abigail414's diaryland diary
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The Only Constant is Change
------Recreation------
The week before last I sat outside fine hotel pools during the evening. Yes, the la-te-da life on a budget.
On Wednesday, HB and I lounged at the above pool at Las Palmas spa in Palm Desert and listened to mellow jazz and drank wine while being continuously delivered appetizers � against the backdrop of palm trees silhouetted against mountains changing color in the sunset. It was our first outing since he started IV antibiotics for his foot (yes, it is that bad) and now he�s sick from the drugs. This has been the weirdest courtship � his foot has been a third party in an odd m�nage e trios.
Then, on Friday, I went with a friend and fellow veterinarian to see interesting artsy short films while dangling our feet in the pool at Hotel Zoso in Palm Springs. Again it included appetizers being delivered amidst drinks. The outdoor pool party films just started this month, which is great for us �locals� who need a place to hang out after Memorial Day (the official end of tourist season).
That evening, I walked from 85 degrees into 70 degrees - just by standing under a misting system. As I stood there enjoying the change in weather, a stretch Hummer limo passed by followed by a horse & carriage covered in lights and then we had a 4.1 earthquake. Yes, there are times that I absolutely fall in love with being in such an interesting place.
-----Work-----
The past few days I've seen a lot of sick cats, including one with a serious upper respiratory infection it may have caught while boarding in our cattery, one with metastatic cancer throughout his body, and one most likely with cancer based on high serum calcium. The first and last ones are doing better with treatment, and the middle one was euthanized and we did a necropsy to assess that it was indeed a very aggressive cancer. Plus, there were funny moments like the cute kitten whose older married owners couldn't agree on anything. The cat did/didn't vomit, did/didn't eat, did/didn't defecate. I put on my stethoscope and spent a long time listening just to not hear them bicker.
I�ve been trying to be a good doctor and work up all these cases to the best of my ability including fungal cultures and fancy calcium tests and x-rays of 2 lb kittens. Which, coincidentally, generates more income. When I first got there I tried to be minimalist and psychic, now I realize that I should offer complete diagnostics and if people are on a budget tell them what would be the most important first step.
Some of what I do is so gross or mundane that I�d rather write about poolside movies. Like the daily cleansing of anal glands, the poor sweet little shitzu with a frighteningly inflamed vulva and matted hair all around it (and gay owners who thought it was a rectal problem), the multiple daily diarrhea dogs, the ADR (ain�t doing right) cats, and the 120th time of explaining how heartworm works. Plus, there is a lot of repetition in patient symptoms and I have to avoid a cookbook approach. A cat not eating, vomiting bile, drinking and urinating a lot, and hiding under the bed doesn't always mean kidney failure or a urinary tract infection (both of which we see a lot).
I am afraid that I may be getting more hardened with the greater volume I�m seeing, which is the opposite of why I got into this field. As I was clipping/cleaning/medicating the poor red vulva dog I realized I didn�t know her name. As I was going over x-rays of lung tumors with the owner of the metastatic cancer cat, I was more technical than empathetic. I still loved the sweet little guys, but they were more of the generic 'sick animal' world than individuals. This is what happens when you�re stressed, and when clients need more handholding than you have time to give them. It is a big, very busy clinic and feels like an assembly line with everyone marching at a fast pace. Today I had 15 minutes for lunch then went to a doggie Prozac seminar (with free food) from 7 until 9 � so, had a 12 hour day.
On the up side, when I first started I used to read the entire file and try to figure out all the possible diagnoses before I went into the room. It drove my associates crazy. I was just trying to be prepared so I didn�t look like a fool in front of clients, but it was a little over the top. Now, sometimes, I just grab the file and walk into the room and open it without knowing what is inside. Yes, a somewhat kamikaze approach, and in truth it is much better to review the case and walk in greeting the client by name and knowing the pet's problem. But the fact that I occasionally just enter without background or lines or context shows I have developed greater confidence. Plus, sometimes results in a fun surprise.
Like today, I walked in and saw the very person I�d been trying to reach. He is a fellow yoga enthusiast and also a tile/carpet cleaner. I desperately need both � tile cleaned for my new home, carpet for my condo. I�m moving next week and coincidentally he can fit me in tomorrow afternoon. I opened the door and it was �Hey, Rodrigo, I�ve been trying to find your number�. Unfortunately, his dog has a recurrence of cancerous tumors and will be getting surgery next week.
-----Home-----
You heard that right - my moving date is set for Monday, June 11th. The above photo is from the listing - I'll send an updated one later (note the amazing backyard view). My lunatic landlady was finally heard from (as usual, about the HOA rules that I never received), and I'm glad I�ll be out of here this time next week. (Late breaking addendum: I've been given a 3 day eviction notice, so will be moving on June 10th or will owe $2,500 - definately turbocharges things and makes me throw/give away a LOT). Even though my home isn't 'done�, it is done enough. Plus, I'm out of money for now. The final touches have been an exterminator, duct cleaner, painter completion, and now a tile cleaner. I'm trying not to feel helpless and overwhelmed - I need to put one foot in front of the other, starting with getting more boxes and heaving things in. I've been slowly purging, but this feels monumental and I need to continually remind myself that people move all the time - it's hard, but just keep moving and Breathe. Like everything else, this too shall pass.
10 pm - 2007-06-07
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