litany

sunday BUSY sunday... instead of 2 interns and an attending, it was just myself and an attending. she manned the "back" - i.e. the ICU patients and all the tech to the front calls (SERIOUS, immediate emergencies). i ran triage (all 6 of the exam rooms). it was butt-kickingly busy. this week was different though. instead of working a sunday after having worked ALL week prior, sunday was only my second day on in a row. and what a difference it made! i felt so much better. sure, it was busy. sure, i was rushed and stressed...but at the end of the day, i had some juice left. i had some emotional reserve left. it made SUCH a difference.

a smattering of the cases i saw:

1) 7 year old dog with DKA (diabetic ketoacidosis) -this is the extreme end of the diabetic scale and is a life-threatening and often fatal condition.

2) a very small (2lb) puppy with a very interesting fracture of the distal humerus (upper "arm") - for veterinary people - it was a salter harris type IV of the lateral epicondyle.

3) a 3 year old dog with a torn cranial cruciate ligament

4) a cat that was hung in a tree by its front paw leading to severe ligament and tendon trauma and a hyperextended wrist

5) an emergency "hotspot" i.e. a wet, moist place on the face likely secondary to a flea allergy

6) a little dachshund with vestibular disease - not sure if it was caused by an ear infection or a brain tumor - but this little guy could only make tight little circles, his head tilted to the left, and he would roll like a crocodile occasionally. otherwise, he was sweet and happy.

7) a large (90lb) airedale terrier with excruciating neck pain - the owner couldn't afford referral to the nearest institute for CT scan and MRI - i suspect a slow partial intervertebral disc herniation, wobbler's, or meningitis. since she can't afford referral, i'm treating for all 3 and crossing my fingers!

8) a kitty cat with a PDA (patent ductus arteriosus - very RARE in cats!) - this is a congenital abnormality in which the connection between the aorta and the pulmonary vessel DOESN'T snap closed after birth. it stays open, allowing blood to go in directions it should not.

those are only a few.

today was crazy at work. i had 2 fascinating cases under my care (a cat with pleural effusion and - as it turned out - heart failure and a post-thoracic surgery case) as well as some more routine but nonetheless challenging cases to manage.

when i love my job, i really love my job.