Wow, saying I am a fourth year veterinary student really sounds exciting and almost hard to believe. Now is when things get really good, and really full on. Next semester we will be applying all we have learned and of course be learning heaps more.
Fourth year has been equated to "trying to drink from a fire hose with a sippy straw " Apparently the information comes at you that fast and you will be lucky if you absorb a sippy straws worth. Oh well...the toughest year yet will be upon me before I know it.
Right now, things could not be better. I helped organize a Thanksgiving dinner for the international students that turned out really really good, better than I had hoped even. We had pumpkin pies, green bean casserole, broccoli slaw, turkey...yes real turkey, mashed potatoes and cider. It was all right in the middle of finals but well worth it and it will be a new tradition.
I think I did ok in my finals, and I studied harder than I ever have and did not work for once. I think that made a huuuuge difference. My boyfriend and I just celebrated one whole year together, I cannot believe it went that fast. He has been amazing, and I could not have done it without his help, he cooked dinner and even lunches for me while I studied AND cleaned the house as well so I would not be stressed. I think he is a keeperLaughing
I have just started my two jobs both within two blocks of where I live. I got a job at Jandakot Veterinary Hospital which seems really promising for 35 hours a week. I also got a job at a bar and grill to get even more hours and save save save. I need to save because my brother is coming to visit and I am so excited I can hardly contain myself.
I want to take him to Rottnest Island to snorkel
Rockingham to swim with Dolphins
Sunday Sessions at the Left Bank, Waverock, Kite surfing, wake boarding, surfing, etc. I will have the time off work then as well. I also plan on paying off as much as I can of my US credit cards and saving for next semester because it will be hard to work.
I am excited to say the website is being worked on as we speak and that the magazine article in SET magazine that I was interviewed for has just come out and looks great....the title is pretty funny too.
http://www.videomags.net/magazines/set45/launch.html (this takes a few minutes to load, and you then have to electronically turn the pages.. Vet articles in general from page 18.. Murdoch articles pages 23-25)
Hope everyone is doing well, and has a happy holiday!!!!
Cheers,
-Christina
Tuesday, December 4, 2007
Saturday, November 17, 2007
3rd Year is Almost Done!!!
3rd year is over already and it is time for finals. I might disappear until Nov 30th when all finals are done and I can breathe again. I have a final in Parasitology, two in Pathology, and one in Virology. All of them are going to be pretty full on, plus I will be starting a new job soon.
Finally took pics of where I live!!
Update again
Random writings of the goings on at vet school Down UnderUuugh I spent so much time writing an update late last night only to lose it all when I got booted from the internet. Sorry it has been so long since I have written but so much has happened. So much, I dont even know where to start. For starters, we celebrated our 1/2 way through vet school day with a Halfway to Wonderland theme. Keaton and I moved AGAIN, hopefully the last time, and I got a new job.
For a little while, it was tough again. My loans kept coming about 5 months late through no fault of my own. I applied on time, the other parties kept messing up. This just meant I had to work all the time instead of concentrate on my studies. I thought everything was fine because I was passing all my classes. Not so, I was sent a letter from the US government saying I have been put on Academic Probation and I had six months to get my grades up really high or all my funding would be stopped. Now as you can see, I have been in a bit of a panic while trying to work this all out. Life changes definitely were needed.....
Fast forward, I moved out of Central Freo into the white picket fences of suburbia. It is so quiet, and I thought I would panic being away from it all, but I actually really like it. I have been able to concentrate on my studies again by moving to a much cheaper place and having some great support. I am happy to say that I got High Distinctions in all three of my midterms. I just hope I can do that for finals. They will not be rid of me yet. As my dad always said "You can fall face first in a pile of s$%t and always come out with a rose in your teeth." So after hitting some difficulties once again, I am wiping the crap off, the tears away and soldiering on with my rose.
3rd year is almost over, we were asked for our measurements for our clinic coats for fourth year and told we need to buy our surgery packs very soon. How exciting, surgery next year, it is all paying off!!!
So the grades are back up again, I have been dating the most wonderful guy ever, Steve. Yes he is Australian, no not all Australian men are jerks
I have a new job at a family restaurant and I hope to get one at a vet clinic here over the break, which starts December 1st.
I hope everyone is doing well and I would love to hear from you. I know some of you have moved, or gotten new jobs, or even have kids now, or new ones. Send me photos if you can.
Here is a link to my photos, some old, some new.....Photos
Stay tuned for pics of the house and my new neighborhood
-Christina
For a little while, it was tough again. My loans kept coming about 5 months late through no fault of my own. I applied on time, the other parties kept messing up. This just meant I had to work all the time instead of concentrate on my studies. I thought everything was fine because I was passing all my classes. Not so, I was sent a letter from the US government saying I have been put on Academic Probation and I had six months to get my grades up really high or all my funding would be stopped. Now as you can see, I have been in a bit of a panic while trying to work this all out. Life changes definitely were needed.....
Fast forward, I moved out of Central Freo into the white picket fences of suburbia. It is so quiet, and I thought I would panic being away from it all, but I actually really like it. I have been able to concentrate on my studies again by moving to a much cheaper place and having some great support. I am happy to say that I got High Distinctions in all three of my midterms. I just hope I can do that for finals. They will not be rid of me yet. As my dad always said "You can fall face first in a pile of s$%t and always come out with a rose in your teeth." So after hitting some difficulties once again, I am wiping the crap off, the tears away and soldiering on with my rose.
