and special disks are inserted into the machine that each measure a different value in the blood serum. Then, a probe with a sterile tip is inserted into the sample and placed in its proper slot in the machine. The machine then takes a small amount of the serum for each disk and goes to work with the analyses. The VetLyte machine works similarly, but it is much simpler because no disks are required. All that is needed is to open the door, introduce the sample to the slim metal probe, and close the door. The probe only needs a very small amount of the serum in order to evaluate it.
Finally, I got to count out some Cephalexin pills for the dog with the hot spot. Basically, I did a lot of really cool things today in addition to my usual duties of taking temperatures, monitoring vitals during surgery, making puppy and kitty packs, and doing some light cleaning, which is always nice. I appreciate these busier, more out-of-the-ordinary days because I really feel like my presence is needed and that I learn a lot more. During a rather noisy appointment with a mother and her three girls, I saw how veterinarians must try to get vital information across to clients amid distractions sometimes. This appears to be a very difficult thing to do, which is why I think having handouts, pamphlets, and paper-based summaries of the visit are important so that clients can learn what they need to know about their pets' health when they have time and are less distracted.
Well, that's it for this blog post. This coming week will be exciting and busy because I will shadow twice again--once on Monday with Dr. J and once on Thursday with Dr. B. I'm looking forward to getting back to VCA Cedar to see some exotics. Emmie is actually going there on Tuesday to have a strange skin lump removed from her belly, right over where her bladder is. We think it's an overreaction to a bug bite--she's been licking at it, too, so it's pretty red. Dr. B looked at it and did an aspiration, from which she found that the lump is full of cells that have too much cytoplasm. She also noted a large number of white blood cells. Hopefully it's not cancerous, so we might have the lump sent out and analyzed after the surgery. Emmie is not really in pain, though, so I'm actually not that worried. I hope none of you will be, either. Have a great week!
First, I saw a very routine canine spay. It was still interesting, though, because Dr. K is trying a new technique of dripping nerve block on the ovaries and then on the incision site after the abdominal wall is closed in order to help the dogs feel more comfortable before their post-operative pain medications kick in. It was also interesting because Dr. K let me drip the nerve block on both the ovary and the incision site under her direction.
Then, I watched a couple of dentals on two older dogs. They took a pretty long time--over 1.5 hours each. Both had a lot of extractions, which really lengthens the procedure. What was cool was that the second dog had an ankylosed tooth, which means that the tooth is directly attached and rooted to the underlying jawbone instead of being connected merely by the gum socket and some ligaments. Being ankylosed prevents the tooth from being removed from the mouth--not good stuff!
After the first dental, I got to scrub the dental instruments in preparation for the second. Dentals tend to be less sterile than other surgeries, plus the dogs were living in the same home, so it wasn't necessary to use a whole new set of tools from an autoclaved pack.
I also saw a feline declaw on all four paws, which was pretty cool. For some reason, I like the smoothness and relative ease with which the claws can be removed from cats. I understand that declawed cats have an increased tendency to bite instead of scratch, but the surgery seems worthwhile if it gives owners peace of mind and if it means that the household can continue to operate harmoniously. The cats truly seem none the worse for wear.
Perhaps my favorite surgery of the day was an exploratory on a dog that had swallowed some hard plastic piping. Some of it had already come out by the time the dog arrived at the clinic, but the doctors wanted to see if there was any more in the GI tract that might be hurting the dog. Dr. K explained to me that in exploratories, the doctor checks the entire GI tract. She started with the small intestine, pulling it almost all the way out of the dog so that it looked like a neat and almost beautiful pile of coral. Seeing nothing there, she proceeded to palpate the large intestine and to examine the pancreas. It was a great little canine anatomy lesson. Earlier, I got to heat up some IV fluid, which one of the technicians used to flush the area and keep everything clean. The entire exploratory was negative, so Dr. K stitched the dog back up and sent her home to her family, instructing the owners to monitor the dog for continued symptoms of intestinal distress.
