No Wonder Nobody Wants to Come To You...

“You killed my dog”…”How could you charge so much”…”You are just a liar”…”Well my veterinarian would never do that”…”You don’t care about me or my cat”…”It’s your fault, you fix it”..

These words have been repeating constantly in my mind.  It had really been a crazy day all along with high stress employees and demanding clients, but words like these at the very end of the day was just the “icing on the cake”.  I sat in my office chair for over 40 minutes listening to a disgruntled client.  I was at the bottom of my tank with nothing left to give.  Do I yell back?  Do I blame her for her irresponsible actions that caused this situation?  I did nothing….but sit and shake.  My arm pits were sweating so much that drops were rolling down my side.  I had fear, frustration, and anger.    Others may have been strong enough to just slam the phone down to end the conversation.  I couldn’t…it was like a train wreck and I just couldn’t disconnect.  I was frozen in place. 

A recent study by American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) in 2015 showed that 1 in 6 veterinarians have considered suicide.  That is four times higher than the normal population.  The study didn’t list the reasons why but as with any medical field, high demand psychological distress could play a role.  Veterinarians want to work with animals, not deal with conflicting staff or upset clients.  We want to work as a team not against an owner.  We get discussed also when a treatment doesn’t work.  You may think we just don’t care and we will avoid calling you back and hope the problem goes away or you take it somewhere else.  But in reality…we are in the text book looking at the symptoms again (yes we still use our college books and resources), we are calling other veterinarians and consultants, we are trying to revisit every part of the case, not just that day but any previous appointments, calls, or history.  Did we miss something?  Was it our fault?  What if I had... 

I once heard that veterinarians were one of the most trusted professions.  I thought that fact was AMAZING (whether it was true or not) and took pride that I would be a part of that group.  My opinion and suggestion would be valued.  I took that responsibility seriously and not only learned as much as I could but also gave fair and honest advice.  I shouldn’t charge too much, just cover the bare costs.  Every time the cost rises, my gut twists with the thought of raising my price.  Maybe I could lower the markup a little more.  Maybe the cost of fuel, electricity or propane won’t go up.  Maybe I can get one more year out of my vehicle. 

Back to those words haunting my mind.  I am frozen, shaking, and feeling the bottom.  Every time, but I must press on.  I can’t be afraid to answer the phone again.  I can’t avoid the next appointment that has been waiting 30 minutes.  The next one might want to work together to treat the illness.  The next rancher might value my opinion and follow my recommendations.  I might get another thank-you letter from a 4-Her or a little girl and her best friend (the cat we found for her).  The next person through the door may be someone who brings us banana bread “just because”.  That person who stops me outside the bank maybe wants to say “great job, Doc, Rascal feels so much better”. 

“Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered.  Don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.”  Luke 12 7

Time Budgets

WHERE DID THE SUMMER GO??????

I just realized that I hadn't posted anything since June (last year).  It's not that I didn't have anything to say but the time just got away from me.  Summer always is crammed with more actives, more projects, more adventures, and more wasting time doing things that you never intend to do.  I sometimes feel like I need to make a "budget" for my time just like for the money.  I guess that is called a schedule, but my life never does fit into a schedule.  At work, we throw the "schedule" out the window some days as nothing is ever on time, or they just show up and spring a 3 hour job on you when there is only 10 minutes (so much for lunch that day).  I have caught myself having to ask for permission to use the restroom like when I was in grade school.



A favorite interruption tactic is to touch
every thing in the bathroom.
It stalls a good 15 minutes or more
from the schedule for additional sanitation .  

My time "budget" at home isn't any better.  The Boy, now almost five years old, and The Girl, two years old, have some tactics at interrupting my "schedule".   Recently I have needed to wake up, dress, and feed the kids by myself in the mornings.  The timing of everything has to be just right for me to get them where they need to go and myself to work on time.  I usually start very early with a 5:30 am shower then make sure they are up and get breakfast before 6:00 am so we can get to where we need to be by 7:30 am.  In my college days, I would have had a shower, breakfast, walk to class at 8:00 and only gotten up at 7:45 am.  The times have changed.  I have to plan ten times longer to do anything and anticipate repeating everything four or five times.  For example, The Girl is great at getting shoes, they are never her own like she is instructed, but she will bring me every other person's shoe.  If you see me arrive 30 minutes early, it has been a good day, however I was probing and prodding for the last 2 hours to get there on time.