3rd year is almost over, we were asked for our measurements for our clinic coats for fourth year and told we need to buy our surgery packs very soon. How exciting, surgery next year, it is all paying off!!!
So the grades are back up again, I have been dating the most wonderful guy ever, Steve. Yes he is Australian, no not all Australian men are jerks
I have a new job at a family restaurant and I hope to get one at a vet clinic here over the break, which starts December 1st.I hope everyone is doing well and I would love to hear from you. I know some of you have moved, or gotten new jobs, or even have kids now, or new ones. Send me photos if you can.
Here is a link to my photos, some old, some new.....Photos
Stay tuned for pics of the house and my new neighborhood
-Christina
Wednesday, August 8, 2007
Will Be Chewing For Awhile
Let me explain the title. I ALWAYS bite off more than I can chew, yet somehow I manage to struggle through it and finish it. What have I gone and done now?? Lets see here, I took the Americans that I met on my website under my wing so to say and showed them the ropes. Helped with housing, took to banks, the grocery store, out at night etc. It was great fun to see how they all reacted to a new country, and it was funny how they kept asking me how I could have done all this alone.
Oh, and I must vent that I have not gotten my loan ONCE AGAIN and so I get to freak out and cut classes in order to work and try to survive and pay rent until the loan comes in. I always apply well ahead of time, I do all the paperwork correct, and somehow...something goes wrong. It is almost like I am not allowed to just smoothly sail into a semester. I am only allowed to start the semester stressed beyond belief from either my bank account in the states being emptied, my cards racked up and my credit destroyed. told I cannot get any more loans because of said bad credit, we just lost your paper work...etc etc etc, this time...we are "having problems" getting the US government to certify the loans. Oh GOODY!!! Maybe it is because just the other day I had them contact me and say we have been trying to contact you to start paying your loans off...they are no longer in defferment. WHAT!!!! So now I have to figure out how to fix this....CANT I JUST STUDY PEOPLE?? The whole reason I came here...come on now.
Ok, on to another project I was helping with...Half Way Day woo hoo...it is this Friday and so much work has gone into it. We had a $10,000 budget and we met it...it will be the party of the year that is for sure. I was able to secure two party buses for $700 and we got great deals on everything else. Champagne breakfast at the Left Bank for 80 people. Then mini golf and a Bar-B-Q after...and then, 3 pm back to campus for a HUGE celebration with food, DJ, Drinks and Madness. My costume is very interesting as it is a Halfway to Wonderland theme and I will look like a crazy bad mad hatter acid trip white rabbit thingy LOL. Now that that project is done...on to the next
So everyone knows I love Costa Rica...and I love Veterinary medicine. So naturally as soon as I found out a year ago that there was a program that incorporates both these things...I have been slowly working on how to make it happen. I need it to count for 2 of our 12 weeks of clinic work between 4th-5th years otherwise it wont work, and I need it to be sponsored. So with the help of my friend Courtney we are approaching all the appropriate people and have even gone so far as to have a meeting with the president of the veterinary school. He is ready to back us all the way.....planned trip for July 2008...still ALOT of work needs to be done...on to the next project.
The International Vet Trust person has contacted me again and wants to know if I want to be the Vet Trust Ambassador...alot of work and still thinking about that one....on to the next project.....I have quite a few more in the works and we will see how all of those go in the long run. This is all while working, studying, attending classes and trying to spend time with my boyfriend Steve. And THAT is going wonderful. In fact out of all of these projects and events...the one I am really looking forward to is going away with Steve and his friends to a houseboat for 4 days in September...I cant wait to get away and just spend time with him staring at the perfect glassy water.
So uni started again this week and these are the lovely classes I have to look forward to
Welcome to VET341: Veterinary Microbiology
This unit provides basic knowledge and practical skills in microbiology relating to infectious diseases of animals. A generalist and integrated approach to pathogenic microbiology is adopted, but includes separate sections on bacteria and viruses. Sections comprise an introduction to features of pathogenic micro-organisms including structure, metabolism, genetic composition, culture and identification. Emphasis is given to the mechanisms causing disease and to principles of diagnosis and control. The unit includes a component of self-paced learning.
Welcome to VET343, Veterinary Applied Pathology. The purpose of this unit is to integrate your knowledge of "veterinary biology" and "the processes of disease", with an understanding of the tools and techniques of the diagnostic process. In doing this you will be laying the foundation for the "total view" of disease and disease diagnosis that is essential to becoming a competent diagnostician and veterinarian.
The role of the veterinary clinician is akin to the "case manager". The veterinary clinician must be able to integrate their knowledge and understanding of veterinary biology, diagnostics and epidemiology to be able to make accurate and informed decisions about the cause(s) of disease and then what the best course of action is. To succeed in this unit (and thereby develop the skills to become a successful clinician and diagnostician!) you will need to recall and integrate your understanding of physiology, anatomy, biochemistry, immunology and general pathology as part of the diagnostic process. In fact your knowledge and understanding of these subjects is assumed, so you should keep your notes/ texts on these topics close at hand when you are working on this unit so you can refer to them if your understanding of these topics becomes a little unclear.
Vet 344 Vet Parasitology This course has an applied focus since, from a practical point of view, the aims are to provide you with the necessary information to be able to diagnose and control parasitic infections of veterinary and zoonotic significance. This cannot be achieved without knowledge of a parasite's life cycle. This information is essential before one can implement strategies to 'break the cycle' whether these are drugs, vaccines or public health measures.
