Welcome Jasmin!
Category: Pets and Animals

A compassionate heart takes over.

Saturday July 12, 2008

The call came over the intercom in the Animal Hospital - "Doctor to dentistry STAT. Doctor to dentistry STAT."  I don't even remember seeing an animal come through the doors that needed immediate attention, but then again my back was turned while I was making up a Baytril suspension in the compounding area of our pharamcy.  I dropped what I was doing and ran back to our dentistry area to see if there was something I could do to assist with whatever needed to be attended too. 

Dr. Judd was already back there as was Merisol and Meredith trying to get the patient stabilized.  Turns out it was a little female calico cat, barely consious and on oxygen.  I was asked to go back up front to see if I could get any history at all on this little cat.  The person who brought her in, turns out was not her owner, but rather a good samaritan who noticed she was on the side of the road barely moving.  Where she was found was the intersection of Horatio and US 192, a busy intersection around the Maitland/Winter Park area of Orlando.  She wanted to make sure the little cat was okay, but when I explained that the Dr. was doing a physical on her to check for broken bones and we had her on oxygen, she told me she was not going to be able to pay for any of the treatments that needed to be done.  The receptionists had her sign a waiver stating she had turned the animal over to us and what happens from there on out she would not be responsible.  I went back to the area where this little kitty was, obviously very much in pain and relayed the information to Dr. Judd how the lady who brought the cat in was not the owner and that she would not be able to pay for any of the treatments.  About that time, this little cat opened her eyes, looked right into mine and meowed. Now, I have worked at the clinic for several years and I have seen more than my fair share of stray animal cases come through the doors and every once in a while one of these stray animal cases reaches in and grabs a hold of your heart, this was one of those times. So, I told Dr. Judd that I would take financial responsibility for her and to do whatever treatment we could for her. 

We placed an IV catheter in her to get some fluids back into her body.  We also gave her a shot of pain medication.  We gave her a pretty high dose of the pain medication, wanted to make sure she was as comfortable as possible, as soon as possible.  During physical examination it was determined there were no broken bones, but she did have a lacerated tongue and her upper canine teeth were broken.  One was broken down to the gum line and the other one was broken in half.  There was some blood on her paws and on the tips of her ears.  Whatever happened to her, her head took the brunt.  Which can be tricky since you don't know if you are dealing with serious brain damage or a broken spinal column.  We took one view of radiographs (lateral) which showed no obvious signs of a broken back - good news.  However, she was getting a little stressed out so we could not get another view, those would have to wait a little while longer until she was further stabilized.  Some blood was taken so we could see where she was in that department.  Blood work came back pretty normal, glucose was slightly elevated (normal under stressful conditions) and her white blood cell count was very high (which in trama situations is fairly normal as well), nothing on the blood work indicated any underlying condition we needed to be careful about.  We also ran an in-house FIV/FeLv snap test, which would determine whether she had feline leukemia or feline aids, or both.  Snap test came back negative. We also learned she was declawed in the front paws.  This was someone's cat who may have gotten out, so I scanned her for a microchip - nothing. With the pain meds on board and her resting comfortably in a cage piled with fluffy towels and blankets, it turned into a waiting game.  For the rest of the day on Saturday she slept, of course with the heavy dose of pain medication - there was not much else she could do.  The following day (Sunday) I went up to the hospital to sit with her, pet her and let her know she was not alone in this world. She was moving around a little bit but still seemed to be out of it. After spending a couple hours with her, I kissed her good bye and told her I would come by the following day to check on her.

On Monday, another set of radiographs were done and again, nothing obvious was noted as to whether there was a spinal injury. I had completed some research on my own regarding head injuries and read where a combination of a steroid and diuretic could help with reduction of cerebral edema.  When I mentioned this to the doctor who was assigned to her case for the day, he said it certainly could not hurt.  So two rounds of the combination was given to her.  I stopped by that night (just as I had told her I would) and gave her her dinner and pet her, she purred the entire time.  There was additional movement in her legs, more than the previous day and she had urinated on her own.  A good sign.  When I spoke to Dr. Newman, he said there was no set timeframe as to when she would recover compeltely if at all.  I told him that was fine, sometimes all that is needed is time.  Time for the body to heal after a tramatic event, I had all the time in the world for her to heal. I was not going to give up on her.  She deserved better than that.

