My Job

Well, the fact that I have been working there since June 11th and am now just getting around to blogging about it should be evidence enough that I've been really, really busy!

So Monday, June 11th, I walked into work uncertain of what was going on and freaking out but overall my first day went well enough. Tuesday, I did appointments solo which is easy enough because I've been doing them solo for just short of two years. I also worked on restocking my truck, which is a work in progress. That night, despite having no clue where anything was in the clinic much less in the practice range, I was on call. Hmm...Unlike FVA, this clinic sees a lot of emergencies and sees the emergencies of neighboring clinics too. This first week, we were also seeing all emergencies all throughout the night. This has now thankfully stopped and we only see small animal emergencies up until 11pm. I have help up until then too which is AWESOME! Anyway, that evening I had a call around 6:30 for a cat that ate a fishhook and had it stuck in its mouth. The owners eventually decided it wasn't an emergency and could wait till the morning. Then I saw a dog that was limping at 10pm. I haven't heard back from them so I'm guessing the dog did well or they went to their own vet. They were pretty happy initally. I showered and then as I got into bed at midnight, someone called me about a kitten to which I gave some suggestions and went to sleep. Then at 2:30 in the morning or so, I got called for a calving and took off through BFE. After getting mildly lost, I found the farm. The cow was down which normally helps me and my short arms but not this time. The calf was breech but the cow had managed to get both hocks of the calf up into her pelvis. But because she was down, there was little room to manipulate the calf's legs back down and then out. I struggled and struggled and finally around daybreak, resorted to using my fetatome and removed both rear legs around the hocks. The calf came sliding out easily once the offending legs were removed. AND it was now 6am. I hurried home for a shower and nap then went into work for my surgery day.
Surgery days go well enough. Lots of getting used to small changes but I think I am making the most of it. I show up early (maybe earlier than the techs would like) and want to get started. I'm a slow surgeon and know this.
So I finished up my week with appointments, going out on some horse calls with a vet that's leaving and just hanging out the clinic in a general panic. Now I've got the routine of most things but am saddened over the somewhat short supply of inventory for the large animal segment. Maybe the other two trucks are better stocked but mine is sadily understocked. And I sadily can't restock it with the imaginary supplies in the basement. (I need to crack some heads about inventory.)
As expected, I've done a fair share of emergencies. Last weekend, was my first weekend on call. Unfortunately, my death toll for the weekend was seven. SEVEN! It all started Friday night with a dog euthanasia that I stayed late for. The dog was a happy mastiff type that was happy to stay on this earth and did not want to leave it. It took a lot for him to peacefully go but he did. Then a horse that was down at midnight. The horse was older and had some issues the weeks before. The owners had been prepared then for euthanasia but it had done well. Now I painted a sad picture for it and then euthanised it. It was actually the best horse euthanasia I have ever done. I developed these nice little kits for it as well so I can be almost entirely prepared.
Saturday, I saw a crazy cat lady that I'm pretty certain I caught licking her cat. (Now every once in a while I mimic this and it sends a particular tech into fits of hysteria.) Then just as I went home, I got called out for a calving with the cutest little old man and the cutest little Hereford heifer. The calf was hip locked though I wasn't positive that I couldn't have some success. I tried and was unsuccessful so I sent the old man (this was after a gate fell on him!) to get the Amish neighbor for help. I decided that I should do a fetotomy and split the calf in half removing the front end. Then I tried to manipulate the pelvis with little result. Ultimately, I split the pelvis and the calf was freed. The cow didn't do great right a way but has seemed to improve. I missed a HBC that I felt awful about but I was up to my armpits in placenta, fetal fluid and calf guts. That night I saw a vomiting dog. This was my death free day!
Sunday, I had to give the EGR client the news that her dog wasn't doing well and quality of life should be considered. She would eventually come in and her dog would die in her arms! I ended up euthanizing a blocked cat that was flat out and a kitten that had been HBC. Another hospitalized dog died in its owners arms and then an owner of a dog with vomiting/bloody diarrhea that I had seen earlier that day called me hysterical because her dog had suddenly died. And to top it all off, I hospitalized a parvo puppy. Boo.
The theme of this week has been parvo. I hate parvo. Currently, there are three parvo dogs hospitalized. They are not responding to treatment. It makes me sad. It makes me really frustrated. Fingers crossed for some weekend miracle where I'm not touching them.
There are some cute big cats boarding currently.
I went out earlier this week to be a vet for the first time in Ohio. I had to vaccinate a small number of cows and check on a bull with pneumonia. They were all caught in headlocks on a small portable feeder. The cows were not pleased and were rocking the whole thing. I got into the feeder and as I vaccinated the cows I let them go, not thinking about the giant bull that was left behind. The bull was gentle as most beef bulls are and I looked him over carefully. And went to give him a long acting antibiotic. He jumped and took off pulling the feeder around his neck across the pasture! I'm still in it and the owner is on it too trying to weigh it down. I wasn't sure how I was going to get the meds into this bull but I mustered my deepest most intimidating voice and yelled at him to behave. And behave he did while I gave him the medicine. I must have scared him!
Today, I sutured a gigantic head laceration on a horse's forehead. She tried to scalp herself. Fingers crossed for that. I also repaired a badly healing wound on a stray dog. She's a sweet, sweet chow mix that I would adopt if I didn't have a dog.
Tonight, ice cream social.

