Still having found what I’m looking for…

Still sending resumes out hoping to find ‘the one’.

The one place where my vet tech skills can be put to use in an environment that nurtures my inquisitive vet medical mind.  I realized searching for ‘the place’ is akin to finding the elusive soulmate, the needle in the haystack, the four leaf clover, the leprechaun with the pot of gold, the…enough. I would probably have better luck finding those items than ‘the place’.

Still, I persevere strongly, believing that this profession is not comprised solely of severely damaged people. Damaged in terms of losing focus on the animals and teching just for a paycheck or losing the empathy needed at times to make a difference in how an animal or its owner feels, or worse case scenario, suffering from mental illness and addictions.

I rarely cry at euthanasia’s and if I do, it’s alone, by myself in a separate room.

I know better now.

Having heard the bull of, “Oh, its okay to cry. Clients feel better “ , from co-workers and doctors I learned, you are, judged, as weak, for feeling, worse yet, crying.

Was the career transition worth it? Worth the loss of the salary, insurance and routine Mon-Fri paper pushing bull?

Yes.

I have faith and from talking to others who are aligned with my attitude towards medicine and making a difference, the dream job does exist.

You just have to go through a lot of horse sh** until the manure collected in bins along the way is finally put to good use as fertilizer from hence flowers and vegetables flourish.

Go figure.

Cytology pix

Red blood cells under the microscope

Bacteria infection from ear swab.

Neutrophils-White blood cells (WBC)

One Month Later…

Summer semester’s  course work did not turn out as I expected. I’m use to being the A, B and occasional C student. This semester did not offer those grades, not even the  C’s  .  What I expected did not come into being. Thought about giving up the school work, the coveted degree and just learning on the job Like a drone. Do this, do that. Hold this way. Hold that. Thermometer in, thermometer out.  Squeeze the anal glands, duck and blot the anal glands.

But…

I have a desire to know why.

WHY Clavamox over Doxycycline ?

WHY Panacur over Drontal?

WHY and then WHY again, for how long and WHY, followed by did it work and WHY?

I can’t be complacent and pop a pill into an animal’s mouth without knowing WHY.

I’ve learnt a tremendous amount in a year’s time in veterinary medical nursing, procedures, dental and surgeries. I went from holding an anesthesia clipboard during surgery (which I do on occasion) to assisting as a surgical nurse to scaling dentals. Intubation, catheter placement, phlebotomy, venipuncture, enemas cytology…bring it on, as it’s been learnt -except a cysto.

That was then and this is NOW.

NOW feels as if I’ve taken five steps backward. Finding a work culture with acceptable standards as well as balancing those standards without the co worker abuse, long hours, crazy personalities , while preserving my skills is a daunting challenge. Not sure if a balance exists or if it can be right.

But…

I will keep looking, asking WHY and expecting an answer to the WHY.  I am not just a Vet Tech restraining an animal for your convenience.

I am a Veterinary Technician.

BURN OUT, BuRn OuT, burn out…

So fried, burnt, emotionally, physically, too many hours, no lunch or break breaks…working, running, working, running, so tired. Thermometer in, thermometer out, scratches,  non-penetrating bites, co-workers, DVM’s on HANGRY  alert.

Working four days in a row through the weekend wears out all the joints en mi cuerpo-, the joints in my legs, my arms and even my brain, down through the toes and fingers.

But…

It is over.

The drama, the cut throat, the head tech (Nurse Ratched) and most importantly, the irresponsibility concerning the completion of my school work tasks  solidified the decision to resign. Lesson #1-get everything in writing!

The other place is over.

I will miss working with two of the most amazing vet doctors who questioned everything, researched, researched, talked and then researched. They are the role models of what this field should represent (at least in my perception) Academic stagnancy does not go hand in hand with proper diagnoses, a  valuable lesson picked up from Dr S at the clinic.

So…

What is next?

Not sure. Researching, inquiring, investigating and interviewing.

Shelter?   No.

Rescue work?  No. 

Kill shelter?   NO.

Emergency?  NO. NO. NO.

I’ll be returning to the clinic on Saturdays as well as more fill in days and riding the roller coaster of interviews, research, inquiry and investigation.