After having children, I realized I can be very efficient with time.  It is amazing what I can accomplish with just one hour with out them or during naps.  It is an extremely successful moment if they can both nap or entertain themselves at the SAME time.  I think I have mentioned before, but we choose not to have any outside television source.  We have already viewed movies but nothing new.  No daily news, sitcoms, reality TV, or night shows.  We are living our own current events.  It has been almost six years and I can't say that I miss it.  I get hooked and can feel the withdrawal when I am visiting someone who has satellite or cable.  I just don't know how I would get anything done with that added distraction, I can't seem to get anything done now.

Sometimes the necessities get forgotten
when your toddler wants to "DO IT"

When The Boy FINALLY got potty trained it was a moment to celebrate, yippee, but now we are working with The Girl.  We live in wide open spaces and allowed them during the process to go outside when ever they needed.  One morning, of course running behind schedule, The Boy decided he needed to go while walking to the vehicle.  That morning was colder so he was wearing a heavy coat.  He dropped his drawer like normal and held up the shirt but did not lift the coat high enough to avoid the stream of urine.  After praising him with gritty teeth, we went back into the house to change is coat, pants, socks, and shoes which had caught all the reflected urine.  Nothing can disrupt your time as children going through the independent, "I can do it!" stage.

I am so grateful that God has a time for everything (Ecclesiastes 3:1-8) and he has made everything beautiful in its time (vs. 11).

OAMC: Once A Month Cooking

I am a busy mom with a significant distance between my work and "fast food".  About 1 year ago, I started making mass quantities of meals just one day a month.  A freezer, or two to three, is necessary when living with a family in the country.  I currently have one large chest freezer and a stand-up freezer, they are both very full.  There is always meat, usually elk and deer, that we process in the fall.  I have an endless supply of sliced apples, cut up rhubarb, and other produce that are grown around this area.  The frozen food is great, if you plan ahead.  Meat requires thawing and usually I just start thinking about supper as I am leaving the clinic around 5:15 pm.  So this dilemma of not having something ready to eat during the evening led me to making prepared meals.  They are still frozen, but I can usually throw them in the microwave and have something ready in 30 minutes or less.

Meal days are "me" time so I will have a class (or two) of wine. 

My last "meal day" was before calving season where I had made a plan, shopped for the groceries I still needed, and spent 6 hours making 31 meals including breakfast burritos.  I start by organizing the recipes so I knew how many need each ingredient.  I then brown all the burger, chop all the veggies, and get the oven or stove going right away in the morning.  I usually start with some "dump" recipes to make me feel like I have accomplished a lot.  I call anything that doesn't require a lot of extra prep or cooking a "dump" recipes.  These usually go into a crock-pot or get cooked when it is ready to serve.  I must take a lunch break, because looking at all the food gets my stomach growling.  I usually end with breakfast burritos because if I am tired, they can always wait another day.  I usually do not follow directions very well and so I make substitutions for ingredients that I do not have and add my own quantities to satisfy are taste prevents.  So here are the recipes that I made on that day.

3 x Bacon Cheeseburger Rice
2 x Ham & Mozzarella Stromboli
2 x Thai Peanut Beef
3 x Slow Cooker Philly Cheesesteak Sloppy Joes
2 x Beef Tacos
2 x Hamburger Stroganoff
2 x Chicken Curry
2 x Sweet and Sour Chicken
2 x Paleo Zucchini Chicken Fritters (I didn't make these Paleo, I only had regular flour)
3 x Roasted Tomato Soup (I didn't make the croutons but will serve with
            grilled cheese sandwiches)
3 x Macaroni & Cheese with Ham (This is an absolute MUST every time I plan OAMC)
          - I follow this recipe but heat it on the stove adding the cheese before
            mixing everything in a bag.
3 x Homemade Toaster Strudels
2 x Breakfast Burritos (sorry, no link for this one)
          - We use tortillas to wrap up eggs, cheese, salsa, and a meat; sausage, ham
             or bacon
31 Total meals

Most meals get put into a freezer bag and laid flat to freeze.  Plastic wrap is used around the individual things like burritos.  I do label everything, mystery meals can be interesting.  Once A Month Cooking, or as often as I find time, has really helped me get healthy meals ready in a hurry for my family.
I am now out of meals in the freezer and will have to start planning another "meal day".  I am open for meal suggestions because summer cooking isn't fun, but is sure beats peanut butter sandwiches every day.

