Insert 2 night stay at my own apartment (8/3-8/5)

The next phase of my summer travel adventure was a visit to my best friend from high school and her husband.  They were married last year in a very small, private ceremony and decided to throw a BBQ reception to celebrate with everyone around their 1 year anniversary.  We started the long weekend with a mock bachelorette party, continued the fun by making way too many kinds of cupcakes, and ended the weekend with a pretty awesome BBQ.  I had a really great time.

Insert 2 night stay at my own apartment (8/8-8/10)

The last phase of my whirlwind summer travels was a visit with the Captain and his family.  I packed a suitcase, stopped by a bakery to pick up some cupcakes (even though the mere thought of cupcakes at that point in time was enough to make me want to jam forks in my eyes), and hit the road again.  The Captain and I spent some quality time with his family, ate a ton of great food, visited my favorite city, attended a family wedding, and attended the family picnic.  Since the wedding was the Captain’s dad’s family and the picnic was the Captain’s mom’s family, we literally saw EVERYONE in one weekend.  I had more fun than I could ever describe in words.

I got back to my apartment around 9:00pm last night and I was met at the door by my two very happy cats.  They haven’t left me alone since the moment I walked in the door.  Left Side Friend made sure they had food and water every day, but I guess no one can replace me in their eyes!

That brings me to the present.  Classes start on 9/2 so I have just over 2 weeks left in my summer of reading and relaxation.  I just renewed this domain, etc. so I’m hoping to get back into the normal swing of posting when I get back to the grind.  Time to get back to my books!

I met my canine helper, a very sweet golden retriever named Remi, and her mom, an equally sweet human.  I started telling my first of four groups of kids and their grandparents about physical exams and how important the physical is to veterinarians.  About halfway through my third group, I realized how many times I was telling the kids to feel for lumps or bumps on Remi or to move their fingers a certain way to find a lymph node.  It really started to sink in that my hands will be my greatest tool in this profession.

After telling the kids to examine the dog “nose to toes”, I started paying more attention to the way I’ve trained myself to conduct a physical exam.  The actions that seem like second nature to me were quite tough for 8-13 years olds to grasp.  I think trying to explain things to kids is the ultimate exercise in client communication.  It was so rewarding to teach them how to put a stethoscope in their ears properly and see their eyes light up when they managed to find their own heart.  Even the grandparents were excited to listen to themselves and to Remi.

As much as I know the program was for the benefit of the children and their grandparents, I can’t help but think that I got as much out of it as they did.  It’s not every day that I get to teach children what to look for in a dog’s ears and where to find the place on the chest where the dog’s heart sounds the loudest.  It’s days like today that remind me that I’ve chosen the right profession.

1. Dead in the Family by Charlaine Harris
2. The Jungle by Upton Sinclair
3. The White Mare by Jules Watson
4. The Dawn Stag by Jules Watson
5. Sabriel by Garth Nix (re-read)
6. Lirael by Garth Nix (re-read)
7. Abhorsen by Garth Nix (re-read)
8. Grave Sight by Charlaine Harris
9. Grave Surprise by Charlaine Harris
10. An Ice Cold Grave by Charlaine Harris
11. Grave Secret by Charlaine Harris
12. The Heat of the Moon by Sandra Parshall
13. Disturbing the Dead by Sandra Parshall
14. When the Wind Blows by James Patterson
15. Catnapped by Gabriella Herkert

I found 12, 13, and 14 by doing keyword searches at the library for fiction books with veterinarians as main characters.  I have really enjoyed Ms. Parshall’s work but it seems she has taken some liberties with the veterinary profession.  The main character, Rachel Goddard, was 26 when she was first introduced and at that point she was already established working in a clinic  and had completed a 6 month (I didn’t know there was such a thing…) internship after graduation.  Unless Dr. Goddard skipped a grade or two, it would be pretty unbelievable to make it that far into the veterinary profession by 26.  It’s a small point but what can I say?  It didn’t stop me from reading both books and checking out the 3rd in the series.  I guess I still got hooked on the story.

When When the Wind Blows came up under the same keyword search, I knew that I had to read it right away.  I’ve felt a bit inadequate as a modern book-lover having never read a James Patterson.  After all, the man plays poker with a bunch of other authors on the show Castle on ABC.  Even though the book was written in the 90s and there were references to the Rosie O’Donnell show, the veterinarian, Dr. Frannie O’Neill, was very well-written.  Truth be told, I could actually picture some of the vets I have met over the years taking her place at certain points throughout the story.  It was also nice to read a book that could stand alone.  I feel as though I am getting sucked into a lot of trilogies or full-blown series.