Saturday July 19, 2008

Jasmin came home with me today after I was finished working at the clinic.  She had been in the hospital all week and had continued to make small improvements all week long.  We started doing physical therapy with her to make sure the leg muscles did not atrophy.  The clinic staff took the morning shift and I was there every ngiht after work to do the evening shift. (I work a full time job during the week, so I would stop by on my way home.) I had gone out to PetSmart to get a few things for her to make sure she was comfortable in my home.  The idea was to use the bottom of a very large pet carrier I had to carry her around the house.  She still was not able to walk, and it appeared that she had limited use of her front legs and her back legs were very weak.  I had a travel carrier all prepared for her, complete with her own little pink bed, new stuffed animals, cat nip mice and a pillow.  Okay, okay so I over did it a little bit, but who can blame me? Trying to get her loaded in the carrier turned out to be interesting.  She may not be able to walk, but she can certainly pull herself out of a front loading carrier.  After she was finally settled in the carrier she continued to complain about being confined, meowing to let me know she was not happy. On the ride home, she urniated in the carrier.  I just had to shake my head and smile, at least she was acting like any other cat on a car ride.  Well, at least acting like any of MY other cats on a car ride.  None of them like it! When we got home I got her cleaned up and settled into a larger carrier. It was a nice afternoon so we did her physical therapy outside and I gave her her afternoon dinner outside as well. She really seemed to enjoy the sunshine and being able to watch the lizards scurry by and the birds flying over head. I just think she was thankufl to be out of the hospital and getting some fresh air.

During the course of this week we have settled into a nice routine. She is now residing in my second bedroom. I have placed a very fluffy queen size comforter on the hardwood floor. The comforter is folded in half so it is extra fluffy, over top of it is another blanket. She has her food and water dish close by as well as her pink bed. I have learned this week that she can use a litter box, so she has a Jasmin friendly litter box with shallow sides so she can get in and out of it easily. She is very consistent in the use of the litter box so I have not had to use any of the pee pads I got for her. And there is evidence of her using the other litter box I have in the room - this one much higher and covered so how she is managing to get and out of there I don't know.  But I can say she is one determined little girl!

We continue with the physical therapy and this morning she took her first couple of steps, albeit unsteady steps but steps none the less. She stood up to greet me this morning and walked over to me and rubbed her face on my foot. Her way of saying good morning. I had tears in my eyes watching her walk knowing that just 9 days prior we were not sure if she was going to survive from being hit by a car. Someone told me she was fortunate to have me care for her, but I think I am fortunate to have her. There was something in the way she looked at me on July 12th that led me to believe that it was just not her time to leave this earth. I have no idea of all the circumstances that ultimately led her to be at the clinic - we can only guess. I do however know she has a bright future ahead of her, I can guarantee her that at least. She may never run around like all my other cats, heck she may never really be able to walk all that well, but that is okay with me. She is the most perfect version of herself that she can be at the moment and who knows with time, patience and love she just may be able to walk again. She's a very loving little girl who reminds me every day to never give up hope even when the odds are stacked very high on the other side. All it takes is one person to believe and have faith, and there is no telling what can happen.

7:19 PM - 8 Comments - 8 Kudos - Add Comment

Isolation Chamber
Current mood: sick
Category: Life

I was in Atlanta last week on business and came down with a horrible "something".  After 8 days of feeling generally crappy, I made an appointment with my doctor for yesterday afternoon.  Seems I might have strep throat but we won't get the culture results for another day.  So.... as strep is contageous I have been in isolation in my house.  There are times when I don't mind being in isolation, but when it is mandatory all of a sudden all I want to do is go out. I'm currently on 1500 mg of antibiotic per day and I can honestly say I am feeling somewhat better.  My throat still hurts, but no longer feels like I am swallowing razor blades, perhaps dull razor blades but no longer the sharp ones.  A step in the right direction I suppose.

So as I have been napping and reading the newspaper on line. Daytime TV plain sucks, so that was out early on.  I did try to watch CNN and some other news channels, but they are still going on about the death of Tim Russert.  Please don't get me wrong, I was very surprised to learn of his death last Friday, and I really feel for his family, but 5 days of continuing news coverage is getting to be a bit much.  I then tried to catch up on what is going on in Orlando, since that is where I live.  The headlines for today in the on-line version of the Orlando Sentinel:  Shaquille O'Neal (yes from the NBA) is proposing a plan to help bail out homeowners who are about to lose their homes because of this whole mortage fiasco.  He wants to use his own money by buying the homes and then sell them back to the owners with a more affordable house payment.  The article states that he would only make a "small" profit on each home.(WTF???); A man was arrested in Southwest Orlando for stealing gas.  Now that in and of itself is not too surprising these days given the price of gas and the current economic condition, BUT this Rhodes Scholar was putting the gas in an 800 gallon tank that was on the back of a covered pick up truck and he was doing it in broad daylight.  Talk about screaming to get caught!  And finally a small aircraft landed in the median on I-95 in Volusia County.  Closed the interstate down, no one was hurt and the article did not go into any details of why the aircraft landed there.  No mention of mechanical failure or anything.  Hmm... Yes, you guessed it a VERY slow news day in Orlando.  But then again they generally are.

I'm about to go nuts and I have one more day stuck in isolation.  Perhaps tomorrow I will drag myself outside for some fresh air and a nice long walk.  At least I am able to work from home. 

From the sick ward... have a great night!

9:50 AM - 7 Comments - 6 Kudos - Add Comment

Pets
Current mood: sad
Category: Pets and Animals

I found this excerpt on a website and it had me in tears.  This is not for everyone, but then again not everything is meant for everyone.  Hopefully this will get you thinking. 