Dora The Babysitter

My kids watch television; they watch a lot of cartoons.  We have a TV, but we do not have any outside feed to the "box" like cable, satellite, or internet.  We rely on go "old" VCR tapes (kids ask your parents what those are), and DVDs that are mostly used and abused.  Yes, we are so in the early 90's.  About the time we found out we were expecting kids, we cancelled all outside media except dial-up internet.  We made that very hard decision (at that time) because of financial reasons and we were so busy we didn't get any benefit out of what we were paying for.  We haven't looked back since and I actually enjoy not having to watch a weekly series until 11:00 pm because I am hooked.  My parents have satellite, so we get updated on the major news.  We have upgraded to faster internet so I have certain places that "hook" me (darn that Pinterest) but I try to set a time limit on how much of my time is used searching.  The draw back to not having the immediate feed is I am usually 2 days behind some major news event.  I usually catch the middle of the conversation and feel awkward asking "What happened?", especially if I am not sure it is a celebrity or someone I should know.  We miss any previews to new movies, so I am way behind on inside jokes.  My sister is a movie-aholic (I secretly love it and wouldn't tell her to stop), so she supplies us with a lot of recent movies.  We also get caught up on our families favorite series with the luxury of watching the whole season from start to finish without having to wait until next week.
Yes, my kids also get there morning and, maybe, afternoon programming every day while at the grandparents.  There are some very educational shows that help teach my children, from counting, to letters, math, music, and art.  There is even some eclectic dancing involved if Grandpa is around (Lord help us!).  I was watching "Dora" with my children the other day.  Most people know about Dora and almost any parent could sing the theme, map song, or back-pack jingle.  My brother, a firefighter, gets some strange looks at debriefings when he starts singing the map song.
I was thinking about how Dora is very educational, fun, and energetic.  The episodes really do get the children involved and they then are "hooked".   I caught myself thinking that Dora wouldn't make a very good babysitter and had to laugh.


But seriously, here are my reasons.

1. She repeats every instruction 3 or 4 times.  This is very aggravating for me as a parent.  I think that is why I have developed as stutter.  
2. She never tells her parents or an adult where she is going or who she is with.  That would send me into "mamma-bear" panic mode. 
3. I do not understand everything she is saying.  Ok, I should have a second language, but I don't.  I get really leery about others saying things I can't understand, even mumbling is hard on my emotions.  
4. Her adventures are very dangerous.  She is always walking in some spooky forest, crossing oceans, or climbing high mountains.  Why don't we just tell our children they could sky dive also?



My children being adventurous while watching television.

5. No matter how urgent getting to the destination may be, she always takes a half-an-hour and has many distractions along the way.  I hate when "The Boy" has to fight off Swiper, the fox, on the way to bed.  

I am glad my children are "cultured" even if their dancing style makes me laugh.  Even though they watch TV, they aren't addicted to it.  They can't be because we don't have that option at home.  Sometimes, they just want to imagine and play, and that is great with me.  

Ode To The Veterinary Student's Dog

I will try my best to get through this post.  I had started writing about this topic a while ago so please bare with me if the present and past tense get confusing.  I have to admit it wasn't the next thing I had planned to share, nor did I ever want it to be a somber topic.  But tonight it is...

I have heard it said "don't buy a rental car".  One may think the same about a veterinary student's dog.  Every veterinary student wants to get their "hands-on" experience, and what better way to practice your new skills than with your own pet?  I have to admit that the pets receive great service, whether they needed it or not.  I can tell most clients about my own experience with a treatment or procedure, because I wouldn't recommend anything that I wouldn't do on my own animals.