Clinic cat begging for attention.

Moving

First off, I'm watching Amish: Out of Order on National Geographic Channel. Its about young adults/teenagers leaving the Amish community and settling in Columbia, Missouri. It makes me miss home (Columbia) seeing those shots of the Columns and Jesse Hall and downtown. Sigh. I miss Columbia.
So anyway, after checking out of the hotel Sunday after the wedding, Joe and I went home. We didn't have any time alone because my dad was already there. Joe's mom and stepdad joined us and then two of his friends. My dad took the tuxes back to Harrisburg while the rest of us went to see the ponies. Then dad met us for lunch. Joe went out with his friends when his mom and stepdad went to the airport. I was sitting on the couch when Laura called from the Harrisburg Airport. There was some problem with her plane and it wasn't going to leave until Monday. I went and got her and she hung out until I took her to the airport Monday. I let her sleep of course!
Monday, Joe and dad worked on the horse trailer. Stan came over to supervise and help. There was a lot more wrong with the trailer than anticipated. I packed. Tuesday, Joe went to work to say goodbye. I packed and dad continued to work on the trailer. I continued to pack. Wednesday, Joe and dad worked on the trailer for most of the day and I packed. And packed. And got grumpy about packing. We eventually started loading the U-Haul.
Thursday, we were supposed to head out early to get to Greenville but of course, it didn't happen. Around 10am, we finally headed out. Dad and I went to get the ponies loaded and Joe took off with the U-Haul and cats. We had the dogs. Nell wasn't sure about getting into the trailer but Cody got right in. They rode pretty good on the trip and we got them settled in to their new boarding place. Joe had got to the house and then had to run to get the house key.
Of course, because we had left so much later than we thought, we had missed the gas man. We couldn't get it set up for Friday so it was Monday before we had hot water! It was actually Friday before we had any water at all! The house had sat empty for long enough that they had shut the water off so there was some ordeal about getting the well back up and running. The plumber came out on Friday and did it. So Friday, we boiled water for baths. And Saturday and Sunday we did it too. Friday, we took my dad down to the airport in Pittsburgh.
We tried to get the house together but it was hard and really there are lots of places where the house is still packed. I just don't want to do it! Sunday, Joe and I went into Ohio to go to Kohl's and Target to spend our gift cards. We got a big food processor and had enough cards left over at Kohl's with the cashback bonuses that we could end up getting a stand mixer for like $100. Of course, our plans for today included doing that but they sort of fell through because of the money situation. At Target, we got a big rug, some bathroom stuff, sheets and a big Dutch oven.
So the house, I'll post some pictures eventually. The house really has three levels. When you walk into the back of the house, there is a big room full of windows. This is where the dogs live. Then through a doorway is a long narrow room which we are using as our family room. There is a tiny office off to one side and then a bathroom and the basement. The basement is down five or so stairs and the washer/dryer live there. The water heater flooded but Joe fixed it. Up a few stairs and you're in the kitchen. Sadie is the only dog that will readily go up and down the stairs. From the kitchen is a formal living room where there is no plug for a TV. There is however a huge mirror and a huge ugly painting. Up a few more stairs and there is the bathroom with its peptobismol pink shower/tub and three bedrooms. There is access to the attic from the master bedroom. Its a cute nice little house. There is a big yard. There is a garage but I'm not positive that the truck will fit into it. Overall, we like the house. Its quiet and has a long drive back to an old oil place.
The neighbors on one side are nice. They invited us over to watch fireworks in July. The neighbors on the otherside have loud barking dogs.
I guess that's about what has been going on with the moving and the house. I plan on unpacking and getting some things together later today since our plans got called off. We tried to set up a bank account but apparently you can't do that at the credit union where we wanted to. We then tried to cash my last paycheck at Wal-Mart (a new low point) but wasn't able too. (An even lower point.) Then we went to the post office where we had a package in mail jail (i.e. postage due).