That brings my grand total up to 15 books in 46 days.  At just under 1/3 book per day, I think that’s pretty respectable.  Or nerdy.  You pick.

In other news, I had a great time with my future in-laws last weekend at the wedding shower I mentioned.  As I imagined, it was a little different to be there without the Captain, but that wasn’t necessarily a bad thing.  I went out for dinner with the Captain’s younger sisters (college freshman and sophomore) and I couldn’t help but think about how much they’ve changed in the time I’ve been seeing the Captain.  The first time I met them, they were 8 and 9, respectively.  Now they both have boyfriends.  I feel old.  I can’t imagine what I’ll feel when they get engaged and start planning weddings.  Luckily that day is several years away!

And now it’s time to get back to my book.

Even though the big day won’t happen until soon after I graduate with my DVM in 2012, I’ve been thinking about colors and themes and dresses and venues quite a bit this summer.  I suppose planning is just in my nature.  The Captain and I decided on a color, sapphire blue.  I told all of my veterinary friends that the color is “Blasto Blue,” named for the shade of my favorite fungus, Blastomyces dermatitidis, on cytology slides.

Aside from the color, the Captain and I have only really agreed on one other thing.  No animals and no airplanes.  That’s not to say that he can’t have a Cessna-shaped Groom’s cake or that I have to sit down when my classmates try to reenact the “horse hindgut tai chi” routine.  It would just be too hard to fully integrate our two professions.  My bridal magazines aren’t exactly bursting with ideas on how to merge intestinal foreign bodies and ground reference maneuvers into a fun shower game.  I’m sure our personalities will be apparent in whatever we end up putting together.

I have a rough idea of when we can actually start planning, and it doesn’t start until next spring.  After waiting all of this time, the fact that I will soon be waist-deep in wedding preparations in less than a year is almost mind-numbing.  I’m going to spend the night with my future in-laws tomorrow because we’re going to a wedding shower on Saturday for the Captain’s cousin.

I haven’t seen my future mother-in-law since the Captain and I announced our engagement and I’m really looking forward to talking weddings with her.  She used to be a seamstress and she has been around wedding dresses her whole life.  Coincidentally, the dress is the one purchase I am most excited about making.  I am definitely getting a great mother-in-law.  I’ll just be sure to leave out the part about choosing a wedding color based on my favorite fungus.  Is it spring yet????

I got into town Thursday night and the Captain and I had dinner and relaxed.  He had a student to fly with in the morning so it was a pretty low key evening.  I read a book Friday morning while the Captain was at work.  I can’t describe how happy I was to see him walk in the door.  I think I really appreciate the tiny little things that most people take for granted.  I can’t wait until the Captain comes home and it’s MY home, too.  It was really really hot on Friday so we went out for lunch and saw a movie.

On Friday, we went to an air show at an airport about an hour away.  It was ridiculously hot again, but it was worth it for the Golden Knights and the Blue Angels.  We parked at a local high school and took a shuttle to the air show.  It seemed like a great system.  The show was great.  I’m always impressed by stunt pilots and aerobatics.  And even though I’ve seen the Knights and Angels before, I’m always awed by the things they can do.  Some of the Golden Knights had parachuted over 3,000 times.  That’s beyond impressive.

We decided to walk out to the shuttles to head back to the car as the Blue Angels were wrapping up their show.  We soon discovered that the great shuttle/parking system was beginning to fall apart.  There was a huuuuge group of people waiting on black asphalt for several poorly-marked buses all going to different places.  After about 30 minutes, I discovered that the large bottle of water I consumed an hour before and the cup I water I just finished were not enough to keep me adequately hydrated.  I was just telling the Captain that I was feeling light-headed and we started to walk back to the table to get more water.  He decided to walk me to the EMTs instead and it was a good thing he did, because the progression from light headed to seeing stars to muffled hearing to the ground is rather rapid.  I actually fainted from the heat.

Luckily, we were very close to the ambulances and the EMTs came over right away and one of them caught me before I hit the ground.  The Captain said that they were just getting the stretcher ready for me to sit on and down I went.  I woke up a few moments later in the back of the ambulance with several cold towels on me.  They put a pulse-0x on my finger and checked my blood pressure.  Luckily, they let the Captain in the ambulance, too.  I couldn’t believe I actually fainted.  After about 20 minutes, some water, and another blood pressure check, I was released from the ambulance for Vet Student vs. parking lot, round 2.  By that time, there was another ambulance to lean on (and some glorious shade) and they had set up another table with water right in front of where we were waiting.  The Captain managed to see a bus headed to our parking lot and we scooted to the front of the line.