After surgery, I got to help with the placement of a urinary catheter in a blocked cat. I held the mask that delivered the mix of oxygen and isoflurane to the cat while Dr. N placed the catheter--an ultra sterile process. She taught me a little more about blocking and its consequences. Blocking occurs when an obstruction in the urethra prevents an urine from being eliminated. As a result, potassium--which is excreted in urine--builds up and cannot be removed from the body. This build-up is very dangerous because it can lower the heart rate enough to stop the heart. When the catheter was placed, the cat was hooked up to an IV drip and allowed to rest in the heated cages of the surgery room. I got to set the drip so that it delivered as close as possible to one drop every 10 seconds.
In the late afternoon, I started following Dr. J to appointments. The first one I saw was for a dog with a hot spot. Now, I had a vague idea about what a hot spot was, but I learned a bit more today. Hot spots occur in patches of skin where a dog or cat has been chewing, scratching, or licking at the skin (perhaps because it itches for whatever reason). It is mostly due to compulsive behavior rather than any kind of illness or infection. The raw skin that occurs can be susceptible to infection by "opportunistic" bacteria that take the chance provided by the open skin to attack the animal and enter its body.
I also learned how to run blood tests on serum on Wednesday. The clinic has all these cool analytical machines that I have never really had occasion to pay much attention to. The technicians have always been in charge of that, and I guess the opportunity has never come up for me to learn. Well, Peej decided that it was time for me to know how to do it. I used two machines called an Idexx VetTest and VetLyte analyzer. The VetTest measures values like bilirubin, glucose, albumin, calcium, and creatinine. The VetLyte analyzer measures electrolytes and ions like chloride, sodium, and potassium. These two machines are often used in tandem for pre-anesthetic blood work or as general gauges on animal health--mostly in reference to the liver and kidneys. After the pet's information is entered into the VetTest machine, the necessary tests are selected, and special disks are inserted into the machine that each measure a different value in the blood serum. Then, a probe with a sterile tip is inserted into the sample and placed in its proper slot in the machine. The machine then takes a small amount of the serum for each disk and goes to work with the analyses. The VetLyte machine works similarly, but it is much simpler because no disks are required. All that is needed is to open the door, introduce the sample to the slim metal probe, and close the door. The probe only needs a very small amount of the serum in order to evaluate it.
Finally, I got to count out some Cephalexin pills for the dog with the hot spot. Basically, I did a lot of really cool things today in addition to my usual duties of taking temperatures, monitoring vitals during surgery, making puppy and kitty packs, and doing some light cleaning, which is always nice. I appreciate these busier, more out-of-the-ordinary days because I really feel like my presence is needed and that I learn a lot more. During a rather noisy appointment with a mother and her three girls, I saw how veterinarians must try to get vital information across to clients amid distractions sometimes. This appears to be a very difficult thing to do, which is why I think having handouts, pamphlets, and paper-based summaries of the visit are important so that clients can learn what they need to know about their pets' health when they have time and are less distracted.
Well, that's it for this blog post. This coming week will be exciting and busy because I will shadow twice again--once on Monday with Dr. J and once on Thursday with Dr. B. I'm looking forward to getting back to VCA Cedar to see some exotics. Emmie is actually going there on Tuesday to have a strange skin lump removed from her belly, right over where her bladder is. We think it's an overreaction to a bug bite--she's been licking at it, too, so it's pretty red. Dr. B looked at it and did an aspiration, from which she found that the lump is full of cells that have too much cytoplasm. She also noted a large number of white blood cells. Hopefully it's not cancerous, so we might have the lump sent out and analyzed after the surgery. Emmie is not really in pain, though, so I'm actually not that worried. I hope none of you will be, either. Have a great week!