Understanding the life cycles of parasites requires a detailed knowledge of parasite ecology. We are interested in ecological interactions in their broadest sense, from the environmental aspects to what happens when parasites are in their hosts (the 'host-parasite interface'). As you can imagine, such studies will draw on many other disciplines such as genetics, biochemistry, physiology and pathology. They are also dependent on a fundamental knowledge about parasite biology; their basic structure, how they feed, where they live, how they survive, and the mechanisms they have developed to get in and out of the host.
There is a huge diversity of parasites that are important to veterinary science, and these are found in two animal kingdoms and several phyla. Consequently, an appreciation of the taxonomic groupings that together comprise parasites of veterinary significance, is an essential pre-requisite for a comprehensive course such as ours.
And here is my oh so lovely schedule.
Mon
8:30- 9:30 LECT1, VET343, Veterinary Applied Pathology
10:30
11:30- 12:30 LECT1, Vet 344 Vet Parasitology
1:30 – 4:30pm PRAC/WS, Vet 344 Vet Parasitology
Work 6-12
Tue
8:30-9:30 LECT1, VET341: Veterinary Microbiology
9:30-12:30pm LAB VET343, Veterinary Applied Pathology
12:30-1:30pm LECT2, VET341: Veterinary Microbiology
2:30 -4:30pm LAB1, VET341: Veterinary Microbiology
Wed
8:30am
9:30-10:30 LAB2, VET341: Veterinary Microbiology
10:30 -11:30 Lect3, VET341: Veterinary Microbiology
11:30 -12:30 Lect2 VET343, Veterinary Applied Pathology
1:30pm
2:30-3:30 Lect 2, Vet 344 Vet Parasitology
Work 6-12
Thu
8:30am-9:30 LECT3, VET343, Veterinary Applied Pathology
9:30am-10:30 LECT4, VET343, Veterinary Applied Pathology
10:30am
11:30am -1:30 LECT3, Vet 344 Vet Parasitology
Fri
8:30am-9:30 LECT5, VET343, Veterinary Applied Pathology
9:30am
10:30am
11:30am-12:30 LECT4, VET341: Veterinary Microbiology
12:30pm -1:30 LECT5, VET341: Veterinary Microbiology
Work 3 till required
Work Saturday or Sunday….but hopefully not both
Oh, and I must vent that I have not gotten my loan ONCE AGAIN and so I get to freak out and cut classes in order to work and try to survive and pay rent until the loan comes in. I always apply well ahead of time, I do all the paperwork correct, and somehow...something goes wrong. It is almost like I am not allowed to just smoothly sail into a semester. I am only allowed to start the semester stressed beyond belief from either my bank account in the states being emptied, my cards racked up and my credit destroyed. told I cannot get any more loans because of said bad credit, we just lost your paper work...etc etc etc, this time...we are "having problems" getting the US government to certify the loans. Oh GOODY!!! Maybe it is because just the other day I had them contact me and say we have been trying to contact you to start paying your loans off...they are no longer in defferment. WHAT!!!! So now I have to figure out how to fix this....CANT I JUST STUDY PEOPLE?? The whole reason I came here...come on now.
Ok, on to another project I was helping with...Half Way Day woo hoo...it is this Friday and so much work has gone into it. We had a $10,000 budget and we met it...it will be the party of the year that is for sure. I was able to secure two party buses for $700 and we got great deals on everything else. Champagne breakfast at the Left Bank for 80 people. Then mini golf and a Bar-B-Q after...and then, 3 pm back to campus for a HUGE celebration with food, DJ, Drinks and Madness. My costume is very interesting as it is a Halfway to Wonderland theme and I will look like a crazy bad mad hatter acid trip white rabbit thingy LOL. Now that that project is done...on to the next
So everyone knows I love Costa Rica...and I love Veterinary medicine. So naturally as soon as I found out a year ago that there was a program that incorporates both these things...I have been slowly working on how to make it happen. I need it to count for 2 of our 12 weeks of clinic work between 4th-5th years otherwise it wont work, and I need it to be sponsored. So with the help of my friend Courtney we are approaching all the appropriate people and have even gone so far as to have a meeting with the president of the veterinary school. He is ready to back us all the way.....planned trip for July 2008...still ALOT of work needs to be done...on to the next project.
The International Vet Trust person has contacted me again and wants to know if I want to be the Vet Trust Ambassador...alot of work and still thinking about that one....on to the next project.....I have quite a few more in the works and we will see how all of those go in the long run. This is all while working, studying, attending classes and trying to spend time with my boyfriend Steve. And THAT is going wonderful. In fact out of all of these projects and events...the one I am really looking forward to is going away with Steve and his friends to a houseboat for 4 days in September...I cant wait to get away and just spend time with him staring at the perfect glassy water.
So uni started again this week and these are the lovely classes I have to look forward to
Welcome to VET341: Veterinary Microbiology
This unit provides basic knowledge and practical skills in microbiology relating to infectious diseases of animals. A generalist and integrated approach to pathogenic microbiology is adopted, but includes separate sections on bacteria and viruses. Sections comprise an introduction to features of pathogenic micro-organisms including structure, metabolism, genetic composition, culture and identification. Emphasis is given to the mechanisms causing disease and to principles of diagnosis and control. The unit includes a component of self-paced learning.
Welcome to VET343, Veterinary Applied Pathology. The purpose of this unit is to integrate your knowledge of "veterinary biology" and "the processes of disease", with an understanding of the tools and techniques of the diagnostic process. In doing this you will be laying the foundation for the "total view" of disease and disease diagnosis that is essential to becoming a competent diagnostician and veterinarian.