I wasn’t too excited about the hour drive back to the Captain’s apartment, but the promise of a cool shower and air conditioning kept me going.  As the evening progressed, I felt better and better.  We had barbecue for dinner and I happily drank some sweet tea (and a whole lot more water).  We were going to go out with some of the Captain’s friends, but it seemed like a better idea to stay in.  I wouldn’t have been able to drink anyway.  Alcohol + dehydration aren’t a good combo.

I called my parents yesterday while I was waiting to board the plane home and they both freaked out about my fainting (but I wouldn’t expect anything different).  I learned that consuming almost nothing but caffeinated beverages leading up a day in extreme heat is not a good way to prevent fainting.  I’ve been drinking a lot of water and I plan to continue and cut down on some of the coffee and pop.  I certainly don’t want to faint again when I go to Atlanta at the end of next month.  I got back to my apartment around 9:30 last night and spent some time with the cats.  I don’t know what I’d do without them.  There is just something about a purring cat that makes being sad just a little less…sad.  I know I’ll start to feel better soon.  The first day apart is always the hardest.  The Captain gets a week off in August and that’s not too long to wait.  I just need to find something to do in the mean time because sitting here and wallowing isn’t healthy.  I guess I’ll be reading a lot more books and actually getting to the gym…

All of James’s lab values were within the normal range.  I expected this to be the case, but I would be lying by omission if I didn’t mention that some small part of me was hoping for a small abnormality that would help Dr. Wonderful make a diagnosis.  There are a few more tests that Dr. Wonderful mentioned, but I think I am going to hold off for now.  I’ll keep a close eye on James in the mean time.  I’m a veterinary student…I’ve always figured I’d have at least one pet develop a strange condition, I just had no idea it would happen so soon.

Since James seems to be out of danger for the time being, I’ve been free to think about the other things that are coming up this month.  I’m going to a wedding on Saturday with Best Friend and I think it’s going to be a really good time.  BF’s husband is out of town and the Captain couldn’t make it out here for the weekend so BF and I decided that we were each other’s date.  Since I drove to my parents’ house for Memorial Day weekend with the top down on the Jeep, I acquired some pretty funny tan lines that I tried to eliminate today.  I read outside for a while and when I came in, it looked like I had fixed my main problems.  However, my legs are flaming, lobster red starting 8 inches above my knees and ending on the tops of my feet.  Really, you’d think someone who grew up visiting a lake every weekend of her childhood would have more common sense when it comes to the sun…Aloe is my new best friend at the moment.

A week from Thursday, I’m flying down to visit the Captain.  I haven’t seen him since 3/11, which is the day after we got engaged.  To say that I’m excited would be a gross understatement.  I can’t wait. I smile whenever I think about seeing him, and I smile even brighter when I look at my engagement ring.  In less than two years, the Captain and I will share an address.  No more long distance, no more waiting months to see each other, no more scheduled phone dates…it will finally be our turn.  I bought a notebook today with a cover that matches out wedding color (Sapphire blue, or Blasto blue, to those of you in the veterinary world) to jot down my ideas for the big day.  What can I say?  I like making lists.

I should probably get to sleep at some point.  I’ve been staying up too late (as usual).  Actually, I think I’m going to read a bit more.  I’ve finished 3.5 books in 3 days at this point so I think I’ve finally hit my speed-reading stride.  I’ll fill you in on my conquests next time.  Goodnight moon.

I woke up to the sounds of one of my cats (James, 3 year old, MN DLH) having a what I could only assume was a seizure.  When I was 9 or 10 years old, I watched my dog have seizures almost every day and I saw a case of a cat with cluster seizures at the clinic where I worked 2 years ago.  James looked to be in a pretty similar state.

He seemed to come back to himself about 30 seconds after I started watching.  He got into a sternal position and was drooling something terrible and smelling of urine.  I’ve never seen pupils that large.  He shuffled out of the room and I watched him sit disoriented in the hallway until he came back and hid under my bed.  I gave him a moment and then laid down on the floor and he saw me and came out chirping and rubbing against my hands like nothing had happened.  He let me clean off his tail and wipe the drool off his chest and then went to watch the birds at the birdfeeder.

I have no idea what could have caused this seizure, but his behavior afterward makes me think that this has happened before.  I wrote this post at Thanksgiving.  Maybe it was more than just fear that was shaking the carrier.  Either way, I’m taking him to the vet on Monday to talk through some differentials and make sure he is OK.  We’ll go to the emergency clinic if it happens again before Monday.

I’m worried about my boy but I’m trying not to freak out too much.  I’m going to do everything I can for him.  Like I said, this was not how I wanted to start a Saturday.