Tuesday, July 10, 2012
Summer 2012--St. Francis Veterinary Clinic Visit #7: Surgery Day
Mondays are usually Dr. J's surgery days, so that's pretty much what my whole day was yesterday. I didn't go on Wednesday like usual because Dr. J is not working that day. But a shortened day is better than no day at all, so I shadowed her yesterday instead.
Anyway, there were no really exciting surgeries. Dr. J and Dr. N were contemplating a mass removal surgery, but the ultrasonographer was due to come soon, so they didn't want to operate if the supposed mass turned out to be nothing at all. I watched a couple of dog spays followed by a cat dental. I must say that the cat dental was the most interesting of the three because Dr. J instructed me a bit more fully on the process of looking at dental x-rays and a tooth chart and telling which teeth need to be extracted and which are fine. Dr. J says she finds the chart a bit confusing at times, so she writes the number of the tooth and its name on a piece of scratch paper so that she doesn't need to keep referencing the computer while she is performing the extractions. Basically, the top set of teeth are numbered in the 100s and 200s, while the bottom set are numbered in the 300s and 400s. For dogs, starting at the center of the teeth, right up front, the right upper side is numbered 101-110, while the left upper side is numbered 201-210. Similarly, the right lower side is numbered 301-311, while the left lower side is numbered 401-411. Cats are pretty close to dogs, but the numbers only go to 109, 209, 309, and 409, respectively. I actually like the extraction part of dentals (not that I like it when animals need teeth removed, but I do like them to feel better) because it is much more interesting than just shooting pictures or cleaning the teeth. I guess I also like to examine the radiographs and see what the doctors are seeing (and why).
As usual, I helped quite a bit with surgery, filling out the anesthesia sheet, taking temperatures, assisting with restraint, and even getting to give an IM injection under the supervision of one of the technicians. I learned that with most IM injections, especially those requiring a short needle, the needle needs to go straight into the muscle, not at an angle as it can with subcutaneous injections. There really is a technique, a rhyme and reason, for everything in veterinary medicine (as I'm sure is true with most things in life).
Once again, I got to spend some time with my kitty friends. Except for Odie. I scratched his head a bit when I first walked in, but I didn't see him the rest of the day. I'm sure next time will be better.
I'm really enjoying having two full sets of scrubs to use when I shadow. I always felt a little out of place, like I wasn't adhering to the dress code, when I would wear just scrub pants and a simple top. I got kind of a wake-up call when I shadowed at the emergency clinic that a scrub top is really an indispensable thing when spending time in veterinary clinics. Even though it is not really required at St. Francis, I do feel more official and more in line with my part when I wear my scrub outfit.
I finished out my day by making a few more puppy packs. I was going to try to make some kitty packs, too, but Dr. J was ready to go, and since she is my gracious ride each week, I thought it wise to acquiesce.
So, even though nothing to far out of the ordinary happened, it was still a profitable and useful day at the clinic. I will shadow again next week on my regular day, Wednesday. It has recently come to my attention that other pre-vet students are reading my blog! I am flattered beyond belief! I encourage any of you out there to share your experiences in the comments section. And don't forget to tell your pre-vet friends about the blog so they can read it, too, and give their input. I really want this to be about education and mutually helping each other on the path to veterinary school, so don't be shy to post anything that is on your mind. Suggestions are always welcome!
Anyway, there were no really exciting surgeries. Dr. J and Dr. N were contemplating a mass removal surgery, but the ultrasonographer was due to come soon, so they didn't want to operate if the supposed mass turned out to be nothing at all. I watched a couple of dog spays followed by a cat dental. I must say that the cat dental was the most interesting of the three because Dr. J instructed me a bit more fully on the process of looking at dental x-rays and a tooth chart and telling which teeth need to be extracted and which are fine. Dr. J says she finds the chart a bit confusing at times, so she writes the number of the tooth and its name on a piece of scratch paper so that she doesn't need to keep referencing the computer while she is performing the extractions. Basically, the top set of teeth are numbered in the 100s and 200s, while the bottom set are numbered in the 300s and 400s. For dogs, starting at the center of the teeth, right up front, the right upper side is numbered 101-110, while the left upper side is numbered 201-210. Similarly, the right lower side is numbered 301-311, while the left lower side is numbered 401-411. Cats are pretty close to dogs, but the numbers only go to 109, 209, 309, and 409, respectively. I actually like the extraction part of dentals (not that I like it when animals need teeth removed, but I do like them to feel better) because it is much more interesting than just shooting pictures or cleaning the teeth. I guess I also like to examine the radiographs and see what the doctors are seeing (and why).
