Bad Blogger!

I know.  I failed on my challenge.  The 30-days-straight-blogging was tough.  Aside from coming up with crap to write about, I just plain didn't like getting on the internet every day.  Not sure if I'll try again, but I do promise to update at least every other day or so.  Mostly since my father, a man who swore he'd never use a computer, now reads my blog and harasses me when I don't update it.  Thanks, Dad.  At least I'm up to five readers, aka The Big Time!

My parents were here last weekend.  Oh man do I miss them!  I had a great time with them, and hopefully they had fun here.  We bummed around town, went to the university, took some drives, and just hung out.  It was awesome.  I love being out here on my own and trying something new, but if there were anything that would bring me back home...it's my family for sure.

I started a new rotation at the university in the Anesthesia Department this week.  It is so fun!  It kicks my ass every day.  My very first day, I was placing catheters, intubating animals, running & monitoring anesthesia, and everything else that goes along with it.  The techs in that department are super fun and all so insanely smart.  A lot of them have gone on to specialize in anesthesia and it's really inspiring.  I read an article when I first started school about a tech that had done the same thing.  She wrote about the science behind it and I was totally enthralled.  I figured if there was anything I'd go on to specialize in, it would be anesthesia.  Being engulfed in it now makes me remember why I wanted to do it when I first started.

I've upped my job searching lately.  I have some leads on various hospitals throughout the West, and am looking at some universities across the country.  Moving to Washington didn't scare me since I'd been planning and scheming for two years.  Not knowing where I might go after this...yikes!  I'm hoping to stay out West, but we shall see where the journey takes me.

Things outside of school have been quite dumpy this last week.  I've always wondered why both can't be great...at the same time.  Whatever.  Anyways, my roommate moved out.  She's subleasing to one of her friends.  I would freak out, but I figure I moved in with a total stranger so what's a total stranger moving in with me?  HA!  I'm just biting my lip, hoping the new roommate is at least a bit more tidy.  Let's just say I've spent the past five hours cleaning my place today.  A half gallon of bleach later, my smeller is toast!

That's all I have for now.  It's Memorial Day weekend.  I have no plans but to hang out at home and recoop after this week.  Yes!

Day Thirteen: Parentals

My parents are here.  So this is my blog update for today.  Family time is in order.

Okaythanksbye!

Day Twelve: A Letter

Dear Mom & Dad,

My internship is going great.  Today was really fun.  A farmer brought a herd of lambs in to be castrated.  The vet said I can crush a spermatic cord like no other.  There were testicles flying everywhere.  You would have been so proud.

I really miss you guys.  Especially Dad's biscuits and gravy.  I'm doing well eating Ramen noodles and PB&J's every day, though.

Give Pinner a hug for me.

Love,
Adrienne

Day Eleven: UGH.

I hate blogging every day.  I spent ten years sitting in front of a computer and having to do it every night now...  Blah!  But a challenge is a challenge.  Even if it is stupid.

I spent all day with cows today.  Calves that needed vaccinations and branding, giant (angry) bulls that thought it fun to climb fences, and a cute, miniature Hereford that needed an emergency c-section.  The c-section went well and the heifer lived; the calf unfortunately did not.  The heifer had been in labor for quite a while, and well...that is life sometimes.

I was on my feet all day.  In new rubber boots.  They kept my feet dry, but oh man do they hurt!  I made about three trips up and down two flights of stairs for various surgery instruments, and another two trips around the entire hospital to give medications.

I'm spent.  And done with this post for today.

Day Ten: More Wicking

Well with the virus outbreak, I've been confined to the agricultural animal side of the barn.  No horses for a minimum of two weeks.  Bummer.  I really enjoy working with cows and sheep and such, but I was quite liking working with horses again.

On the other down side, the barns are filling with foot baths now.  More wicking.  Foot baths are simply trays of liquid with a detergent that helps to disinfect the bottoms of your shoes since those seem to track the most crap...like infectious equine viruses.  The foot baths are everywhere.  In front of every door and every entryway into a hall.

So yep.  Soggy bottom girl, am I.

Day Nine: Limbo

Today was weird.  I arrived at the hospital this morning and found out it's under voluntary quarantine.  Get this: a horse from Utah was brought up to be seen and was diagnosed with a highly infectious equine virus.  A horse from Utah!  It's a little crazy.  It's basically put the Western US in a slight state of panic with horse shows being canceled and transportation warnings issued to owners.  No new cases are being accepted at the hospital, and no patients are allowed to leave until two weeks after the last positive case has been diagnosed.  I have no idea what this means for my internship.  The teaching barn is on lockdown with restricted access wherever you go.  I left early today since all of our client appointments were canceled.  The students and doctors left to work with the teaching herds of horses, but since I only brought one change of clothes, I couldn't go.  I'm going back tomorrow since we have some other appointments coming in, but no horses.  I'm keeping my fingers double-crossed this clears up before I'm supposed to start my equine surgery rotation in a couple weeks...

Day Eight: A Northwestern Sunday

It's raining here today.  Quite a bit.  The sky outside is a dark, opaque gray.  It sets the scene for a brilliant contrast of Spring: emerald greens, Earth browns, and chalky grays.

I spent the morning reading in bed, listening to the rain fall down my windows.  Afterwards, I went to run errands and ended up taking a short drive through the farmlands, followed by a walk through town.

I'm back home again and the rain is still spilling down the windows.  My normal Sunday routine of laundry and cleaning is about to commence.  Of all the things I left behind, I sort of wish they wouldn't have followed me.  But...at least I have the rain now.