The role of the veterinary clinician is akin to the "case manager". The veterinary clinician must be able to integrate their knowledge and understanding of veterinary biology, diagnostics and epidemiology to be able to make accurate and informed decisions about the cause(s) of disease and then what the best course of action is. To succeed in this unit (and thereby develop the skills to become a successful clinician and diagnostician!) you will need to recall and integrate your understanding of physiology, anatomy, biochemistry, immunology and general pathology as part of the diagnostic process. In fact your knowledge and understanding of these subjects is assumed, so you should keep your notes/ texts on these topics close at hand when you are working on this unit so you can refer to them if your understanding of these topics becomes a little unclear.
Vet 344 Vet Parasitology This course has an applied focus since, from a practical point of view, the aims are to provide you with the necessary information to be able to diagnose and control parasitic infections of veterinary and zoonotic significance. This cannot be achieved without knowledge of a parasite's life cycle. This information is essential before one can implement strategies to 'break the cycle' whether these are drugs, vaccines or public health measures.
Understanding the life cycles of parasites requires a detailed knowledge of parasite ecology. We are interested in ecological interactions in their broadest sense, from the environmental aspects to what happens when parasites are in their hosts (the 'host-parasite interface'). As you can imagine, such studies will draw on many other disciplines such as genetics, biochemistry, physiology and pathology. They are also dependent on a fundamental knowledge about parasite biology; their basic structure, how they feed, where they live, how they survive, and the mechanisms they have developed to get in and out of the host.
There is a huge diversity of parasites that are important to veterinary science, and these are found in two animal kingdoms and several phyla. Consequently, an appreciation of the taxonomic groupings that together comprise parasites of veterinary significance, is an essential pre-requisite for a comprehensive course such as ours.
And here is my oh so lovely schedule.
Mon
8:30- 9:30 LECT1, VET343, Veterinary Applied Pathology
10:30
11:30- 12:30 LECT1, Vet 344 Vet Parasitology
1:30 – 4:30pm PRAC/WS, Vet 344 Vet Parasitology
Work 6-12
Tue
8:30-9:30 LECT1, VET341: Veterinary Microbiology
9:30-12:30pm LAB VET343, Veterinary Applied Pathology
12:30-1:30pm LECT2, VET341: Veterinary Microbiology
2:30 -4:30pm LAB1, VET341: Veterinary Microbiology
Wed
8:30am
9:30-10:30 LAB2, VET341: Veterinary Microbiology
10:30 -11:30 Lect3, VET341: Veterinary Microbiology
11:30 -12:30 Lect2 VET343, Veterinary Applied Pathology
1:30pm
2:30-3:30 Lect 2, Vet 344 Vet Parasitology
Work 6-12
Thu
8:30am-9:30 LECT3, VET343, Veterinary Applied Pathology
9:30am-10:30 LECT4, VET343, Veterinary Applied Pathology
10:30am
11:30am -1:30 LECT3, Vet 344 Vet Parasitology
Fri
8:30am-9:30 LECT5, VET343, Veterinary Applied Pathology
9:30am
10:30am
11:30am-12:30 LECT4, VET341: Veterinary Microbiology
12:30pm -1:30 LECT5, VET341: Veterinary Microbiology
Work 3 till required
Work Saturday or Sunday….but hopefully not both
Sunday, July 29, 2007
Its Mating Time!!!
Random writings of the goings on at vet school Down Under
Ha ha got your attention. Just got back from my Alpaca farm prac and that is what time it was...more on that. Lets see here....the Americans who were active on my forum are here in Perth now. Welcome Chris, Jared, Emily, and Marie...and Steph your an awesome friend for coming here and helping Emily set up.
It has been great fun watching them get used to their culture shock. Favorite line of the year, "Was he trying to smell me?" LMAO. No, he was giving you a kiss on the cheek as a greeting. Yes, the culture is different...no you dont tip, yes the stores are already closed he he. I helped them with their banks and took them to campus and now they have a four bedroom four bath house which is unheard of here. Get ready for your first year here guys it will be quite an experience.
On to the farm! I just spent the last week at River Gum Rise Alpaca stud....check it out. So up till now I have wrestled with sheep, captured pigs, mustered cattle, and herded horses. Handled, drew blood etc from all of them. This is my first time with Alpacas and I think I found my new favorite animal.
The pros of the Alpaca...very intelligent, I will not speak for the cattle and sheep, but lets just say not playing with a full deck. Cattle have liquid poo which they wont hesitate to do all over you. Alpacas have solid movements that they only do on communal piles. They dont smell, they are clean, they are soooo soft, they are not too big, they like cuddles and the owners may have 400 but each one has a name and a history. Alpaca owners are great to work with. They are not the type to just shoot one if it breaks a leg or gets sick.
These guys were great fun to work with...just look
..>..>
Ha ha got your attention. Just got back from my Alpaca farm prac and that is what time it was...more on that. Lets see here....the Americans who were active on my forum are here in Perth now. Welcome Chris, Jared, Emily, and Marie...and Steph your an awesome friend for coming here and helping Emily set up.
It has been great fun watching them get used to their culture shock. Favorite line of the year, "Was he trying to smell me?" LMAO. No, he was giving you a kiss on the cheek as a greeting. Yes, the culture is different...no you dont tip, yes the stores are already closed he he. I helped them with their banks and took them to campus and now they have a four bedroom four bath house which is unheard of here. Get ready for your first year here guys it will be quite an experience.
