I finally figured out what I want to do with the rest of my life, which is a relief, because I've been pondering this very subject for years. I was so tired of graphic design that it gave me a twitch just thinking about it. Being an administrative assistant was just not for me; it wasn't interesting enough. So after years of volunteering with animals, it finally hit me: "hey, I should work with animals." Ya think? This decisions seemed obvious to everyone except me. After all, I'm the person who, at a party, is talking to and making a fuss over the resident pets. (Instead of the people, who are no doubt very interesting and funny).
Anyhow, after a few months of class work at Pima Medical Institute, I'm doing my externship at a very nice veterinary clinic in Lynnwood. There are lots of former Pima students there, and it's an active teaching hospital, so I'm continuing to learn something new and interesting every day. I come home totally happy and physically exhausted every day. I realize that having a computer job and basically sitting on my rear end for endless years has left me out of shape. I'm looking forward to quickly getting back in shape, what with all the lifting, restraining, and general running around that we do all day, every day at the clinic. It's really great fun.
This week, our more memorable patients were: a bulldog who snored all morning (after surgery); a west highland terrier who had the run of the clinic when we had no other dogs; a guinea pig who needed a nail trim; a cat who hissed and meowed at the same time (try it!); and a teeny chihuahua who trembled like crazy, but was very good for his bath and nail trim.
Among all of the veterinary issues this week, what has really struck me is how much people love their animals. We had several animals in this week who had a variety of life-ending diseases, but their humans are spending the time and effort to keep them comfortable and healthy as possible. These people aren't rich; they just care so much for their pets and have chosen to treat their animals like human family members. I'm not saying that euthanasia is not a kind option for a terminally ill animal: it most definitely is. But these folks just want a little more time with their dear friends. What with all the shootings currently going on in Seattle, and all the bad news you hear every day, it's a nice relief to see such kindness poured out.