As usual, I helped quite a bit with surgery, filling out the anesthesia sheet, taking temperatures, assisting with restraint, and even getting to give an IM injection under the supervision of one of the technicians. I learned that with most IM injections, especially those requiring a short needle, the needle needs to go straight into the muscle, not at an angle as it can with subcutaneous injections. There really is a technique, a rhyme and reason, for everything in veterinary medicine (as I'm sure is true with most things in life).
Once again, I got to spend some time with my kitty friends. Except for Odie. I scratched his head a bit when I first walked in, but I didn't see him the rest of the day. I'm sure next time will be better.
I'm really enjoying having two full sets of scrubs to use when I shadow. I always felt a little out of place, like I wasn't adhering to the dress code, when I would wear just scrub pants and a simple top. I got kind of a wake-up call when I shadowed at the emergency clinic that a scrub top is really an indispensable thing when spending time in veterinary clinics. Even though it is not really required at St. Francis, I do feel more official and more in line with my part when I wear my scrub outfit.
I finished out my day by making a few more puppy packs. I was going to try to make some kitty packs, too, but Dr. J was ready to go, and since she is my gracious ride each week, I thought it wise to acquiesce.
So, even though nothing to far out of the ordinary happened, it was still a profitable and useful day at the clinic. I will shadow again next week on my regular day, Wednesday. It has recently come to my attention that other pre-vet students are reading my blog! I am flattered beyond belief! I encourage any of you out there to share your experiences in the comments section. And don't forget to tell your pre-vet friends about the blog so they can read it, too, and give their input. I really want this to be about education and mutually helping each other on the path to veterinary school, so don't be shy to post anything that is on your mind. Suggestions are always welcome!
Friday, July 6, 2012
Summer 2012--Sarah's Visit (July 3rd through July 6th)
As I may have mentioned last time, I had a friend come to visit me these past few days. She was none other than Sarah, one of my roommates from last year. We have been Skyping fairly regularly throughout the summer, and she wanted to stay with us for a bit so we could spend some time together. She's really a great person and a lot of fun to be around. She fit right in with our off-kilter, slightly kooky family.
On the Fourth of July, we went to Northfield to watch David race in the men's 3/4 criterium. Well, it was such a hot day that he lasted all of three or four laps. We barely had time to sit down, eat lunch, grab a cold coffee-based drink from the lovely Goodbye Blue Monday Coffeehouse, and enjoy the race before he was out. I did manage to snap a few pictures from Northfield, a charming southern Minnesota town home to such prestigious colleges as St. Olaf and Carleton.
That evening, we went to Gold Medal Park by the Guthrie Theater to watch fireworks because we needed to do something out of the ordinary. Normally, we just make the short trek to Honeywell Hill and watch the show from afar. Our spot was literally right under that weird bridge extension thing that comes out of the Guthrie. We could see some of the people who had paid to be on the bridge thanks to some windows in the floor of the bridge. Shortly after 10 PM, the light show started. It was actually pretty good. I love seeing what new tricks the pyros pull to make things more interesting. There were awesome fireworks that started out as a bunch of separate dots, which proceeded to divide into smaller dots before scattering out like marbles. There was also a cool rainbow-colored fountain of light that sprang up from the ground. Our view was partially blocked by trees, but we still saw the majority of it.
