Still Waiting

Life is all one big waiting game. You wait to be born. You wait to die or for Jesus to return to Earth (if you're a Christian like me). And in between, you wait to be old enough to drive. You wait to be old enough to be "legal." You wait to be married. You wait to have children. And you wait for your children to act just like you did when you were a kid. There are plenty more things to wait about, though. I'm waiting now to find out if my life will be changed by yet another major life change, and with that, a move to another new state.

I've been quite enigmatic about who I am, where I come from, and what I do on this blog. And I do use initials of people on my blog, even though Paul Davidson makes light of the ambigious use of initials on his own blog. It's for good reason, though. What I can tell you is that I am a veterinary student, but I'm "on a break." I do not just work at these clinics because I like animals. I'm trying to keep my mind focused in the right direction while I'm out of school. It's better to be working in a couple clinics than to be working at a random corporation doing something that is in no way related to veterinary medicine.

As a result of circumstances at the school that I attended last year, I am trying to transfer to a different veterinary school, even though it will mean taking a step back in my education. Prior to leaving, I was just 12 months from graduation. Now, I could be 18 months away, if I return to the same school, but in a transfer, I'll be a full 24 months away from graduation. So, I'm submitting my materials to transfer, but I do not know what the outcome of my request will be until maybe mid or late December. It's a waiting game. It kind of makes my stomach turn just like it did the first time I applied to veterinary school. Waiting to know about a decision that will affect the rest of your life is tough. All I can do now is pray that whatever is supposed to happen will, and live with the decision when it is finally made.

In other news, I can say that one adorable pair of kittens is no longer waiting for a home. Yesterday afternoon, the kittens in the photos on the right got new names and a new home. The black and white little one is Clark. The calico one is Addison. The pair being "Addison and Clark" are named after the intersection at Wrigley Field in Chicago. My sister's boyfriend is not just a fan but a fanatic about the Chicago Cubs. So, I guess I can change the name of the photos from "We Need A Home" to "Addison and Clark." I'm very happy to bring together these two kittens with a great home. There are lots of windows for them to lay in as they grow up, and even wild turkeys to watch in the fall.

On the drive to drop off the kittens yesterday, I noted 19 dead raccoons on the road. And those are only the ones I noted. It became a good game to keep myself awake during the drive, actually. When MP (see there I go again) here this past weekend, he said he'd never seen so many dead raccoons on the road. I guess I never paid attention to road kill, really, unless it was a skunk, and then you're forced to pay attention by the odor alone. I guess he's right, though. One thing he's NOT right about though is that saying the word "asparagus" before feeling like you have to sneeze will prevent the sneeze. Maybe I'll have to keep testing his theory, but in two attempts, it's proven wrong with me.

The last thing I'm waiting about is to see if "Caramel" is still among the living miniature pinschers. Two nights ago when I was in the local clinic, I was doing rounds through the back, and checking in on the kittens at the beginning of my shift. I looked twice in the cage labeled "Carmel." It looked to me like there was bone exposed on that animal. Just to be sure, I did look again, and indeed, the right hind tibia was showing through. The head was mangled with bits of skin and exposed muscle. I was really confused by this case. What was going on here?

I figured it out when I went back to the front of the clinic and chatted with Dr. E. "Caramel" had an unfortunate run in with Draino - nine days ago! In veterinary medicine, there is sometimes a conflict between what we can and cannot do when the client cannot pay. When the client was first in contact with the doctor, she had "no money." The doctor instructed her to wash the dog thoroughly with water and apply aloe vera cream/lotion to the chemical burn. For whatever reason, she either did not, or did not do it well enough. The dog finally ended up in the hospital, missing toes, missing skin, and with a line of necrosis on tongue. The muscles were tough and dehydrated. The dog was scheduled for an amputation of the leg that evening.

Dr. Y performed the surgery, which went well, all things considered. At the end of the surgery, it was a little touch and go as to whether the dog would regain consciousness. I watched from the doorway as the doctors gave the 3.3 pound puppy oxygen and performed cardiac compressions. Within twenty minutes, some of the gray color had been replaced with a pale pink color in the gums of the puppy. It was breathing on its own, and the heart was beating. All good signs. Dr. Y was taking it home with her that night to observe it overnight. I haven't heard yet whether or not the puppy made it through the night.

My questions to the doctor were related to the ethics of the case, though. It was a horribly sad case. Whether or not the spillage of Draino was intentional or not, we do not know. If it was intentional, are we obligated as a profession to report that to law enforcement as "animal abuse?" The answer: kind of, sort of. Apparently, if the abuser is then seeking help for the animal, for us to turn them in is not good practice. Essentially, it's "shooting yourself in the foot." If it's not the abuser, then, "yes," we have more of an ability to report something like this situation, if it is intentional, and not just an accident.

Secondly, in this case, would the best option have been humane euthanasia instead of trying to repair the situation with amputation? My thought is that "yes," it would have been because the dog would have had to have been suffering to some extent. A nine-day old chemical burn with muscle and bone exposed? It doesn't seem like there could be much quality of life for a pet like that. But that is just my opinion, and I'm not the doctor...yet.

Comments

[Jon]

Things will work out if you put them in God's hands. Keep the faith! Glad those kittens found a good home.