WEDDING!

Well, I finally have internet. I have a thousand (okay, only three) blogs to write to get you caught up on everything. One about the wedding, which is this one. One about moving and one about work. Each has a lot of information to share.
You may have noticed the change to the sub-title (?) of the blog. Its to reflect that I have gotten married. Changed my name, no. Changed it on my blog, yes.
Anyway, the stress had been going on for a little before the wedding of course just because well, I was quitting my job which was super emotional for everyone involved. Thursday, I picked up my wedding dress and was thoroughly exhausted when I got home to work to find Joe hanging out with some out of town guests in the messy house. We did some cleaning and went out for dinner with them later.
Friday, more people got into town because that night we were having the rehearsal despite the fact that our officiant wasn't going to be there. Who agrees to officiate a wedding but can't make/lead the rehearsal? It was somewhat stormy and the few of Joe's people that attended looked like they just rolled out of bed. MY bridesmaids were groomed appropriately and looked good. We went out for dinner after that. It was nice. I love Amy's Thai; its seriously one of the best restaurants in Carlisle. (Granted, that's not saying much.) After that, Joe broke off to host a BBQ at our house, our families went their separate ways and me and my bridesmaids went on a Old Navy run for the search for royal blue flip flops. They didn't have any. Then we went and dropped off the booze, table decorations, etc at The Vault. Seriously, just as we finished, we were completely poured on! We all ended up meeting at the hotel where we enjoyed a few drinks in the bar and then hung out talking-mostly about work because that's what veterinarians do. Martha and Amberle stayed over. Because of the car show (The Ford Nationals), the hotel was pretty packed. Shortly after going to bed, our neighbors arrived home. I couldn't sleep because of all of their pounding on their door, burping (YES! I heard them burp!), playing guitars and yelling at each other. I couldn't figure out how to work the room phone and couldn't muster the courage to go and yell at them. Though I really, really wanted to.
Saturday morning, after minimal sleep, the three of us ate hotel breakfast before getting our hair done. It was good times. My makeup looked fantastic though I kept trying to touch it. I NEVER wear make up so it was so weird to be wearing any, much less the large amount I had on.

Joe had a lot to do that day. All I had to do was get pretty, eat Panera (which I was uber-excited about) and then get married. Joe was having carry over badness from the tux rentals. Despite 45 minutes of getting it organized that all the tuxes would be in Harrisburg, a majority were in Lancaster. They promised to be in Harrisburg by a certain time-but were not. So Joe was stressed about that, stressed about dropping things off at The Vault, stressed about getting down to Newville. So while Joe was rushing about and not telling me anything (He did relay some of the stuff to my MOH.), I was relaxing and getting ready.

I was ready on time and moseied down to Newville. I was informed once there that they didn't  know where the chairs needed to be. Ummm...its just after 2. Where is Joe? Joe was running late as were most of his groomsmen. Needless to say, pictures with the photographer before the wedding didn't happen. Eventually, we piled into the beautiful carriage and made our way through town to the mill because my dad said they were ready. They literally had just gotten ready as we pulled up the road.
The ceremony started on time (if not a little early). It was beautiful.

The photos above I stole from Facebook. My wonderful friend formally known as Rachel Ray took them. She got married two weeks before and is now Rachel Williams. I'll post two photos from our photographer, Heather Shelley, I know she won't mind.

 

After the wedding, everyone went up to Carlisle for the reception and ate all the appetizers. :( Joe and I finished photos and then made our way up. We found easy parking and then went in.

The reception was wonderful. The music was great and people danced. We drank, we ate. There was a parade outside. I rode in a black and gold Mustang for a block. It was fantastic! Joe and I closed the place down.
Looking back at the day, Joe called it the wedding by which all others will be judged. Looking back at the day, I don't regret anything. It was a beautiful wedding. It was a fantastic wedding. It was the perfect start to our perfect lives.

Coming up...moving...

My awesome ride. More blogs to come now that I have Internet! Wedding! Moving! New job!

I caught baby fever and it was only worsened when I saw this infant sized shirt that Joe would wear at target. It took a lot not to buy it. I'l have to suffer till this fall. Wedding post happening soon.

Pennsylvania Annoyance

This is a super accurate blog, in my point of view. I know I just got married. I might have that blog up later tonight. I need to pack now.