Yesterday, I thought up a few places to take Sarah that I thought she might find interesting. After all, there was very little else we could do with the heat, and I wasn't about to sit around the house all day. I've been pretty antsy the past couple of days. First, we went to the Minneapolis Institute of Arts, which was fantastic as always. We saw the basic Asian and European pieces before stumbling upon a cool new installation called letting go by a local artist who goes by the moniker HOTTEA. Yeah, I don't really get it, either, but what else can you do with those right-brained types? Anyway, letting go is a string-and-wire piece that almost looks like a shower of sunlight cascading down through the sky. There is even a circular patch of fake grass at the base where viewers can lie back and pretend they are staring up into a sunny sky. There are so many strings that it is mind-boggling, and I can only imagine the amount of time and energy that HOTTEA must have put into the piece. At the time of our visit, an employee was meticulously combing the strings with a special instrument to untangle the strands.
Another cool part of the visit was seeing the Modernist Design gallery, which housed a multitude of interesting pieces of furniture. The best (in my opinion) was a simple high-backed chair created by Charles Rennie Mackintosh himself! Now, you may remember Mr. Mackintosh as a favorite artist of mine from my trip to London. I even have a Mackintosh 2012 calendar in my room. You can imagine my delight at finding something of his design right here at home. And rightly so, considering how fantastic his work is.
I also loved just looking at all of the pastoral landscape paintings from 18th and 19th century European artists. Being pretty nature-oriented (no surprises there), I really enjoy how some people have a talent for capturing the ethereal and transient beauty of life in nature. I liked looking at some of the Japanese screen and scroll prints for the same reasons. The simplification of natural forms just looks really cool to me.
After the MIA, Sarah and I headed over to the just-opened American Swedish Institute. We had to pay student admission ($4), but it was well worth it, especially since the price included access to the stunning Turnblad mansion (more on that in a minute). The ASI was recently built off the mansion and features just a couple of galleries, a gift shop, and a cafe (the cafe doesn't open for another few days). I could tell it is still a work in progress because there isn't much to see on the second floor except for a mostly-empty large room with microphones and grand piano. I'm guessing it will be a sort of meeting room, concert hall, event center, you name it. A gathering place for members of the American Swedish Institute. On the first floor is a small, dimly-lit gallery housing some pretty impressive nature-themed tapestries by Helena Hemmark. I'm not kidding you: they look like photographs from far enough away. The attention to detail is just magnificent, and I can tell that they must have taken her a long time, especially since they are pretty large.
Finally, we found our way to the Turnblad Mansion, which goes by the nickname "The Castle"--for good reason; the house is adorned with a gracefully curving turret, which does make it look decidedly castle-esque. The Turnblad Mansion was built by Mr. Swan J. Turnblad, the publisher of a Minneapolis-based Swedish American newspaper (written in Swedish). He and his family mainly occupied the second floor of the mansion, and they rarely entertained guests, being fairly private people. In fact, they even ate dinner on the first floor in a small dining room that was originally intended as a servants' dining room. The family was served by the Hansens, who lived on the second floor of the carriage house. Of course, now the mansion is used as a kind of display case for traditional Swedish items like Hemmark's tapestries, costumes, crafts, and kjolsak, shoulder bags made of scraps of material leftover from sewing costumes. It also showcases what life was like for Swedish people in Minnesota in the late 1800s. Well, maybe not all of them, since the Turnblads were pretty darn rich. They had not only a small private library but also a reading room and Solarium, which Sarah really enjoyed. She said she wanted one of her own someday. I really think she liked the ASI because she is part Swedish and is a Swedish major/minor (it might be a minor because Augustana is combining the German and Swedish departments and eliminating all Swedish and German classes that fall above the 200 level--all to save money, which stinks).