Begging for food at my
veterinary school graduation

My dog Lucy is getting older and showing her age like most dogs eventually do.  I can't help but reflect on our memories together.  She became a member of my family the moment I got her as a puppy.  At the time, my home was very small and not adequate for a large dog.  But as a veterinary student that learns by visual means, I wanted a visual aid at home that could help me through.  Lucy is an American Bulldog, and boy, was she a great example with her over-sized anatomy.  In school she modeled more like a horse than a dog, and was often referred to as a Simmental because of her white and red markings (or perhaps her manure sized loads).  From the very start, I worked on training her to obey and also to do fun tricks (some unique ones are shake with both paws, speak and whisper, and hold a treat on her nose).  As a puppy, we went to an obedience class.  After a few weeks on leash, we spent one day off leash working on her recall.  The busy pet store had many distractions but that didn't seem to bother her.  With Lucy on one end and I on the other, I was doubtful she would make it past the treats, toys, and other people that made the gauntlet between us.  When I said "come", she was so food-driven that she blew past everyone, T-boned another dog, and was at my side in seconds.  My doubt was erased and food became her motivator.

She is horrible around other animals, cats better learn to fend for themselves.  Which made her meeting with a skunk 4 years ago very interesting.  She didn't back down and her white fur was soaked and dripping with yellow liquid.  You can imagine the smell!  For those of you who may only catch a whiff along the road occasionally let me educate you.  The smell of a skunk up close is distinctly different, it affects your entire body system.  All your senses are on overload.  Your eyes water, your mouth foams, and your stomach turns.  When Lucy was hit, I was 14 weeks pregnant and had morning sickness.  No matter how well you clean them up, or what product you use, they will start to smell again if their hair ever gets wet.  She stunk like skunk for at least 6 month after that episode.

Lucy adjusted very well to every circumstance.  Sometimes there was 12-14 hours before I could get back to the house during school to let her out.  She loved to play, yet would never beg for attention when I was busy studying.  She made her home out of my bed during the day, but knew to stay off when I was around.  She learned to be leery of strangers and makes a great guard dog, even though we haven't had to test her ability.  I would always tell new people, "she hasn't bitten anyone, yet."  She is AMAZING with my small children.  My kids can crawl all over her, pull her tail and ears, hit her hard, fall on her, and even "ride her" and she just loves every minute.  The Girl who is just learning to talk knows "oo-c-ee".

Every veterinary student can tell you about some "experiment" they have tried on their
own animals.  We tend to attract the troubled cases, or maybe we just fall in love with them.  Between the allergies, urinary incontinence, broken teeth, rattlesnake bite,  severed cephalic vein, and torn cruciate, I have "practiced" a few things.  But Lucy's last problem I couldn't fix.  I have all the books, knowledge, and medicine to save animals, but tonight she couldn't be saved.  The hardest, but sometime the best. service we can provide is ending the suffering.  I told you it would be a somber topic, but my joy is knowing that I did my very best for her (Lucy) and she did the same for me.

Hands Free

My work truck was recently upgraded to the newest model.  I spend a lot of time traveling to very remote, non-accessible areas of the country and a dependable vehicle is a must.  Apparently modern upgrades do not come simple.  There are so many gadgets, buttons, and accessories that come "included".  The accessories are there to help you drive "hands free" but have the most modern conveniences in the vehicle with you.  Every new vehicle I have driven (which is 2) includes 6 months trial period of satellite radio.  For about 6 months I enjoy the luxury of more than just the 2 country radio stations that I normally receive.  There are over 150 music and talk radio shows to choose from.  I usually spend my time on the Comedy, Christian, or Country stations.

Paved Road!!!
I do not see that often when driving, usually it is gravel.  

Other features included are designed to make answering or making phone call safe.  This would be excellent if I had service everywhere I travel.  My truck will link to my cell phone via Bluetooth.  This was a new concept to me, talking to myself while driving and actually having someone listen or answer back.  I occasionally yell at my truck when the commands are not followed.  "I SAID CALL DUSTIN'S MOBILE".  I am sure other vehicles passing me have a great laugh at the expense of some idiot (me) talking while driving.  My children love to scream at the pickup while I am talking to someone.  Leaving messages for others is interesting as I try to talk with The Boy yelling "Where are you?  Are you talking to me?  Why can't I see you?  Come inside."

