Yesterday was (to use a very crude but very apt phrase) balls to the wall CRAZY. It reminded me of my internship. I think we did greater than $11,000 in business in 15 hours or so.
I saw (in no particular order): a severe diabetic ketoacidotic beagle (weighing in at 50#, should have weighed 25#), a cat with upper respiratory stridor and a possible polyp, a labrador retriever that ate a bag containing a bottle of acepromazine, a bottle of ibuprofen, and a bag of coffee grounds, 3 big dog / little dog attacks, a hemorrhagic gastroenteritis, a febrile, anorexic cat...and the list goes on and on.
It was busy, it was frantic, but the staff handled it well, we kept things moving, no one waited for an excessive length of time, and overall, I think we did a great job. Inpatient care suffered, but this - unfortunately - is the nature of vet ER medicine.
I didn't leave until 10:30 (my shift ended at 6pm), but it was different from my internship. I didn't get home and lie in bed, depressed and moody. Even my husband commented, in an amazed tone of voice, that I didn't have one complaint about the day. And really...I didn't.
The High Cost Of Becoming A Vet
7 years ago
2 comments:
jeez, what was that ziploc bag labeled: how to kill dog?
talk about worst combination of stuff to throw in a bag and of course have your dog get into it.
I miss those crazy days in emergency. I always felt like I had accomplished some good in the world after those shifts, and strangely there is something invigorating about being in over your head with crises all demanding your attention. I miss the challenge as well as the sense of accomplishment.
I'm glad you don't leave moody and depressed. I just hope to g-d that someday I have a job I enjoy, otherwise vet school will not at all be worth the misery I'm in now.
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