THE LAST KITTEN:
AN OPEN LETTER TO A BACKYARD BREEDER

Excerpt From "God's Unwanted Angels" By Anne Nason.


Your cat just had its second litter of the year. This time it wasn't so bad. She only had three this time, and they were all adopted, so it was no big deal. The first time she gave birth to five. You're going to make sure you find good homes for the kittens this time too. You let your friends and family know that you have three kittens that need homes, but no one seems interested. You put an ad in the local paper, but you've been told about "free to good home" ads. You've heard about the horrible things that have happened to kittens and puppies whose owners gave them away to unscrupulous people, and they are your cat's babies. You don't want them sold to be used for research or worse. You decide to charge a fee for the adoption, but not too much. Still no one calls about the kittens. You ask around your neighborhood to see if someone might take one of them off your hands, but most of your neighbors already have pets, and some just aren't interested. The kittens are starting to grow fast, and you know you have to find homes soon.

One day one of your daughter's friends persuades her parents to let her have one of the kittens. So now you only have two to think about. The second one goes to a friend of yours, but her teenagers who said they'd be responsible for the kitten didn't bother to take it for vaccinations, and the kitten got sick and died. You've tried everyone you can think of, but no one wants a kitten, so finally you decide to take the last kitten to the local shelter. A lot of people find pets for their kids there, and he's a pretty little cat, so you know someone will take him. You feel kind of guilty taking him to a shelter, but it's not your fault she had another litter. You start thinking maybe you should get her spayed. When you drop the kitten off at the shelter, he's scared and meowing pitifully, but he'll be adopted. You walk out the door. He's someone else's problem now.

The shelter is full of cats and kittens of various ages, all scared and desperately wanting to escape. Your kitten is put into a cage with others all trying to get out when the door opens. He waits, but no one comes for him. He hides at the back of the cage, not understanding why he's there. A calico kitten is taken out of the cage and handed to a little girl. The cage door shuts again, and they walk away. Someone will come to take him soon. He waits and waits, but no one comes.

Finally his time is up. He's taken from the cage and brought to the room where his short life will end. He's held down so he can be injected. He's terrified and desperately crying out for help that never comes. He gasps for air, and finally his little heart stops. Another one of God's little angels that will never know love or a happy home, all because you didn't think it was important enough to have his mother spayed.

4:10 PM - 6 Comments - 8 Kudos - Add Comment

The Sounds of Morning
Category: Life

For as long as I can remember I have always liked waking up early, watching the sunrise and listening to the world wake up.  Although with my crazy schedule it only leaves Sunday where I can indulge myself this luxury.

This morning I woke up at 6:00am to the sound of birds chirping in the tree outside my bedroom window.  Believe it or not, even though it is the end of April the weather is still nice enough here in Florida that I have not closed up the house and turned on the air conditioner.  That day is coming soon, it is just not today.  So after feeding the cats, I started brewing the coffee, came out to the living room, opened the blinds and lit a candle.  (It's a Yankee Candle - Midsummer's Night fragrance.  Very clean, and reminds me of a mans cologne - the subtle, non-overpowering kind of mans cologne where you can only tell he is wearing it if you are close enough to him.) 

Outside, the birds continue to chirp added to that the cooing of a morning dove and church bells from the Catholic Church down the street.  In the distance a train has just gone by.  Mind you the closest train tracks are about 2-3 miles from my house, amazing what you can hear before all the everyday urban noise kicks in.  I just sit and listen, getting ready for my day to unfold.  In about 15 minutes (8:00 am) I will head out to the gym for a 2 hour workout, and then carry on the rest of the day.  Until then, I will sit and listen while drinking my coffee.

The quiet Sunday morning ritual is also best played out when I go camping.  Getting up before anyone else, brewing the coffee on a camp stove (why is it the coffee always tastes better from a camp stove?), and finding a large shade tree to sit under.  Of course watching the sunrise on the beach is also a favorite.  Florida beaches are always too crowded during the day, but in the early morning, they are barren of people and the sound of the water, sandpipers and sea gulls is very relaxing.

Good morning!  Welcome to Sunday!

4:53 AM - 5 Comments - 6 Kudos - Add Comment

Where do you live?

Someone is looking to move and is asking about the City where you live. What do you tell them? Would you recommend your City and proceed to tell them all the great things about your City? Or do you hesitate and be vague with your answer?

For the past 22 years I have lived in Orlando, or in the Orlando area. I have seen Central Florida grow leaps and bounds and not always for the better, most of the growth has been what I called unchecked. Spotty development causing urban sprawl beyond belief. But there are pockets of Orlando that are well done, like my little corner of the world College Park. Lately, however I have been toying with the idea of moving, just don't know where I want to move to. With my job, as long as I have a high speed internet connection, good cell phone coverage and close proximity to a major airport, I can pretty much work anywhere - which helps tremendously. It would be easy to pack up and leave. Don't own my own house, have no children and not in a relationship of any kind.