After seeing the mansion, we headed back to the gift shop. Neither of us bought anything because it was all so expensive, but it was cool to see those quaint Dala horses for sale. Even the tiniest ones are $20. Maybe I will have money for one someday--they're just so neat! I also saw a copy of one of my favorite books, a cookbook from New Scandinavian Cooking host Andreas Viestad called Kitchen of Light. That's another thing I'll have to pick up when I have a little money to burn (ha!).
Our last stop was IKEA, an appropriate segue from the ASI. I am sort of in the market for a computer desk, dresser, and twin extra-long mattress. I picked up a flyer for the Malm series of bedroom furniture, and I really like a lot of the stuff in it. I figure that the fairly large up-front cost will be offset by the fact that I will use the pieces later in life when I finally move out on my own. I did not buy anything, but Sarah purchased some Swedish chocolates and Swedish Fish (unfortunately, they did not have the delicious variety packs, just the red raspberry-flavored ones). We were pretty ready to be home at this point, so that's exactly where we went. We struck up a game of Rummy with Mom and David before dinner, which was aglio olio with prosciutto sammies, one of my favorite meals on the face of the planet. I wanted to give Sarah a literal taste of the food we usually eat around here. After dinner, we watched Blazing Saddles, which happens to be one of Dad's and David's favorite movies.
This morning, we tried to get to the bread outlet store to get some cheap dough-based products, but it was closed in observance of Independence Day (I guess they are entitled to a long weekend like the rest of us). Then, before I knew it, it was time to say goodbye to Sarah and see her off home. It was certainly a great visit, and it will be fun if Mom and Dad are able to visit the Mattimiros sometime or even if Sarah is able to come back here someday.
On a completely different note, pet-sitting for Dr. Jill went pretty well. The cats are very pleasant; even the shy cat Hubert, who originally did not let me touch him, warmed up to me enough to rub his face on my hand and let me scratch his back for a good five seconds before backing away. Score one for the pre-vet student! I received a confirmation e-mail from Kansas State informing me that they received my completed supplemental application packet; I was not missing anything, apparently. That was a relief. I also got a couple more people to read and edit my personal statement. I haven't had time to look over the new batch of comments, but I'm glad because the essay is only in its third draft, and I'd like to take it through at least a few more revisions before I submit it to VMCAS as the final version. In other news, I bought my first book for the Fall trimester, my Immunology textbook. I will buy the others closer to the beginning of August when I have more money and more information (most of them will come used from the Augustana bookstore, and reservations are not available until August 1st). So, that's about it for updates on me. I hope you all had a great Independence Day and celebrated it in a meaningful way. I definitely celebrated my freedom by wearing a tank top--it is my right to "bare arms," after all. ;)
On the Fourth of July, we went to Northfield to watch David race in the men's 3/4 criterium. Well, it was such a hot day that he lasted all of three or four laps. We barely had time to sit down, eat lunch, grab a cold coffee-based drink from the lovely Goodbye Blue Monday Coffeehouse, and enjoy the race before he was out. I did manage to snap a few pictures from Northfield, a charming southern Minnesota town home to such prestigious colleges as St. Olaf and Carleton.
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| A fountain near downtown Northfield. |
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| A man-made (but still pretty) waterfall in Northfield (I think this is the Cannon River). I have a feeling Malt-O-Meal uses the river for power, since it's right in town (the city smells like chocolate Malt-O-Meal sometimes, which is just heavenly). |
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| A pretty display of flowers and wire along the river in Northfield. |
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| The Gold Medal Flour sign near Gold Medal Park on the Mississippi. |
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| The skylight built into the roof of a little shelter that's outside the MIA (I just like the artistic-ness of the maze-like pattern, which mirrors the same pattern on the pavement). |
I also loved just looking at all of the pastoral landscape paintings from 18th and 19th century European artists. Being pretty nature-oriented (no surprises there), I really enjoy how some people have a talent for capturing the ethereal and transient beauty of life in nature. I liked looking at some of the Japanese screen and scroll prints for the same reasons. The simplification of natural forms just looks really cool to me.
