For my third week I was at OPI for one of my days, and was able to make it to the vet on Friday. Again I arrived to a cat being declawed. This time was a little different because the laser broke half way through, forcing Dr. Hagler to resort to an old school method of declawing. He began to cut the nail out with a scalpel. This resulted in a great deal more blood than before. During the procedure, Marilyn (Dr. Hagler's wife/the behind the scenes lady/manager kinda) came down and started sympathizing with the cat. She said, "oh isn't it so sad when their poor little tootsies get like that", and then said something like "but you know it's either this or they end up at the pound because they're so wild". I interpreted this situation as Marilyn justifying the procedure, which is very cruel, to herself and also to me. She was saying that these cats with bad tempers had to be declawed so they wouldn't hurt their owners and end up being put down. I later discovered the cat was being declawed because the owner didn't like the fact that the cat was scratching the furniture, and that the cat is actually very well mannered, a little bit different from the situation Marilyn painted. On a happier note I found some amusing diagrams about cats/dogs and the level of risk they have at different weights. Dr. Hagler said he had seen a cat in the extreme weight range, and that it was uncomfortable talking to the owner about it because the owner was just as big in proportion. I neglected to mention that my old cat was between serious and severe in weight. And now for my research book. I read the book Animal ER. This book is basically composed of several truer short stories about what happens in a veterinary hospital. The thing I found most interesting were the ties between what I saw and what happens at the vet I shadow at, and the events at the veterinary hospital in the book. In both the book veterinary hospital and Mt. Diablo Veterinary Medical Center, there are days when there is a lot going on. Unlike the book however, I find that my time at the clinic falls short to the excitement that accompanies the veterinarians in the book. Sometimes I find myself doing very little, and become bored. The action that goes on in Animal ER, however, is most likely embellished, and only portrays the best and most exciting stories. In reality however, there is a lot of behind the scenes stuff like stacks of paperwork, forms, drug logs, and tedious phone calls with over-protective pet owners, that the book neglects to mention. Also, the vet I work at hasn't done any intense surgeries or medical procedures, like tumor removal or eye surgery, while I've been there, and the patients are cats and dogs, nothing like the elephants or other exotic animals mentioned in the book. All in all I think Animal ER really glamorizes the veterinary industry as a whole. I'm sure in the top ranks some veterinarians live the lives portrayed in Animal ER to a degree, but at the veterinary hospital I work at, there isn't the constant commotion and intensity portrayed in the book.
This week as a whole was great! I had an amazing time on OPI, and no doubt it will be the highlight of my senior year (or one of them at least). I made a lot of new friends and it was really really nice to get away from the stress of school and friends. I loved not having technology for that week, and kinda hate my phone now a little bit haha. I had so many hesitations about going and the night before I left for Washington I didn't fully believe I was actually going through with OPI. I'm not sure if I would have regretted not going, since I wouldn't know what I would be missing, but now that I know what I would have missed out on I am so insanely happy that I went. I don't know if OPI is that amazing every year, or if we just had a really great group of people, but I can't believe people aren't fighting to go on it, more than that I can't believe I was so close to not going on it. OPI was a confidence boost in a way, because it showed me that I can go into a group of people I barely know and come out with a handful of new and very close friends, and not only that, but have an amazing time getting to know everyone too. Seizing opportunities, making the best out of situations, and becoming comfortable in new environments is definitely something I learned the importance of at OPI, and definitely can apply these to working at the vet. Recently I have become more confident and am less afraid to ask questions or make conversation with the veterinarians, and I find that I enjoy the vet much more now.
1 Comment
Mr. Poling
3/6/2015 04:57:28 am
OPI often provides inspiration to seniors. I hope you will find useful ways to use that inspiration this semester at your 3rd space and within your WISE journal.
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AuthorMy name is Emily Burch. I am a student in the WISE program at Miramonte. This is my WISE journey (I think that's a good word for it). Archives
May 2015
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