Never leave the old for the new…Lesson #2-Learnt.

Fostering two feral kittens found in a colony and brought in to the other place.  Biggie and Faith (yep-say their names…) are no longer feral.  Mother was trapped but euthanized at another facility so they are orphans.

They are going through the ‘crazy kitten’ stage with playing, climbing, mewing and acting like jungle cats.

Biggie

Faith

Jungle Cats!

Time To Say Goodbye…To Saturdays Which Were Once Sundays…

Almost two years have passed since my humble beginnings at the clinic. Fear, trepidation, being the ‘newbie’ and cleaning and mopping till my hands screamed “uncle“!!! were part of the learning process. I look back and laugh at how green I was, way inexperienced and so damn scared of venturing into a new career as a middle age career transitioner. The experience has been incredible-

But…

It’s time to move on.

Moving on as in relinquishing my Sundays, (which actually turned into Saturdays) to filling in for co-workers only.

Slight big change.

Slight because I was never there full time and big because any change affects my psyche- hey it’s the place where I began.

Anyway pix to commemorate, pix of home and what a day off looks like.

Winnie-reading my study notes

Getting older and feisty!

Favourite place at the clinic-Cytology and in house labwork!

Pi Patel at 11yrs old

Boarders do have personalities at the clinic. (text about the hair written by a co-worker)

DSH ready for surgical prep at the clinic

Hazards of the job and this is minor compared to bites

Me, after a four day shift

Pans will always need washing!

Accomplishment…

A year and three months have passed since my transition to this profession.

What a transition!

At times, it is difficult to allow myself to feel proud of accomplishments gained along the way. Doubt is a hurdle to overcome and confidence gets the job done.
Such as placing my first catheter!!

Although, the catheter was inserted at ‘the other place’, the head tech at the clinic was instrumental in igniting my confidence to do this in the first place.

During a fill-in day prior to a dental surgery, the head tech shared her experience with me in placing catheters and shared a valuable trick, which has to do with a thumb and a vein. She demonstrated her technique by placing a catheter on lamb and I made two attempts on the animal for the procedure and almost got it on the first try but doubt and apprehension took over.

But…

I carried the lesson learnt and when the opportunity came, I was successful.

Anyway, onto the pics and a major discovery…

LAMB IS NOT A LAMB BUT A LLAMA-(my bad)

Kitty Burrito

Syringes and infusion sets I work with

Dental

One Ball Willis…

one ball Willis

Sunday’s at the clinic have been routine exams, vaccinations, cleaning, disinfecting, feeding administering meds, restraining, running blood tests and more cleaning. Routine stuff but also a learning experience in the process.

But…

On Wednesday, I was able to fill in on a surgery and it turned out to be a Cryptorchidism procedure. What? Cryptorchidism? I did what one must do when faced with an unknown word-Google! Cryptorchidism is the same as Retained Testicle or in other words a testicle which did not distend.

Dr. Q performed the surgery and I assisted…

My scrubbing technique needs improvement particulary when dealing with a large oval area such as the dog’s lower chest down to his scrotum. I find it difficult to not overlap each pass. Surgery went well although I was not able to take pictures due to fighting with a jammed iv line and monitoring anesthesia.

Rocky with osteosarcoma
tumour

Rocky, a 10 year old (?) lab mix was diagnosed with osteosarcoma which normally is found in the limbs but in Rocky’s case it is located in his lower jaw with the tumour protruding under his tongue. Dr. Q took a biopsy for lab tests, although it was apparent what the tumour represented.

Rocky is now receiving palliative care with acupuncture, and herbs as his owner opted out of the chemo route due to his age and chemo’s side-affects. The owner chose quality of life, which giving Rocky’s age and the inoperable tumour was, in my opinion, a good decision.

More pix:

Attempting to feed a Preemie kitten (premature kitten) who decided to suckle my hand instead

Another dog/cat day afternoon in the boarding kennel. One cat’s self décor pretty much sums up the day

Babes in the woods…

Babes in the woods

Although I am far from what society would deem a “babe”, figuratively and literally, I am an “ older newbie” working at a veterinary practice, where except for the owner, I could possibly be a mother to some of the peeps I work with.

