OK, we've been a bunch of Debbie (and David) Downers. Never one to turn down a challenge, I'll rise to the occasion and spread a little sunshine here.
Like my esteemed colleague before me, I'm a HUGE fan of puppies. Big, slobbery ones! Silly, clumsy ones. I love watching them grow, as they come in for their puppy visits during the first few months of life. I'll go out on a limb and say that furthermore, I love it when I'm able to provide good care and support for that dog during its entire life. I'm just old enough now that I've euthanized some of my first "new puppy" patients, and while I wouldn't say that part of it is FUN exactly - it's meaningful. It's important.
I also love it when a pet comes in feeling awful, and I can intervene in some way, and the pet leaves feeling better. Really, that's what it all comes down to for me.
Cat abscesses! I love cat abscesses! Stab those suckers and watch the nastiness come spurting out like Old-freakin-Faithful.... gotta love a cat abscess.
Oh! And showing kids cool stuff - like, mites on a slide under the microscope or something. Although that one time the mites were getting it on led to a troubling series of questions given that they weren't MY kids and I wasn't really sure where the parents wanted me to go with my explanation.
Hearing people's stories - yes, it's true. I don't hate EVERYONE. When someone gives me the honor of sharing their story with me, I really value that. Of course, that's assuming that their story is not complete and utter bullshit. Because those stories, I could do without.
OK sorry, I guess this blog post is a little longer than my sunbeam tonight. Still, the take home message is, yes - there's still a bright side. It's not all bounced checks, drug seekers, and assholes.
True. But the good parts are boring. That's why no one ever blogs about the.
ReplyDeleteOh Dr Grumpy you make me laugh. And yes, you have a point.
ReplyDeleteHowever is good to hear my vet isn't going home every freaking day wondering why the hell he got into the practice and counting the days till retirement. I really like and respect the guy dammit!
Oh, plenty of people blog about the good parts. And you're right, it gets pretty ho-hum after a while. It's important to remember when reading, for instance, the James Herriot books (which are a veritable feast of feel-good warm and fuzzies), that the author suffered from crippling depression for decades of his working life. We vent on this blog as a coping mechanism, to blow off steam and keep ourselves sane. After all, veterinarians in Britain have THE HIGHEST suicide rate of any profession. You'd better believe there's some stress in this profession, along with the kittens and puppy kisses.
ReplyDeleteI'm going to keep the sunshine going by saying that I love cat abcesses too! Also chasing down warbles (I once lost one in a rabbit's scrotum. THAT was a bugger). I love that every day is different and that I get to do things like figure out how to treat a toad with a wounded leg on occassion.
ReplyDeleteVet med is a tough career but it's not one I would give up.
Really, cat abcesses? I'm not positive, but I'm pretty sure my vet couldn't wait for my little feline friend and I to leave after kitty's huge facial abcess exploded all over his exam room.
ReplyDelete