On to the farm! I just spent the last week at River Gum Rise Alpaca stud....check it out. So up till now I have wrestled with sheep, captured pigs, mustered cattle, and herded horses. Handled, drew blood etc from all of them. This is my first time with Alpacas and I think I found my new favorite animal.
The pros of the Alpaca...very intelligent, I will not speak for the cattle and sheep, but lets just say not playing with a full deck. Cattle have liquid poo which they wont hesitate to do all over you. Alpacas have solid movements that they only do on communal piles. They dont smell, they are clean, they are soooo soft, they are not too big, they like cuddles and the owners may have 400 but each one has a name and a history. Alpaca owners are great to work with. They are not the type to just shoot one if it breaks a leg or gets sick.
These guys were great fun to work with...just look
..>..>
.. |   |
Monday, July 9, 2007
Random writings of the goings on at vet school Down Under
2 years ago today I was sitting miles away from home or anyone I knew in the Auckland airport about to start the craziest journey of my life ever. It is weird but being at the half way point I have almost those same feelings as I did that day...ok maybe not quite as bad.
So much has changed since I have arrived it is crazy...two years ago I was absolutely terrified of round-abouts, thought vegemite was from Mars, could not find any comfort foods of home and craved them constantly. I was amazed at how dark all the streets were at night and how the stores closed so early. Speaking of stores it would take me a good 2 hours to get through the darn grocery store as I had NO IDEA where everything was kept and what the heck everything was and nothing was familiar and it was frustrating. I rode public transport and when I crossed the street I looked the wrong way and almost got squashed many many times. I had no job, no family, no friends, no car, no dog and knew nothing about ...well anything. It was a giant blind leap into the unknown.
Learning experiences were daily: What the heck is a "shout"? What does it mean you are pissed, are you angry?? Wait, no you are drunk. You took the piss out of someone...huh? I dont get it? What is a middy? A tinny? A stubby holder...huh? Your going to your nan's for Chrissie to unwrap pressies??? Oh your going to Grandmas for Christmas to unwrap presents...got it!!! This abreviation thing is going to take a bit to get used to. Sausage rolls and pies....hmmm might try them eventually and no way not the vegemite. What a cocktail is $15 but I only ordered one...oh that is the price for only one. Australians dont really like Mexican food....what!!! No Mexican food??? I guess it is a far swim from Latin America...hmmmm.
Do Australians work??? How laid back is it really I cant remember ever missing a day for holidays back in the states. I cant remember people getting holidays off. I worked every holiday ALWAYS and if I did not there was someone who would. I worked after hours, over hours, every hour....and here I see job advertising for veterinarians that state paid annual holiday leave of 4 weeks, paid conference leave, no after hours required...but every third Saturday and only 4 days a week. What in the heck is that??? I do believe a veterinary job in the US would say ....80 -90 hour work week a must, holidays , weekends, after hours, over hours on call every day all day 365 days a year mandatory
And what is with everyone saying they will call or will be there and then never doing either...hmmm and never on time LOL!! And WA stands for wait awhile..oh yes it does. There are waiting bays at fast food restaurants... Why is there not pay at the pump? I have to go inside always, well that used to be dangerous crossing the parking lot where I come from he he. What no tips??? I dont get tips and I dont tip anyone??? Very strange...there is more soooooooo much more.
Two years later...I know where everything is in the store and I am in and out like a flash now...I can find orange cheddar, jalepenos, heinz ketchup, American hot dogs....some equivalent of Ranch dressing... and almost anything else I need. I can make some pretty good Mexican food and a killer margarita. I can now officially "take the piss" out of anyone who takes the piss out of me and apparently I am liked for it. Roundabouts are fun especially while shoving a sausage roll or pie in your face after squeezing tomato sauce on it with those nifty squeezy sauce dispenser packet thingies. I dont look the wrong way anymore when crossing the street and I do get in on the right side of the car now
I plan my shopping accordingly in order to avoid the massive crowds of Thursdays and Saturdays.
Even I find myself abreviating words he he...and being a bit more laid back about EVERYTHING...it is nice. Vegemite on toast in the morning with a slice of cheese = yummy. American friends are great to have here but you truly need Australian friends to get over home sickness....and of course to take the piss out of each other.
My dog is here, I have a car, I have a job, I have made friends, and found the greatest guy ever...actually he found me :P And no Australia is no longer a male based society with womanizers on every corner. In fact, it is not like that at all in any way as far as I can tell. Soooo much has changed, and all for the best I believe...bring on the next 2 years and then wooooo hooo graduation. I cant wait to see what else I will discover, what else will happen....where will life take me.
Two years in a nutshell
2 years ago today I was sitting miles away from home or anyone I knew in the Auckland airport about to start the craziest journey of my life ever. It is weird but being at the half way point I have almost those same feelings as I did that day...ok maybe not quite as bad.
So much has changed since I have arrived it is crazy...two years ago I was absolutely terrified of round-abouts, thought vegemite was from Mars, could not find any comfort foods of home and craved them constantly. I was amazed at how dark all the streets were at night and how the stores closed so early. Speaking of stores it would take me a good 2 hours to get through the darn grocery store as I had NO IDEA where everything was kept and what the heck everything was and nothing was familiar and it was frustrating. I rode public transport and when I crossed the street I looked the wrong way and almost got squashed many many times. I had no job, no family, no friends, no car, no dog and knew nothing about ...well anything. It was a giant blind leap into the unknown.