The younger casts of co-worker characters range in ages from the twenties to thirties and each interaction with them is different-the jokes, the taste in music and even the attraction to the Poland Springs delivery guy, but I truly respect their experiences and have learned tremendously from them.

I entered this working environment without the condescending attitude of, ‘I’m older and have far more life experience than you’ but rather the, ‘Yeah, I’ve been there, done that in all other areas of life except the veterinary field and I’m gonna sit tight and absorbed what you have to share attitude’. So far, it works and when the conversations turn to stuff I’m not interested in or way too old to be interested in, I venture down to the basement and load up the washer with the endless supply of dirty towels in need of washing.

My courses are going or rather I’m struggling towards completing them. I’m enjoying Vett 111-Veterinary Nursing Care I, as the course is in alignment with what I am encountering and administering, care wise, during my shifts. Vett 114- Pharmacology and Medical Therapeutics I, has broaden my understanding of drugs, protocols in disbursements and why one particular drug has four to five different names and most importantly why I should stop throwing my hands up in the air when the vets use these various names for the same drug.

I get it: Valium-Diazapam. Registered name vs trade mark vs generic.

The one course, I wish I could ignore and have it go away, but it will not, as it is a REQUIREMENT, is Vett-116 Diagnostic Imaging I.

Of course, radiology is a major component of veterinary medicine but having to understand outdated instrumentation and operation is beyond belief. It’s akin to a photographer having to learn film developing and exposures times with a light meter while using a manual camera when the world operates on a digital, scan and photoshop technology. (Yes, I was a photographer back in the day when the words developer, stop and fixer meant something)

I do get it.

Sort of.

In order to truly appreciate and understand the new, having background knowledge in the old is invaluable. Machinery components do not always operate in a precise manner and knowing how to calibrate kVp’s using Sante’s rule can be invaluable.

Cannot wait for Diagnostic Imaging II (NOT!)

Anyway, some photos:

Dental surgery on a bulldog

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This is Tara-Habby who was up for adoption but was adopted by me!!! Spent allot of time socializing her and giving meds for roundworms so this union was inevitable.

The Clinic

The Clinic

The Clinic is a three-doctor practice on the ground level floor of a limestone building. The clinic also has a basement area where boarders are kept and contains a grooming area for the groomer who works three days a week. Washer and dryer as well as storage are in the basement as well as ‘the morgue’-the freezer for the remains awaiting transport to cremation or labs.

There are two surgery rooms, lab and testing area, pharmacy area, medical boarding kennels as well as two examination rooms and the waiting reception area. At times, the space can be cramped with vet techs, doctors and the resident animals rushing from area to area.

The resident animals

Libby is a tabby cat who was found outside the clinic apparently hit by a car. She has only one eye, cannot relieve herself and must be expressed three times a day. ‘Expressed’ is applying pressure to her bladder for urine to be released as well as feces. She also receives fluids on a daily basis as well as medication. I am not sure of her age but judging from her anger response to receiving fluids and expression, her meow and hiss are definitely worse than the attempts at scratching.

The Senator is a brown Chihuahua who has an allergic reaction of the barking and biting kind for males and people of colour. My first introduction with the Senator resulted in bite marks on my brand new Dansko clogs. He is not nice and unfortunately may spend his days at the clinic as his adoptability is on the very low side. Found with his bed tied to a fire hydrant, he was probably abused by a male of colour.
Stray and abandon cats are welcome at the clinic and receive a full medical check-up prior to adoption and show cased in a giant crate in the reception area.

My Status

I shadowed at the clinic for month of Sundays before my hiring on August 1. I work Sundays only with occasional fill in days. It’s been an exciting journey thus far. I have witnessed three euthanasia’s, one surgery and held a dog as he drew his last breath. I learned to give fluids, subcutaneous injections and cat and dog restraint. I prefer restraining dogs, as there is only the mouth to be weary off whereas a cat has five points of weapons. I’ve been scratched, bled on, peed on, screamed on, bit on…this can continue but it stops here.

Following are some pix’s…

The dishes we wash…

Libby, the ‘expressive’ one…

The Senator…

The Morgue…

Regular borders…