So tell me about where you live. What makes it great? Would you recommend your City to someone contemplating a move? Be honest.

3:20 PM - 7 Comments - 6 Kudos - Add Comment

A Five Question Interview of Yours Truly
Category: Life

Earlier this week I was reading a blog by a friend, Big Breck Blonde, where she had answered questions posed to her by another friend on MySpace. At the end of the blog she asked if there were readers willing to do the same thing, this time she would be the one asking the questions. All someone had to do was tell her they were willing to take the challenge. So, I took the challenge. Normally I would not do something like this, mainly becuase I'm not one to talk about myself. But then I realized by not sharing things about me, how in the hell would anyone really get to know the real me? Sort of a catch 22, the need to keep private along with the need to allow others to get to know me.

Anyway, the questions and associated answers below are what came out of the challenge. I must warn you, this is LONG. If you are reading this at night, go grab a beer (or four) from the fridge, you'll need them. And if you are reading this in the morning, bring the whole pot of coffee along for the ride. Most of all, enjoy. I hope at the end of this, you know me a little better.

1. Tell me about running marathons. What motivated you to run that first one and which one has been your favorite. What is your dream marathon?
Running marathons, as anyone who has completed one will tell you, is simply crazy!  To make your body endure 26.2 miles of running/walking is not natural, but the high you get when you are done is like nothing you can describe. 

My motivation for starting running stemmed from a side effect from my chemotherapy treatments.  Towards the end of the 12 weeks of chemo, the large muscle groups became weak, which is a common side effect.  It got to the point where walking up a flight of stairs was difficult. That was very frustrating for me since I had always been a very active person.  But, I figured it was a small price to pay for getting my life back.  Anyway, when the treatments were over I still had to be careful to avoid getting sick.  The chemo wears down the immune system making you vulnerable to germs.  Under my doctors advisement I was unable to get back into the gym to start weight lifting and aerobics again until my immune system had some time to recover.  There was a middle school close to where I lived at the time, and they had an outdoor track.  I used to run track in high school, so I thought I would start there. 

At first it was so awkward running, I felt like such an uncoordinated fool out there.  Not to mention, I could hardly run 30 seconds without being winded.  The lungs are also affected by the chemo, and most people will lose lung capacity.  But I stuck with it, and soon was able to get around the track once (1/4 mile).  After a while I was hooked on running.  After several months of running around a track, I thought I would try to train for a ½ marathon.  There is a local running store here in Orlando, Track Shack, which also operates training programs for runners.  They offer training for 5K, ½ marathons and marathon.  So I signed up for the ½ marathon training program.  My first ½ marathon was the Disney ½.  Needless to say after crossing that finish line, I was hooked! 

The following training season I signed up for the marathon training program and chose The Disney Marathon as the one I would train for.  I LOVED IT!  I have completed The Disney Marathon, The San Diego Rock and Roll Marathon as well as the New York City Marathon.

It is hard to pick which one is my favorite, The Disney Marathon is an excellent one to do and one I would recommend to anyone who is running their first one.  The course is flat, it is extremely well organized (the same people who I train with organize this marathon – they do a phenomenal job), and it is fun. You run through the Theme Parks while they are closed to the public, and there are Disney Characters all around!  Where else can you run 13.1 miles and have Donald and Daisy Duck greet you at the finish line?  Where else can you run 26.2 miles and have Mickey and Minnie Mouse greet you at the finish line?

Then there is the San Diego Rock and Roll Marathon.  First, San Diego is beautiful, so that lends itself well to a marathon.  It is an entertaining marathon, literally, as there bands playing at almost every mile marker.  Not a marathon you want to do for a personal best.  I also signed up for this one as it gave me a good excuse to go visit one of my favorite people in this world, Brad. 

Finally, there is the New York City Marathon.  The course takes you through parts of NYC that a typical tourist/visitor would not get to see.  All five Burroughs, NYC firefighters scattered throughout the course (what is it about firefighters that makes them so damn sexy?)  The last 2 miles (could be less) takes you through Central Park with the finishing line by Tavern on the Green.  Well that is how the course was configured back in 2002.  Awesome course, awesome run!

I think I have several more marathons in me somewhere.  I want to run the Chicago Marathon and the Marine Corps Marathon.  Chicago because I have never been to the City and I have heard the course is pretty fast.  And the Marine Corps Marathon – uniformed Marine Cadets lining the course with one putting the finisher's medal around your neck.  Need I say more? I think the Marine Corps Marathon is my dream marathon.

2. In your experience, what is the most insensitive or idiotic thing people say and/or do to people who have cancer... and maybe cancer survivors, too, if there's one that stands out for the long haul. What advice would you give people with no clue in this department?

I think most of the idiotic or insensitive things people say and/or do simply stems from not understanding or being afraid. My advice - Don't treat the person any different than you would have prior to them being diagnosed with cancer.  If you have questions, ask them if it would be okay to ask the questions.  Most people are willing to explain and talk about their cancer, plus it helps them to deal with the situation as well.  What ever you do don't avoid them.  This is the time they need their friends and family the most.  Not everything needs to be centered around the cancer either.  Go over to their house, have a movie night, cook dinner, have a Sunday brunch.  Just don't drop off the face of the earth; they need to know you are still there for them.