Learning experiences were daily: What the heck is a "shout"? What does it mean you are pissed, are you angry?? Wait, no you are drunk. You took the piss out of someone...huh? I dont get it? What is a middy? A tinny? A stubby holder...huh? Your going to your nan's for Chrissie to unwrap pressies??? Oh your going to Grandmas for Christmas to unwrap presents...got it!!! This abreviation thing is going to take a bit to get used to. Sausage rolls and pies....hmmm might try them eventually and no way not the vegemite. What a cocktail is $15 but I only ordered one...oh that is the price for only one. Australians dont really like Mexican food....what!!! No Mexican food??? I guess it is a far swim from Latin America...hmmmm.
Do Australians work??? How laid back is it really I cant remember ever missing a day for holidays back in the states. I cant remember people getting holidays off. I worked every holiday ALWAYS and if I did not there was someone who would. I worked after hours, over hours, every hour....and here I see job advertising for veterinarians that state paid annual holiday leave of 4 weeks, paid conference leave, no after hours required...but every third Saturday and only 4 days a week. What in the heck is that??? I do believe a veterinary job in the US would say ....80 -90 hour work week a must, holidays , weekends, after hours, over hours on call every day all day 365 days a year mandatory
And what is with everyone saying they will call or will be there and then never doing either...hmmm and never on time LOL!! And WA stands for wait awhile..oh yes it does. There are waiting bays at fast food restaurants... Why is there not pay at the pump? I have to go inside always, well that used to be dangerous crossing the parking lot where I come from he he. What no tips??? I dont get tips and I dont tip anyone??? Very strange...there is more soooooooo much more.
Two years later...I know where everything is in the store and I am in and out like a flash now...I can find orange cheddar, jalepenos, heinz ketchup, American hot dogs....some equivalent of Ranch dressing... and almost anything else I need. I can make some pretty good Mexican food and a killer margarita. I can now officially "take the piss" out of anyone who takes the piss out of me and apparently I am liked for it. Roundabouts are fun especially while shoving a sausage roll or pie in your face after squeezing tomato sauce on it with those nifty squeezy sauce dispenser packet thingies. I dont look the wrong way anymore when crossing the street and I do get in on the right side of the car now
I plan my shopping accordingly in order to avoid the massive crowds of Thursdays and Saturdays.
Even I find myself abreviating words he he...and being a bit more laid back about EVERYTHING...it is nice. Vegemite on toast in the morning with a slice of cheese = yummy. American friends are great to have here but you truly need Australian friends to get over home sickness....and of course to take the piss out of each other.
My dog is here, I have a car, I have a job, I have made friends, and found the greatest guy ever...actually he found me :P And no Australia is no longer a male based society with womanizers on every corner. In fact, it is not like that at all in any way as far as I can tell. Soooo much has changed, and all for the best I believe...bring on the next 2 years and then wooooo hooo graduation. I cant wait to see what else I will discover, what else will happen....where will life take me.
Two years in a nutshell
Sunday, July 1, 2007
DONE!!!
Random writings of the goings on at vet school Down Under
What a great experience I had in Esperance. The last week was busy as well. Trying to catch an untame foal..led to her and me getting injured, but we both recovered. I witnessed a cow with tumors getting shot and then we performed an autopsy ( I left those photos out for the squeamish). We had the vet come out and geld one of the horses there which is much different than the cows. One of his testis was retained as well, which made it a bit difficult, but not much.
More castrations for me to perform, I think with a total of 20 under my belt now. I had an amazing time, but I am glad to be back :)
What a great experience I had in Esperance. The last week was busy as well. Trying to catch an untame foal..led to her and me getting injured, but we both recovered. I witnessed a cow with tumors getting shot and then we performed an autopsy ( I left those photos out for the squeamish). We had the vet come out and geld one of the horses there which is much different than the cows. One of his testis was retained as well, which made it a bit difficult, but not much.
More castrations for me to perform, I think with a total of 20 under my belt now. I had an amazing time, but I am glad to be back :)
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Wednesday, June 27, 2007
I Would Like to Be a Lady Again
Random writings of the goings on at vet school Down Under
I Would Like to Be a Lady Again
Ha ha ha...yes I know many of you who know me have always thought of me as a tom boy, or one of the guys. I think my friend Eric described me best when he said I am the person who will be helping you change a tire one minute and can throw on a dress and do dinner and dancing the next. Well, I am over the tire changing for a moment...and the fence mending, and the calve wrestling, and the tractor driving, and horse catching. Time to clean up and dance LOL.
Lets see here, my second week is almost over at the farm and it has been a great experience, but as you can tell I am a bit over it. I have been kicked by calves in the shin, smashed my finger in a gate, kicked by calves on the outer thigh, bruised my hand in a race chute, kicked by calves on the inner thigh, dragged through the mud, kicked by calves in the elbow, major rope burn on my hand, kicked by calves, fiber glass splinters in both hands from cattle prod pole etc...
Monday, Ian and I tried to catch a baby foal that has not really been handled. Just the two of us, one on each end of the rope walking towards the little foal in the round paddock. Now plan is: foal runs into rope, wrap around foal, and hand my end to Ian as he wrestles it down. NOT EASY...foal runs into rope I run as fast as I can to Ian, but I am ripped to the ground about four times. I hit the ground so hard I have uprooted plants in the top of my pants when I go to change later and I have a strange limp from a very bruised hip...and OW rope burn. Finally get my end to Ian, twice even, and he is dragged to the ground, foal bashes head. All of us bruised and battered and he eventually justs lassos it Texas style. She is suprisingly good once you start handling her. It is the catching.
