Back in back! (I really wanted to type 'black' there, but actually I'm in blue) Ahh, so good to be back in surgery! I felt a little rusty at first, especially because the head surgery tech came back from vacation today as well, so we were at full strength for the first time in weeks....and I wasn't running around like an idiot because they were already ahead of me, drawing up drugs, organizing things....ahh, to be fully staffed is a thing of beauty.
Not much out of the ordinary, but a very full and busy day. Had a few spays, a mass removal, and a declaw. I'm not a big fan of the declaw, and I'd encourage people to do something different if they're having issues with their cats clawing on things. I know the softpaws caps work fairly well, although their high maintenance and expensive. I personally like to make loud noises when my cats claw the furniture, but looking at the box spring in my bedroom, I'm apparently not catching them all the time. Oh well, I expect it, having cats, and I really hope that other people take that into consideration when they get one, but sometimes they don't.
Sunday, September 9, 2007
7/19/07
Good day in reception...and my last, whoo hoo! It still makes me remember why I'm not doing this anymore, and why I went back to school. I'm excited for classes to start, now that it's getting so close.
Did a lot of food orders today, which isn't really that interesting, but I spent a lot of time in the barn with all the food and got to look over a lot more of what we have and how we order it. Interesting.
A sad story happened for today, though. CVHS brought in five dogs to be euthanized, one cat.....and one very tiny little 5-6 week old kitten. Now, just that number alone makes this a sad story, as that is a lot of unwanted animals (it makes me want to slap people who just want to breed their dog to make 'cute puppies'. Cute puppies my behind, go to a shelter, people!) who have apparently turned feral (the cat had to be sedated before it was put in the carrier) and now cannot find homes, or have been turned away from their own. The saddest part of this, though, is the little baby kitten. Kittens and puppies are always sad to be euthanized, but this one was just so young, and was still adoptable...but they had no room and no one could foster it. Over the past few years, and especially this summer, I've grown to understand much more about humane euthanasia and why it is practiced....but this was such a waste. I made the mistake of going down to the basement to get some medicine, and while I was down there, I stopped and looked at the kitten. It had to be in the basement where the spare cages were because we didn't know if it was carrying anything, but it just sat there and looked at me, obviously afraid of it's surroundings but not the typical 'fearful cat'. It just sat there, looking at me with it's big, blue eyes, waiting for me to do something. I didn't open the cage and pet it, and I'm not sure if I should have looking back on it, but just the memory of that tiny, scared face will haunt me for a long time. I just want to take a picture of that kitten's face, half hidden in blankets, and paste it on walls, cars, the sides of buses and buildings, and shake people, tell them to spay and neuter their pets. Sigh. So many lost little kittens.
Did a lot of food orders today, which isn't really that interesting, but I spent a lot of time in the barn with all the food and got to look over a lot more of what we have and how we order it. Interesting.
A sad story happened for today, though. CVHS brought in five dogs to be euthanized, one cat.....and one very tiny little 5-6 week old kitten. Now, just that number alone makes this a sad story, as that is a lot of unwanted animals (it makes me want to slap people who just want to breed their dog to make 'cute puppies'. Cute puppies my behind, go to a shelter, people!) who have apparently turned feral (the cat had to be sedated before it was put in the carrier) and now cannot find homes, or have been turned away from their own. The saddest part of this, though, is the little baby kitten. Kittens and puppies are always sad to be euthanized, but this one was just so young, and was still adoptable...but they had no room and no one could foster it. Over the past few years, and especially this summer, I've grown to understand much more about humane euthanasia and why it is practiced....but this was such a waste. I made the mistake of going down to the basement to get some medicine, and while I was down there, I stopped and looked at the kitten. It had to be in the basement where the spare cages were because we didn't know if it was carrying anything, but it just sat there and looked at me, obviously afraid of it's surroundings but not the typical 'fearful cat'. It just sat there, looking at me with it's big, blue eyes, waiting for me to do something. I didn't open the cage and pet it, and I'm not sure if I should have looking back on it, but just the memory of that tiny, scared face will haunt me for a long time. I just want to take a picture of that kitten's face, half hidden in blankets, and paste it on walls, cars, the sides of buses and buildings, and shake people, tell them to spay and neuter their pets. Sigh. So many lost little kittens.
7/18/07
Second to last day of reception! The little things are fun in reception....being able to drink coffee while I work (instead of putting it down, wrestle with a dog/cat, come back for a tepid sip....), and wearing fun office clothes. Not that I don't love wearing my 'pajamas' to work every day (really, who thought up the concept of scrubs, because they are my favorite person for work wear causal), but it's the girl in me that likes pinstriped dress pants.