3. What was the subject of your last painting? What inspired you to paint it?

I'm not sure I even remember the last time I picked up a paint brush, seems so long ago.  The subject of my last painting was a male cardinal.  Nature inspires me in so many ways, so I guess it was the surroundings this cardinal was in that captured my attention.  He was sitting on a bare branch in a leaf barren tree.  It was winter, and the stark contrast between the bright red of the bird, the amazingly blue sky, and the leaf bare tree was very interesting.  Needless to say the bird did not sit still for the entire painting, so most of it was painted from memory.  I'm an observer, and can remember details and see things that most people would overlook, so the painting turned out pretty well.  I don't have my paintings displayed in my house though.  I am also a very private person, and my art is very private to me, so very few people have seen the paintings, drawings, etc. 

4. This is a two parter: How did you end up in Orlando and do you love or hate Walt Disney?

I moved to Florida after my freshman year in college, it was 1986.  My step-father had accepted a job in Orlando and my mom called one evening while I was in my dorm room and wanted to know if I wanted to move with them to Florida.  I was looking out my dorm room window at all the snow on the ground and the snow falling from the sky (I grew up in Nebraska and was attending Kearney State College in Central Nebraska), and told her to please pack my stuff and "hell yes, I'll move".  So I moved down in May of 1986 and later that summer my step-father accepted another job, this one was in New York.  I decided to stay behind.  Everything I owned fit into the backseat of my 1985 Chevette.  There are times when I can't stand it down here, and unfortunately those times are getting closer and closer together so it might be time to move again.  Just don't know where.  But then when it is January and the rest of the country is buried under snow, or stuck in a freezer, I'm still taking my nightly walks outside with only a light jacket.  Any suggestions on places to live?

As for Walt Disney World, it is a love/hate relationship.  On the one hand I love the mouse.  Professionally, Disney has done well by me.  I have been handling all their environmental challenges (wetland related and permit related) for the past 14 years, so I can't complain there.  I used to also work for the "Mouse House", Walt Disney Imagineering to be precise, in the Environmental Permitting Section.  I was there for 4 years.  I do enjoy going to the parks, a great escape from reality when needed.

On the other hand I hate Disney.  With all the folks coming down to visit the parks, traffic is horrendous on that section of I-4.  Not to mention all the other service industry jobs Disney brought to the area.  Hotels, restaurants, etc, those aren't the most highly paid jobs so our local economy is severely affected when tourism dips.  Florida as a whole has not done a good job of attracting different industry, so tourism it is.  That part I don't like. 

5. On the topic of people and their pets, tell me five things you've noticed about them while working in veterinary medicine, good or bad.

Oh where to start on this question.  I will more than likely stray off course and circle back around to the answer, so bear with me.

First, I have to point out the challenge that is Veterinary medicine.  When you take your animal to see the doctor, not only are you seeing a physician, but you are seeing a dentist, a radiologist, pharmacist, and a counselor.  And it is no different with the technicians that assist.  Nine times out of ten, the technicians are the ones performing the dentals, including extractions (if any), they are the ones taking the radiographs should your pet need them, they are the ones preparing your animal for surgery (placing IV catheters, monitoring them under anesthesia and recovering the animal after surgery)  they are the ones interpreting the doctors handwriting to fill the prescriptions for your animal and they are the ones who are educating you on the administration of the medications, teaching you about proper nutrition for your pet, and offering a gentle touch and a caring ear when something happens to your beloved pet.  Oh, and we also take care of the animals that are hospitalized, making sure medications are administered on time, making sure their vital statistics are stable, observing them all day and telling a doctor when something does not look, feel or sound correct.  And in my case, I make sure I take time out every time I am there to provide extra TLC, people don't visit them as often when they are in the hospital like they do if it is a human loved one.  (Something to think about.) Being a veterinary technician is a huge responsibility, and I really wish there was more regulation in the field making it mandatory that technicians be certified/licensed.  (Of course that would put me out of a job, but I would be fine with that if the regulation was there.)

Okay, off the soap box. For the five things:

1. Education.  I spend more time educating people about the proper care of their animals.  No, you should not feed a bird chicken.  Yes, you do need to be firm with your dog to let it know you are the "alpha dog" in the house.  I find it AMAZING that people bring an animal into the house without any type of research.  For instance, if you live in a small house or apartment, work a lot and don't have too much free time, I would more than likely not recommend you get a large breed dog such as a Rhodesian Ridgeback or a high energy dog such as a Golden Retriever.

2. Basic care.  A lot of this goes back to education. One of the other things I find amazing is that people will spend thousands of dollars on a pure bred dog, and then complain about the costs of annual shots.

3. Connection.  One of the really neat things I see is the connection people have with their animals.  For the most part people really want to do what is right for their pets to make sure they get good quality care.  I love seeing that human animal bond.