Tuesday, the calves we were marking were soooo big, they were almost as big as their mums. Most went up the adult race even to be marked. Mike and I decided one rather large calf was calm enough to go in the calf pen...oops. Calf panics, comes climbing over fence jumps on me...kicks me in elbow and inner thigh and smashes me in fence. No more leaping calves please...I took great pleasure in castrating the buggers on Tuesday he he.
Today, more mustering in the freezing freezing cold. Tomorrow, more calf marking and apparently, in the pouring rain. The other vet student has arrived and I am more than glad to pass the torch and let her take over most tasks if she would like
Ok, nap time, I need a vacation...or maybe just a tiolet actually INSIDE the house
I Would Like to Be a Lady Again
Ha ha ha...yes I know many of you who know me have always thought of me as a tom boy, or one of the guys. I think my friend Eric described me best when he said I am the person who will be helping you change a tire one minute and can throw on a dress and do dinner and dancing the next. Well, I am over the tire changing for a moment...and the fence mending, and the calve wrestling, and the tractor driving, and horse catching. Time to clean up and dance LOL.
Lets see here, my second week is almost over at the farm and it has been a great experience, but as you can tell I am a bit over it. I have been kicked by calves in the shin, smashed my finger in a gate, kicked by calves on the outer thigh, bruised my hand in a race chute, kicked by calves on the inner thigh, dragged through the mud, kicked by calves in the elbow, major rope burn on my hand, kicked by calves, fiber glass splinters in both hands from cattle prod pole etc...
Monday, Ian and I tried to catch a baby foal that has not really been handled. Just the two of us, one on each end of the rope walking towards the little foal in the round paddock. Now plan is: foal runs into rope, wrap around foal, and hand my end to Ian as he wrestles it down. NOT EASY...foal runs into rope I run as fast as I can to Ian, but I am ripped to the ground about four times. I hit the ground so hard I have uprooted plants in the top of my pants when I go to change later and I have a strange limp from a very bruised hip...and OW rope burn. Finally get my end to Ian, twice even, and he is dragged to the ground, foal bashes head. All of us bruised and battered and he eventually justs lassos it Texas style. She is suprisingly good once you start handling her. It is the catching.
Tuesday, the calves we were marking were soooo big, they were almost as big as their mums. Most went up the adult race even to be marked. Mike and I decided one rather large calf was calm enough to go in the calf pen...oops. Calf panics, comes climbing over fence jumps on me...kicks me in elbow and inner thigh and smashes me in fence. No more leaping calves please...I took great pleasure in castrating the buggers on Tuesday he he.
Today, more mustering in the freezing freezing cold. Tomorrow, more calf marking and apparently, in the pouring rain. The other vet student has arrived and I am more than glad to pass the torch and let her take over most tasks if she would like
Ok, nap time, I need a vacation...or maybe just a tiolet actually INSIDE the house
Saturday, June 23, 2007
Thursday, June 21, 2007
I Castrate for a Living
Random writings of the goings on at vet school Down Under
So I have been a bit busy, and after a really hard days work I dont feel much like blogging. Yesterday was soooo tough. Ok, Tuesday...we got the massive mob down to the pen at the cattle yard...then tea time. I have never drank so much tea in my life LOL! There is always time for tea is a great motto. It is a good break as well...good long ride, then boots off, hats off horses set loose for a break, and 30 minutes to an hour of sitting around and talking about everything under the sun. Tea finished, catch horses and back out we go to move another mob...then more tea and load the horses on the trailer (called a float here) and we are off to a location 30 minutes away to muster more cattle close to another yard. Stop at the neighbors...which is very far away for yep, you guessed it more tea and chit chat for an hour or two and then back for dinner and after....more tea and talking. I was told that none of us would be smiling after Wednesday night...and they sure were right.
Wednesday morning...get cows in yard and then draft cows and calves (separate them from each other) tea at 10 :) 11 time to mark 245 calves. This is a long painful process of tearing chunks out of their ears and putting tags in both...and yes, if they are male, castrating them on the spot...in the mud etc. I was on ear torture duty on Wednesday and I felt aweful making them scream like that, and boy could they scream. I fell in the mud, boot got stuck and my foot came out and sock went in the mud, then both hands. This was while trying to scare cattle into next yard. As soon as I fell, they came running right by me, and I thought, soon over me. I decided I would be much more use if they did not need a snorkel to come find me and stay around the edge where it was a bit harder ground. The guys told me they were going to stick a flag on my head so they knew where I was in the herd...ha ha ha, very funny :P
The vet came out to look at three bulls who have been a bit "too busy" lately and broke their gear..poor bulls, still interested in the females, but could not do a thing with them. The vet was actually from America, which was great because I had not met any American vets so it was great to talk to him while he shoved his arm up bull's asses and posed for shots with the bull penises always with a smile on his face LOL...calf marking was still going on and once he was gone I had to go back to it...the sun had just set after the last calf...good timing, but I felt like I was going to die. The cattle men are all smiles...covered in mud, blood and crap...I eventually smile and all the little calves run happily back to mum.
