The Beat Goes On…

The probation period  is complete at the specialty place.  Amidst a whirlwind of accelerated learning sometimes beyond my capacity and first time exposure to severe trauma cases, I am still standing.

Yes, it is still overwhelming.

I still can’t place a catheter in 2.2 seconds and have yet to place a blood sample catheter. Jugular sticks make me queasy, animal vomit is oh so disgusting when it’s over your shoes and cat urine on a scrub top is so precious, especially when you don’t have a spare on hand.

I still feel so stupid at times.

Oh, so 5% dextrose in a liter bag, oh, so you withdraw x amount to put in x amount of 5% dextrose and yeah Fentanyl transdermal patch or CRI, diluted or straight, calculations on a dog weighing 5.65 kgs-no problem-NOT! And don’t even mention  adding KCI 20mEq to a one liter bag of LRS for a bolus of 20mls/15min.

I might actually know this.

(KCI 20 mEq is equivalent to 10 mls added to a 1000 liter bag of LRS setting the pump at VTBI (volume to be infused)-80 at a Rate of 20mls.)

Confidence level rises as I repeatedly perform tasks.  What I’ve accomplished in a little under 3 years in the field needs to be acknowledge on my part. I am my worst critic and will internalize and dwell on my failures.

The beat does go on…

At times, I do miss general practice. The monotony and treatment of cases, getting to know clients as they return for annuals, favourite boarding animals, procedures, vaccines and DENTALS and Surgery.

But…

Specialty has taught me the’ one size fits all mode’ is not applicable to every animal that comes through the door. A blocked male cat is different from the next one who comes with the same symptoms half an hour later such as the one that suddenly crashes at the age of 2yr on the cold metal table while I breathe for him through a breathing bag to no avail.

The beat goes on…

I work forty plus hours in three overnight shifts. It takes two days to recuperate and reset my internal clock back to daylight hours only to reset again to night time. When I’m working Inpatient (nursing) you may catch me walking a medical border at three in the morning up and down 55^th street.  If I’m in ER you won’t see me as I may be downstairs pumping air into a crashing victim, or attempting to place a catheter in 5.5 seconds through a dehydrated vein.

The emotional and physical aspects of this job are trying at times and during those times of doubt I wonder if it’s time to move on to the next thing (of course animal related).

But…

The beat goes on.

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.

Here and there photos…

Some photos from the “clinic” and the “other place”

Cytology from the clinic

Tapeworms from the clinic

Skylight view from the other place

Toby’s cataract

Designer cat in for dental procedure at the other place

First dental scaling at the “other place” -hugs to the head tech for her encouragement and guidance!

MEAN GIRLS…in the workplace.

Working with animals does have its GOOD

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

it’s BAD

 

 

 

 

and

 

its UGLY.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Playing with puppies and kittens all day is a rarity but when the day arrives, nothing is more joyful than bottle feeding kittens or smelling puppy breath.

I like my job. I enjoy taking care of sick fur babies. I don’t even mind the anal gland squirts, the peeing on my favourite scrub top or the kitty gone mad scratch or bite.

I do have one major pet peeve.

The kind that exists in every practice at different levels.

MEAN GIRL syndrome.

And yes I mean , MEAN girls because I ain’t gonna call a girl a woman when she doesn’t deserve to be called one, when she still actin like a teenager who didn’t get to date the boy everyone had a crush on who dated everyone except her…

Enough…

My rant for the day.

Mean Girls are mean and don’t belong in the work place but there they are in major positions. Head tech, super tech, manager, even receptionists.
Mean Girls are miserable, have miserable lives and are bent on making everyone they come into contact with-MISERABLE.

Because THEY can.

Because THEY live for it.

Because…

You know who you are.

I work with you.

All, of you.

I listen to the gossip spewed from your lips belittling others in order to uplift the self-esteem you don’t have.