4.TRAINING.  This one is geared more towards the dogs.  When it takes four technicians to restrain a dog for a simple nail trim, yeah there is an issue there.

5. End of life issues.  This one is split.  I have assisted with more euthanasia's than I care to admit, and let me tell you it never gets easier.  Especially if it is for an animal that has been coming to the clinic for a long time.  I get to know the animals very well, so when one of them is euthanized, it affects me as if it were one of my own.  There are some owners who chose to be present during the procedure, and we are always careful to allow them all the time they want to spend those last minutes with their beloved animal.  Then there are some owners who chose not to be present.  (I never judge anyone about this since it is such a personal thing and everyone needs to deal with it in their own way.)  If the owner chooses to not be present, then I am the one that will hold the animal during the procedure.  I fell that the animal needs to know that there is someone holding them that cared about them, at least that is my thought.  Each life is precious and each end of life needs to be treated with respect and dignity.

I am going to end this answer on a very sobering topic that I feel very strongly about. In this country there are 575 companion animals euthanized in shelters across the country EVERY HOUR.  Yes, you read that correctly, EVERY HOUR of EVERY DAY.  We euthanize MILLIONS of animals each year.  Why?  Simple – over population.  Spaying and neutering our animals would eliminate the over population issue.  Not to mention a "fixed" animal enjoys a longer, healthier life.  Spaying a female animal reduces her risk of uterine, ovarian and mammary gland cancer.  Neutering a male animal eliminates their risk of testicular cancer, typically calms them down making them less aggressive, and causes them not to roam.  I am also a huge proponent of adopting from a local animal shelter.  There are so many dogs and cats out there in shelters that need a good home and a second chance at a happy life in a loving home.

I hope you are still with me after those answers.  Perhaps you know me a little better.  If there is anything I have left out, or if there is something you would like to know about me, feel free to ask.
 
Now if you'd like to play along, please follow these instructions:
1. Leave me a comment saying "interview me."
2. I will respond by e-mailing you five questions. I get to pick the questions.
3. You will update your blog (so you have to have a blog) with a post containing your answers to the questions.
4. You will include this explanation and an offer to interview someone else in the same post.
5. When others comment asking to be interviewed, you will ask them five questions.

6:49 PM - 7 Comments - 6 Kudos - Add Comment

Saturdays

I work two jobs. For my full-time job I work for a national engineering firm in their computer software (compliance applications) division as a project manager. I have been at my full-time job for almost 11 years. During the week I put up with more than my fair share of pettiness and immaturity of co-workers that is equal to what you might find in high school.

For my part-time job, I work as a veterinary technician. There was a time I was studying to become a veterinarian, but life and other circumstances got in the way of that pursuit. The reason for getting the part-time job was to gain experience to help facilitate getting accepted into vet school. The reason for keeping the part-time job is for the pure love of the job and the fulfillment I get from knowing I am doing something that actually makes a difference in the lives of the patients I care for. For those who know me, they know animals are my passion. I have loved the vet tech job for the past 4 years. I took some time off towards the end of 2007 from the tech job and today was my first Saturday back in 6 weeks. Today, I rediscovered why I love the job. We had several animals hospitalized for various reasons. There was a female dog by the name of Darcy. She had major surgery on her back left leg earlier in the week and was scheduled to go home today. I was told by several of the other technicians that Darcy is a "screamer" and could get a little difficult to handle. I quickly learned she was not fond of the leash when I was getting her ready to go outside this morning. So I tossed the leash aside and gently picked her up and carried her outside to go to the bathroom. When she was finished I carefully picked her up again and carried her inside. I then sat with her on the floor, her comfortable in my lap while one of the other technicians reconnected her to her fluids. Not a peep out of Darcy. When her owners came later that morning to take her home, I again sat with her on the floor, placed her in my lap while one of the other technicians disconnected her from her fluids and pulled the catheter. Again, not a peep out of her. She really was not a difficult patient as I had been told, she just needed a little extra attention to keep her calm and give her a sense of comfort.

The other patient that stands out from today was a small 15-year old female cat by the name of Sydney. A very sweet, petite cat that you just could not help but open her cage door and give her scratches on her neck. She was hospitalized for renal failure as well as thyroid disease. She too was on fluids. Her owner came in and sat with her for over an hour. He is an older gentlemen, well not really that much older than me, and he was in tears when he was visiting with her. Very obvious how much he loves his "little girl". To see him so emotional over her was pretty overwhelming for me. By the time he left, Sydney was sitting at the front of the cage, purring and looking out, looking for her "dad". So I came over, opened her cage door and continued to scratch her neck, and she continued to purr. After a while she wondered back to the back of the cage and made herself comfortable on the pile of pillows that had been placed in there for her. We like to give the felines, especially the older ones, very soft comfortable places to sleep and rest.