 There is one feature that is very nice about the cell phone hands free option.  It will automatically connect to my phone when the vehicle is on and the phone is in close proximity.  I have started my vehicle a couple time just to FIND my phone.  When I see the "connection complete" signal, I know the phone must be on me or in my stuff, somewhere.  I did find out the hard way, that you can't answer your phone if it rings and you are not in the vehicle.  I left my truck running while going to pick up my children when a call came.  I had the phone, which rang like normal, but since I wasn't in the vehicle to hear or speak into the microphone, the call didn't work.  Another mishap was when I started my truck and the "connection complete" signal came on, but I still couldn't find my phone.  I searched all over and eventually found the phone.  It wasn't in the vehicle with me, but instead in the building but close to the corner where my pickup was parked.  I am sure it would have been a sight watching my truck going back and forth as I tried to find the distance where I lost the "connection".
Wouldn't it be nice if other things in life were hands free.  I could really see a value in utilizing this at work.  For instance, hands free toe nail trims would let me keep my fingers safe from biting Chihuahuas.  Also hands free anal gland expressions on dogs would be a lot more pleasant.  (Does that sound too weird? OK moving on)  The truck could be hands free in separating my fighting children.  My minimum request would be an option to count how many cattle guards I have passed while getting to my new country job.
It is great knowing that we have a hands free option when talking to God.  We don't have to wait for the "connection" signal and there isn't a required distance we must get to before he will connect to where we are, he's always there and listening.

Country Living

I love living in the country!  The quiet nature and clear sky are a privilege that many in this country do not get to enjoy.  Don't even get me started on the sun rises and sun sets, they are INCREDIBLE!  Many "city folk" think the country has green grass and they give it a try.  County-western songs have told the story of the small town girl/guy that left to make a fortune only to be unhappy and eventually came back home.  They paint a very pleasant and wonderful story about country living.  My small community has had an influx of "city folk".  They come from California, Colorado, or the east coast searching for the less hectic life.  I love meeting new people and finding out where they come from.  But my most pressing questions is:  Why did you decide to move HERE?".  I love it and I wish everyone had the same feeling that I do about living in the country.  But with the pleasure of simple quiet living, there is also some drawbacks that you don't find in a metropolis (but I like it that way).

Enjoying our country living with sledding.
(A great use of the calving sled)

First is running water.  No, we are not a third world country without any modern plumbing.  We do not dip water out of the local creek nor use an out-house (that is a building with a hole in the ground out side for your....um.....business).  Some are lucky to have a well where they can pump the water directly out of the ground, but that requires a long pipe to reach that far.  Around here, some areas are so rocky that drilling down would be a nightmare.  Also the water level may but up to 2000 feet down.  The best thing for most people is to have a cistern.  This is a holding tank in the ground that you can fill with water that you haul from the watering spot (usually in town) with your truck or trailer.  I am lucky to have my father around, because he fills our tank weekly and I never have to worry about running out of water in the cistern.  He never makes a trip to town without loading up the tank to fill our cistern, there cistern, the neighbor's cistern, or the livestock water tank.  I learned at a young age to conserve water when ever possible.

Horses waiting by the water tank.

Second, Fast Food.  You are kidding yourself if you think you can get off from work, run some errands, pick up your kids and have food prepared for the hungry mouths without planning.  The two favorite food prep items for a country mother is the large freezer and a crock-pot.  The phase "bulking up" doesn't refer to athletic training in the country, it is a phrase used when getting supplies at the monthly or bi-monthly trip to the "big city".  The only drive through windows in our town is the bank and the liquor bar, a fast meal for a hungry family wont be found at either spot.  So you adapt, you learn to plan and make meals fast.  The defrost setting on my microwave has been used many times when I forgot to set something out the night before.

Third, Privacy.  This is my favorite.  Newcomers feel they are being invaded and feel offended that "everyone" knows their personal business.  Trust me, everyone knew your business before you even arrived in town.  We are just curious, were not trying to be rude.  We think, maybe this new family would be the perfect fit for the fair board, Sunday school program, or Chamber of Commerce.  Don't try and hide because that just makes us talk more.  In a one horse town (actually there is probably 12 horses in town) we like news from the outside.  I am glad to know that when my children grow up, this whole community will be watching out for them and for me.  If they get into trouble, I will know long before they even make it home.

I think it is easier to see God's creations in the country.  Of course anywhere can become busy and noisy creating distractions from what is really important.