After the MIA, Sarah and I headed over to the just-opened American Swedish Institute. We had to pay student admission ($4), but it was well worth it, especially since the price included access to the stunning Turnblad mansion (more on that in a minute). The ASI was recently built off the mansion and features just a couple of galleries, a gift shop, and a cafe (the cafe doesn't open for another few days). I could tell it is still a work in progress because there isn't much to see on the second floor except for a mostly-empty large room with microphones and grand piano. I'm guessing it will be a sort of meeting room, concert hall, event center, you name it. A gathering place for members of the American Swedish Institute. On the first floor is a small, dimly-lit gallery housing some pretty impressive nature-themed tapestries by Helena Hemmark. I'm not kidding you: they look like photographs from far enough away. The attention to detail is just magnificent, and I can tell that they must have taken her a long time, especially since they are pretty large.
 |
| A stained-glass window outside the Solarium (gotta love that stuff); this one is above the door. |
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| And another, same location (to the right of the door). |
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| A light fixture in the Solarium. |
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| Sarah enjoying the light of the Solarium. |
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| A Dala horse that kids can ride. |
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| Traditional Swedish costumes. |
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| A view of the Turnblad Mansion from outside the ASI. |
After seeing the mansion, we headed back to the gift shop. Neither of us bought anything because it was all so expensive, but it was cool to see those quaint Dala horses for sale. Even the tiniest ones are $20. Maybe I will have money for one someday--they're just so neat! I also saw a copy of one of my favorite books, a cookbook from New Scandinavian Cooking host Andreas Viestad called Kitchen of Light. That's another thing I'll have to pick up when I have a little money to burn (ha!).
Our last stop was IKEA, an appropriate segue from the ASI. I am sort of in the market for a computer desk, dresser, and twin extra-long mattress. I picked up a flyer for the Malm series of bedroom furniture, and I really like a lot of the stuff in it. I figure that the fairly large up-front cost will be offset by the fact that I will use the pieces later in life when I finally move out on my own. I did not buy anything, but Sarah purchased some Swedish chocolates and Swedish Fish (unfortunately, they did not have the delicious variety packs, just the red raspberry-flavored ones). We were pretty ready to be home at this point, so that's exactly where we went. We struck up a game of Rummy with Mom and David before dinner, which was aglio olio with prosciutto sammies, one of my favorite meals on the face of the planet. I wanted to give Sarah a literal taste of the food we usually eat around here. After dinner, we watched Blazing Saddles, which happens to be one of Dad's and David's favorite movies.
This morning, we tried to get to the bread outlet store to get some cheap dough-based products, but it was closed in observance of Independence Day (I guess they are entitled to a long weekend like the rest of us). Then, before I knew it, it was time to say goodbye to Sarah and see her off home. It was certainly a great visit, and it will be fun if Mom and Dad are able to visit the Mattimiros sometime or even if Sarah is able to come back here someday.
On a completely different note, pet-sitting for Dr. Jill went pretty well. The cats are very pleasant; even the shy cat Hubert, who originally did not let me touch him, warmed up to me enough to rub his face on my hand and let me scratch his back for a good five seconds before backing away. Score one for the pre-vet student! I received a confirmation e-mail from Kansas State informing me that they received my completed supplemental application packet; I was not missing anything, apparently. That was a relief. I also got a couple more people to read and edit my personal statement. I haven't had time to look over the new batch of comments, but I'm glad because the essay is only in its third draft, and I'd like to take it through at least a few more revisions before I submit it to VMCAS as the final version. In other news, I bought my first book for the Fall trimester, my Immunology textbook. I will buy the others closer to the beginning of August when I have more money and more information (most of them will come used from the Augustana bookstore, and reservations are not available until August 1st). So, that's about it for updates on me. I hope you all had a great Independence Day and celebrated it in a meaningful way. I definitely celebrated my freedom by wearing a tank top--it is my right to "bare arms," after all. ;)
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