If you're even slightly interested in animals, ever thought of being a veterinarian, or been bored and wandered through the library, you've probably seen the familiar classic, "All Creatures Great and Small," by James Herriot. When I walked in to the clinic on Monday, I really thought that I had stepped into the pages of that book (or a zoo). Personally, I hate it when on exams there is any mention of the words "all" or "none" in an answer response. And true enough, we didn't have all creatures great and small. We did have a goat, a guinea pig, a racoon, and even an artic fox who were either in the clinic or came in for a office visit with one of the doctors.
Even though I've only worked two days at the clinic this week, we've been very busy. The evening appointments have been nearly full both Monday and Tuesday night. To top off Tuesday night's festivities, there was the election coverage. But, I wasn't home watching it. I was in the clinic, helping the doctor with a c-section on a Beagle named "Cricket." We got the call around 8 p.m. "Cricket" had been in labor for several hours, and had not produced a pup. We got the surgery area ready in anticipation of her arrival - a pack of instruments, a sterile blade, a sterile drape, on the table, a heated pad covered by a towel, the anesthestic machine set up and ready to go, and ties to hold down her legs while we prepped her abdomen. Everything was ready to go. All we needed was a patient.
She arrived just before 9 p.m. Since we were already prepared, it took very little time to get her under anesthesia and to the surgery room. The doctor opened her up, as we were betting on how many puppies she had waiting inside. When the uterus was exteriorized, it was amazing to see just how large the first puppy, which was the reason normal whelping couldn't occur, was in size. I took the first puppy in a towel, and my colleagues each took one of the next two. Contrary to my guess, "Cricket" only had three puppies, not five. I rubbed the puppy vigorously, and did the "swinging puppy" bit to stimulate her breathing. She started to breath, but it wasn't very regular, so she got a little prick in the soft tissue between her nose and upper lip. She shrieked a bit at that (but I guess I would too), but then within just a minute or so, her respiration rate was regular, and she was whimpering for mom.
Mom was still in the surgery room, recovering. I can imagine her thinking, "what the heck," and "why does my uterus hurt?" Within about forty minutes, she was awake enough to be sent home with her three puppies, two girls and a boy. I was ready to go home, not only because it had been a very long day (with both teaching and working at the clinic) but also because it was the eve after the Presidential election. I was anxious to get home and see how the vote was shaping up.
Of course, by this time, we all know how the vote ended. It was great to be a part of the state that could have made the difference. I was hoping that it did not turn out like the Florida of 2000. We have another four years with Presdient George W. Bush, which I think our country will find will foster a stronger sense of unity in the future. No one can predict what will happen in the next four years, but I think that if we all gather together and support the President, it will be an easier four years. I cannot hide my happiness at the election results!!
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