I work with your stressed out self, your ‘my way is the right way’ crap, your , I went to such and such school and I’m a super tech but- I did not go to such and such school and don’t have ten years in the field but can place a catheter far better than you…clean…without the bloody mess.

Enough…

Most of the times I work with some shitty people and I know it’s not just the veterinary field but every aspect of life. I remind myself of the real reason I’m here. Not for the mean girls, but for the fur babies who don’t care who is treating them, as long as they feel better.

**images from the internet

***if I offended you, you are worth offending.

Hiatus or losing and then slowly gaining back my ‘muchness’…

“You used to be much more…”muchier.” You’ve lost your muchness.”
-Lewis Carroll, Alice in Wonderland

Yowza.

A long time since writing, not only blogging but journal writing as well.

Piano has also taken a long break as the dust collects on the keys and the only tinkling they receive is when Tara-Habby or Winnie (domestic short hairs) strut across them to annoy anyone in the vicinity.

Winter brings out the- isolation/burrowing/where the hell is daylight-introvert part of me that stays hidden until daylight hours slowly expand. Which, is happening now. Daylight is creeping in earlier and the clocks are set ahead.

But…

How can the hiatus from writing or ‘losing my muchness’ and slowly gaining it back be blamed on winter?

It can’t, just an easy excuse.

Since the hiatus from writing or ‘losing my muchness’ and slowly gaining it back occurred, I continue to work at the other place, nine months exactly of being there, physically and spiritually when the animals need me. The connection, bond, feeling like I belong within the culture, is not there. And that’s ok. The culture is not set up that way and it not longer bothers me, because I get it, it’s not for me.

Anyhow, the muchness slowly returns and the photos follow:

Toby Jr.-a Doxie I fostered for three weeks until he found his forever home with a wonderful family!

Mange!!!

PTS-Euthanasia from the other place

Stained slide of blood from work at the clinic

Endo intubation -my first

Winnie-my recent adoption from the other place

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

Stoned…

Tobias, my 10-year-old mini schnauzer underwent his first senior wellness exam at the clinic.

Yes, he is a senior.

Hard to acknowledge on my part, as my dog of ten years still acts like a puppy, throwing his back legs to the wind and bunny hopping during his runs at PPark (that’s Prospect Park, Bklyn NY to those not in the know).

Pi Patel, 10-years-old as well also had his first senior wellness.

He does act his age and prefers long naps to getting his paws dirty.

Pi Patels’s physical exam led towards finding an enlarged lymph node on his chest area which was aspirated and sent to the lab**. Tobias’ exam was uneventful but Dr Q suggested a sonogram to check his bladder. A sonogram and radiograph confirmed Ca Oxalate Dihydrate Crystals!

STONED!!!

Not the stone effect of doing recreational drugs-just stones, which means LOTS of oxalate crystals of various sizes cluttering Tobias’ bladder! Two years ago, Tobias underwent a Cystotomy to remove the same type of crystals and to my horror, it returned.

Surgery was set for Monday.

I assisted.

Check in

Feeling the effects of Torbutrol

Surgical Packs, intubation, flush and catheter

Surgical induction meds-Valium/Propofol

Surgical tools: syringes for flushing, scooper, catheter etc

Intubation and anesthesia, esophagal tube

Sensory probe monitoring heart rate

Monitoring

Ready for scrubbing

Shaving surgical site

Bladder exposed

Scooping out the stones

Stones

Sutures and closing

Recuperating with blankets

Surgery went well for Tobias and I thank Dr. Q at the clinic for his understanding and patience during the surgery.

It was a surreal and sometimes disturbing experience to assist with my dog’s surgery but I was grateful to be there especially during the post anesthesia delirium which ironically did not happen to Tobias. I guess hearing my voice during his ‘coming out’ of anesthesia was comforting.

**Pi Patel’s aspiration sent to the lab on a slide was diagnosed as ‘reactive lymphoid hyperplasia’. Pi has an ear infection on the same side as the enlarged lymph node so it makes sense with the findings.