No matter what goes on during the week at my full-time job, with all the garbage, complaining, and pettiness I deal with from co-workers, my Saturday job is my reality check. It is what comforts me. It is what keeps me going. It makes everything else fade away. As long as that continues, I will keep the part-time job. Some people don't understand why I keep the job. But they don't need to. Because I know why I keep it and that is all that really matters.

6:44 PM - 13 Comments - 12 Kudos - Add Comment

Fall Tradition
Category: Sports

Can You Smell It?

It's in the air. There is a slight shift in the angle of the sun and the shadows are getting longer on the sidewalk. In the distance you can hear high school marching bands beginning to practice. In Florida this can only mean one thing - FOOTBALL!

Ahhhh, the sound of beer bottles being opened, the doorbell ringing with the delivery of pizza from Alfonso's. The various college flags being brought out for another season, though my neighbor Jon keeps his Auburn flag up year round. I think I might even hang my Nebraska Huskers flag this year.

In Florida the only chill in the air around football Season is the chill you get when you open your fridge door for another cold one. None the less, another season of football is upon us. College ball begins the last weekend in August. Pro ball pre-season starts this weekend. Actually, pro ball pre-season starts this week on Thursday (I'm not counting the Pro Football Hall of Fame Game that took place on the 5th of August) with Indianapolis at Dallas.

I'll be rooting for the same teams I have been rooting for for years. For college, I am a die hard Nebraska Huskers fan. Not the same club it was when Osborne was the coach, but I continue to have hope. For the pro's, it's the Denver Broncos (still miss Elway) and the Jacksonville Jaguars. Been a Jags fan since the NFL expanded back in 1995.

But, if the teams I like are not playing on TV on any particular Saturday or Sunday, or even Monday, I'll still watch. I am an equal opportunity football watcher. The season is way too short, so I have to soak up as much as I can. Soon enough hockey season will be upon us. Ahh.... another blog for another time.

8:44 PM - 3 Comments - 2 Kudos - Add Comment

Random Thoughts from an Over Tired Mind

Funny how the mind works when there are too many things going on at once and nothing going on at all.

I am at day two of post-diagnosis for the sore right ankle. From my previous blog, I mentioned I rolled it during the landing portion of my tandem jump. Well, after several days of not taking care of it like I should have (with all the activities surrounding the weekend, it was hard to actually sit and do nothing), I made an appointment with my podiatrist. A wonderful doctor (Dr. Wagner) who knows my history very well, not to mention getting me through all my running adventures. Anyway, after four radiographs, it was determined the ankle was not broken. Good news for me. But, it is moderatley sprained, so I have it wrapped for the next two weeks, need to keep it elevated and iced. I am "supposed to" curtail the activity level, so I dropped the daily mileage from little over 5 miles to little under 3 miles. He did tell me no more skydiving until it is healed properly. Though he never mentioned anything about not going to the wind tunnel. Hmm...

Speaking of skydiving and flying in the tunnel, I have decided that will be my next venture. Since I have not been in school, I have all this free time on my hands, and I am about to climb the walls with all this idleness. An idle Lisa is NEVER a good thing, EVER! Going to follow through on my commitment to myself to become a member of the TPM as well as save my money to complete the AFF course. Yes, for those wondering, Austin has created a monster. Though it was not too hard to do. Besides, what are friends for?

Then there is the running program I am going to join in October. I have not been able to run in the mornings this week because of the ankle, but it should not be long before I can get back at that. Need to get those other marathons and 1/2 marathons I want to do checked off the list. And the cross training will be good. Adds a little variety to the mix.

Man, I should have never have eaten that piece of chocolate cake for dinner, followed by a couple peanutbutter cups. Too much sugar coupled with the extra energy I have to burn, is a dangerous combination. The best part of being an adult is making the decision to eat chocolate cake for dinner and there is no one around to tell you no.

I am working on day three of less than normal sleep. Started Sunday night with a late night call from my friend Brad in California. Called to tell me he was on a week long bike ride (pedal, not motor) across the state of Iowa which is why he was not there for the celebration weekend. He also let it slip in there that he and his team played pace group for a day to Lance Armstrong who was also taking part in the ride. Brad knows how much I like Lance. Then came the call Monday night/Tuesday morning at about 2am. Long story with this one. But after that call I was unable to get back to sleep. Reminds me of my college days, when I would go on little to no sleep. And here I am Tuesday night, not tired, and needing to get up at work tomorrow.

End of random tired thoughts. Must... get... some... sleep... or something.

7:46 PM - 6 Comments - 4 Kudos - Add Comment

Day One of a Three Day Celebration!

Jumping from 13,500 feet!

Talk about an excellent way to "jump" into the next decade of life! There is nothing quite like jumping from an airplane from 13,500 feet. Nothing.