Brought some donuts today and got to munch on one while I was doing the morning paper shuffle (making sure we have all the files for today and they have the correct information for the client, an anesthesia consent form if its surgery, and a 'travel sheet', which is basically a huge run down of everything we offer and charge for so that the vet can highlight or circle what they want the receptionists to put into the computer for chargers. Good system, actually). Nothing like a just-made chocolate icing donut and coffee. Mmm.
In terms of medicine, not much to talk about today (that I could see). No emergency surgeries or anything really spectacular. More thunderstorm anxiety calls, though, and a rash of lost pooches from the storms. Poor things.
Brought some donuts today and got to munch on one while I was doing the morning paper shuffle (making sure we have all the files for today and they have the correct information for the client, an anesthesia consent form if its surgery, and a 'travel sheet', which is basically a huge run down of everything we offer and charge for so that the vet can highlight or circle what they want the receptionists to put into the computer for chargers. Good system, actually). Nothing like a just-made chocolate icing donut and coffee. Mmm.
In terms of medicine, not much to talk about today (that I could see). No emergency surgeries or anything really spectacular. More thunderstorm anxiety calls, though, and a rash of lost pooches from the storms. Poor things.
7/17/07
Second week of reception! I don't mind sitting and answering phones for most of the day, but I sure do miss being in surgery. I really like doing surgery work, and I'd like to get in on being a surgery tech when I get out. I'm not sure exactly what that will entail....especially since my aim is humane society work. Spay and neuter clinics? Maybe some place like BEVS would be good, too, since I really like the diversity of surgery and I think spaying and neutering would get a bit old after a while.
Nothing really too interesting in reception today except seeing a friend of mine from my old job in Stowe. Her little Jack Russell had a bit of pyoderma on his tummy and some skin irritation. Such a cute dog (for a land shark).
Nothing really too interesting in reception today except seeing a friend of mine from my old job in Stowe. Her little Jack Russell had a bit of pyoderma on his tummy and some skin irritation. Such a cute dog (for a land shark).
7/14/07
I'm a tech again! At least for today. It was sort of a slow-ish Saturday, a few vaccines, no blood draws, but lots of phone calls. I gave advice (whee!), planned rechecks, and did a bunch of tech customer service, discussing treatment options. Gave some subQ fluids to an angry blocked cat! We've had a little spate of blocked tom cats in the past few days...is there something in the air?
7/12/07
One good thing about reception is that I am strictly 8-5...and I get out mostly on time, too! I feel like a bank worker, except for the fact that I don't think they ever have people yelling at them about why we can't see their pet, yes we're sorry but we're full up and yes we understand that your pet is sick, but if it's been so sick for THREE WEEKS, maybe you should have come in sooner, maybe? Here, have the number for BEVS. Grrr. It's always the people going on vacation that have left their vomiting/diarrhea/limping/not eating/lethargic for a month dog till the night before they leave, like it's picking up that last-minute bag of charcoal. Then, of course, they get snippy with us when we're understaffed with techs, full to the gills with appointments and fit-in slots (where they come with the understanding that we'll see them....we just don't have a specific time, so they have to wait) and tech appointments. We want to help, but you gotta help us help you and not be a jackass about it. Sigh. Makes me remember why I quit being a receptionist in the first place. I'd rather wrestle with an over-eager dog any day.
On an even more frustrating side note, a kitty victim of a dog attack came in...and didn't make it. Sad, yes, but the frustrating part is that this is not the first time. These people used to have five cats. I'll give you a guess at how many they have now. Do not get cats if your dogs are cat killers! Grrr.
On an even more frustrating side note, a kitty victim of a dog attack came in...and didn't make it. Sad, yes, but the frustrating part is that this is not the first time. These people used to have five cats. I'll give you a guess at how many they have now. Do not get cats if your dogs are cat killers! Grrr.
7/11/07
My voice is back! Sort of. I could answer the phones as a marginally normal person would, but I still crack and squeak a bit. We had a lot of thunderstorm anxiety dogs coming in with all the storms moving through. Poor guys, even some that have never had an issue with them are starting to show signs. Not that I blame them, of course, all these storms would drive any pup up a wall. I spoke with a lot of clients about some things they can do to help their pooches, but I keep having to remind myself that I'm in receptionist mode, not tech mode. Can't wait to get back again!
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