Well, nerd or not, I’m going to be pretty busy on the weekends this month.  I’m going to a wedding on 6/12 and I offered to help the bride with any last minute preparations.  I’m going to visit the Captain from 6/17-6/20 and I am ridiculously excited.  I just booked my ticket tonight.  And then on 6/28, I’m going to the Captain’s cousin’s wedding shower.  I have to talk to my future mother-in-law to make sure we can go together.  That means I need to buy a wedding gift and a shower gift AND I need to figure out what I’m going to wear.  A woman’s work is never done.

Oh, and I had a birthday since the last time I posted.  I went to my parents’ house and we had a barbecue with my aunt and uncle and my cousin and her new husband.  It’s interesting to see how the family is changing now that there are people marrying into it.  I guess it comes with the territory.  I can’t stay young and naive forever.

Well, I’m off to bed.  I have a rigorous day of television and house cleaning scheduled tomorrow.  Oh, and I’m going to see my old coworkers.  At least there is something interesting going on.

My favorite thing to do at the library is play a game I like to call “Library Roulette.”  I walk rather aimlessly between shelves and look for book spines that catch my eye.  After about 3 minutes, I try to think of an author whose books are in my section.  That makes me focus a bit more on the titles and ultimately leads to my choosing a book.  I generally repeat this process two more times (I always seem to check out 3 books at once) and on more than one occasion, a librarian has to come over and ask if I need help finding something.  It’s all part of the game.

In my first round of Library Roulette, I was near the teen fiction section and decided to look for Garth Nix.  When Sabriel caught my eye, I new I had to read it again.  Once is just not enough for a story like that.  I turned around and found myself facing the adult sci-fi/fantasy section and The White Mare (Jules Watson) just about jumped off the shelf at me.  At last, I wandered through some rotating shelves of classics and Shakespeare caught my eye.  I spun the shelf while thinking about high school and my eyes settled on Upton Sinclair’s The Jungle.  And so began my summer reading.

I started with The Jungle, which was probably a poor stepping stone in the long run.  Since it is written using 1900s diction and grammar, it was very difficult for me to kick into my speed reading state of mind.  Nevertheless, I finally get to check it off my reading bucket list.

My next conquest was The White Mare.  It’s beautiful blue cover is what caught my eye on the shelf.  It’s a historical fiction set around 80AD in Scotland around the time when the Romans were invading to expand their empire.  I was amazed at how Watson was able to weave together a plotline with several threads, the development of multiple characters, and the intricate rites of the Scottish civilizations.  While it was a bit violent at times, I really had a hard time putting the book down.  I enjoyed it so much that I broke one of my library rules and went back to get the sequel, The Dawn Stag, before reading Sabriel.

I blame my intense thirst for literature for the fact that I’ve done almost nothing with the first two weeks of summer vacation.  I’m still waiting to hear back from my old clinic to see if they can use another assistant.  I’ve come to terms with the fact that I probably can’t sit at home and read all summer and I’d probably go nuts if I tried.

OK, time to tackle that office before I lose my edge!

I’ve spent the first two days of my break relaxing.  However, sitting on the couch and watching TV seems like such a stark contrast from what I was doing before that my body is really resisting this whole “do nothing” ordeal.  Monday and Tuesday were spent tackling gigantic messes in both the kitchen and the living room.  Today, I’m hoping to get my office squared away.  Course notes and shoes are literally covering the floor.  Before I get to work, I’m going to the local library to pick up some books.  I bought a book on Saturday on my way home from my last final and finished it Monday morning.  There is just something about reading for fun that makes me happy.  I spent the summer between my second and third year of college reading upwards of 3 books a week and since the library is so close to my apartment, I’m hoping I can do the same this summer.  Oh yeah, and I have to find a job.

We had a picnic on Sunday to celebrate finishing second year.  There was a contest for who could make a food item look the most like a pathology or parasitology specimen.  There were some strikingly accurate entries covering a wide range of pathologic conditions.  The winner for most accurate was a cake shaped like a liver with a bacterial infection that also had liver flukes.  Disgusting but quite tasty.  I made carrot cake in the shape of a liver with multiple abscesses and while I did not win in any of the pathology categories, I did win for overall best tasting.  My Grandma would be so proud.  :)

I just can’t come to terms with the fact that there is nothing I’m required to do right now.  My brain can’t accept the fact that I don’t have any studying to do.  I think I’ll take the rest of the week for myself/job hunting and then head to school this weekend to work on some SCAVMA things.  I’ve gotten pretty behind in my duties and I’d like to get up to date sooner rather than later.  On that note, I’m off to the library!