Wednesday evening (July 25th) Austin and I drove to Sebastian for the night. We checked into the hotel and then proceeded to dinner. Dinner was at a place called Captain Hiram's. Excellent seafood, even better atmosphere. The restaurant sits next to the Indian River, which is only separated from the Atlantic Ocean by a small strip of land. The river front restaurant is where we ate dinner. The whole back wall of the place is open so you can feel the warm breeze. There are cieling fans overhead to help circulate the air. We got there before sunset, and was able to see the transition from day into dusk, the pink and blue hues were beautiful. At one point there were some dolphin swimming close to the restaurant, and the patrons were pulling out the cameras taking photos and rushing to the side of the restaurant to get a good look. Tourists! For dinner, we started out with two appetizers (Buffalo style boneless chicken tenders and tomatoe slices with fresh mozzerela cheese and fresh basil). For dinner, Austin chose the steamed King Crab legs and I had the crab suffed shrimp. Each were wonderful.

After dinner we went back to the hotel. There was an attempt to watch TV, however Austin had a couple very long days as did I, so I think both of us were asleep by 10:00pm.

The next morning the alarm went off at 6:30am, though I had been tossing and turning all night, so I was already awake. We got up, got ready and went to Skydive Sebastian for my first ever skydive. Of course I did the tandem jump. We could not have picked a better morning to do this. The sky was a clear blue, the sun was shining and on the ground it was HOT. When we got there, there were already other folks there interested in a tandem jump. I was surprised at that, given it was a Thursday morning, and still pretty early (if you consider 9am early). We all got checked in, filled out the necessary paperwork, one page of personal information and about 3 pages (front and back) of a legal waiver that needed to be initialed at every paragraph. I thought it interesting, however the drop zone does need to cover itself. Let's face it, skydiving is not something to jump into lightly (no pun intended). With all the paperwork filled out, all that was needed was for me to be assigned a tandem instructor and cameraman. During the wait, I met someone else who was also celebrating her birthday. She was turning 45. We ended up on the same load, so that was pretty cool.

At 15 minutes before the load was to go up, my tandem instructor came over, introduced himself to me and got me into the harness that would eventually be hooked to him for the jump. At 5 minutes before the load was to go up, we all filed out to the airplane. Interestingly enough the plane we were getting into was from Skydive Deland. Hmm.... We all climbed aboard. Austin was on the load with me. After a few seconds, the engines kicked in (I love the smell of jet fuel - says a lot about me right there), and we were off. No turning back now. However, to tell the truth, I was not nervous, no butterflies and no second thoughts. I found that to be interesting in itself, given my fear of heights. Though I am a HUGE adrenalin junkie, so that may explain it.

The climb to altitude was fast! The scenery was breathtaking. Then the side door was opened. It is pretty chilly up there, but given it was so bloody hot on the groud, it was a nice change. I think Austin left the plane first, followed by the other tandem group (three people - the tandem instructor, the cameraman and the tandem jumper). Then came my turn. Needless to say, trying to walk to the back of the plane, crouched low, with a person hooked onto your back and a parachute strapped to his back, was awkward at best! However, we did eventually make it to the open door. The cameraman was already on the side of the plane waiting for us. In a count of three we were out and in free fall. I have never experienced anything like that before! EVER! There are no words to describe it! It was freakin fantastic! I am not sure how long we stayed in free fall. The view was spectacular. The cameraman kept trying to get my attention but I was too interested in looking all around me. I think I smiled, waved and gave the thumbs up several times, but not certain. At 5,000 feet the instructor waved off, and deployed the parachute. Then it was a nice glide down to earth from there. Under canopy, it is extremely quiet and peaceful. Again, I was amazed at the scenery. I just kept looking around in awe!

As we approached the landing area, my instructor told me to keep my legs together, knees bent and as close to me as possible. He also stated he would tell me whether to stand or sit upon landing. We ended up doing neither. He did tell me to sit, however I did not react soon engouh and the landing was rough. We did a PLF landing, my right ankle got rolled under me at some point. It was not pretty at all. And the camera caught the whole thing, GREAT! I was fine, little bruised with a few grass stains on my side as well as on my jeans. For those who skydive often, who have perfected the landing standing up, my hats off to you! That cannot be easy. Of course I believe with a tandem, the landings are even more difficult. You have someone hooked to you in the front who has NO IDEA what they are in for upon landing, and as an instructor, you are navigating the parachute, and trying to get two people down as safely as possible. Not an easy task. So for you tandem instructors, again, hats off to you.

Austin was waiting in the landing area. We walked back to the hanger together. I was limping, I think I sprained my ankle. Nothing some Aleve can't take care of. All in all a WONDERFUL experience!

After the jump, and while waiting for the DVD to be put together, Austin and I opened a bottle of champagne that we had stashed in one of the coolers at the DZ. I shared it with Allison (she was the person on the load with me who was also celebrating her birthday). By the time the DVD and CD of stills were ready, the bottle was empty and it was time to head back to Orlando.

Would I do the skydiving thing again? ABSOLUTELY! But I think I'll save my money and do the AFF courses.

So, that was the first part of my day. The second part of the day, I'll write about later. I will give you a hint. It was dinner at Disney's Victoria and Albert's.

6:08 AM - 7 Comments - 6 Kudos - Add Comment