Thursday, mustering another herd in and moving three bulls in to replace broken ones...34 kangaroos spring up and go tearing past the horses which is quite a site. Tea time again LOL...a bit longer this time because Cliff's wife joins us for tea and stories. Catch the horses and then drive off to another location to muster more cattle close to yards...draft all the cows and Ian's wife and little Sophie come join us for a bit. Kate also comes and joins for the fun. Then lunch time and TEA...and then back out to mark :( This time I got to weild the scalpel blade and castrated about 10 calves he he...the cattle men are "what is your boyfriends name" he better watch out now lol...it started to rain though so I figured I would leave the slippery scalpel to the experts and do more next week when it is hopefully dry.
I should introduce you to the players in this madness:
I am staying with the farm manager Ian Mckenzie, his wife Nicole, and there 9 month old daughter Sophie. Michael, Ians retired friend from Narrogin has joined us, and Cliff, Ians other retired friend has joined as well. They have been doing this for almost 30 years Today Kate, who is actually studying human nursing joined us for the fun as well. Tomorrow all of us, including Nicole and little Sophie will be on horse back and we will be moving the cows away from the yard and bringing some closer....NO MARKING because it is Friday and then nothing on the weekend. On Monday, another vet student joins us for the fun.
Ok very tired with these 5 am wake up 6:30 am on horseback days...nighty night
So I have been a bit busy, and after a really hard days work I dont feel much like blogging. Yesterday was soooo tough. Ok, Tuesday...we got the massive mob down to the pen at the cattle yard...then tea time. I have never drank so much tea in my life LOL! There is always time for tea is a great motto. It is a good break as well...good long ride, then boots off, hats off horses set loose for a break, and 30 minutes to an hour of sitting around and talking about everything under the sun. Tea finished, catch horses and back out we go to move another mob...then more tea and load the horses on the trailer (called a float here) and we are off to a location 30 minutes away to muster more cattle close to another yard. Stop at the neighbors...which is very far away for yep, you guessed it more tea and chit chat for an hour or two and then back for dinner and after....more tea and talking. I was told that none of us would be smiling after Wednesday night...and they sure were right.
Wednesday morning...get cows in yard and then draft cows and calves (separate them from each other) tea at 10 :) 11 time to mark 245 calves. This is a long painful process of tearing chunks out of their ears and putting tags in both...and yes, if they are male, castrating them on the spot...in the mud etc. I was on ear torture duty on Wednesday and I felt aweful making them scream like that, and boy could they scream. I fell in the mud, boot got stuck and my foot came out and sock went in the mud, then both hands. This was while trying to scare cattle into next yard. As soon as I fell, they came running right by me, and I thought, soon over me. I decided I would be much more use if they did not need a snorkel to come find me and stay around the edge where it was a bit harder ground. The guys told me they were going to stick a flag on my head so they knew where I was in the herd...ha ha ha, very funny :P
The vet came out to look at three bulls who have been a bit "too busy" lately and broke their gear..poor bulls, still interested in the females, but could not do a thing with them. The vet was actually from America, which was great because I had not met any American vets so it was great to talk to him while he shoved his arm up bull's asses and posed for shots with the bull penises always with a smile on his face LOL...calf marking was still going on and once he was gone I had to go back to it...the sun had just set after the last calf...good timing, but I felt like I was going to die. The cattle men are all smiles...covered in mud, blood and crap...I eventually smile and all the little calves run happily back to mum.
Thursday, mustering another herd in and moving three bulls in to replace broken ones...34 kangaroos spring up and go tearing past the horses which is quite a site. Tea time again LOL...a bit longer this time because Cliff's wife joins us for tea and stories. Catch the horses and then drive off to another location to muster more cattle close to yards...draft all the cows and Ian's wife and little Sophie come join us for a bit. Kate also comes and joins for the fun. Then lunch time and TEA...and then back out to mark :( This time I got to weild the scalpel blade and castrated about 10 calves he he...the cattle men are "what is your boyfriends name" he better watch out now lol...it started to rain though so I figured I would leave the slippery scalpel to the experts and do more next week when it is hopefully dry.
I should introduce you to the players in this madness:
I am staying with the farm manager Ian Mckenzie, his wife Nicole, and there 9 month old daughter Sophie. Michael, Ians retired friend from Narrogin has joined us, and Cliff, Ians other retired friend has joined as well. They have been doing this for almost 30 years Today Kate, who is actually studying human nursing joined us for the fun as well. Tomorrow all of us, including Nicole and little Sophie will be on horse back and we will be moving the cows away from the yard and bringing some closer....NO MARKING because it is Friday and then nothing on the weekend. On Monday, another vet student joins us for the fun.
Ok very tired with these 5 am wake up 6:30 am on horseback days...nighty night
I Am the Woman from Snowy River
Random writings of the goings on at vet school Down Under
All finals are done...woo hoo! I have no idea how I did on any but I hope I at least passed.
Now, I am out in the middle of nowhere and there are no words to describe how sore my ass is LOL!! I just spent the last 5 hours on horseback, and no, this is no little trail ride type horse ride. This is oh shit a bunch of calves have just broken off the mob of 300+ cows you are mustering, Christina, race your horse over there...jumping over creeks...running through tress "duck" the low branches and run as fast as you can to head them off and bring them back.
Wow..I am mustering cattle on horse back in the Outback. It is yet one more thing on my list of things to do before I die that I can cross off. My list is getting so small. There are no words to describe the site of four people on horse back racing through gorges, jumping over logs and catching those straggling calves, and having kangaroos hopping along side as well. Spectacular!! And to be racing right along with them...then have a battle plan of who races where next? Who goes to the top of the hill in the distance to get that lost calf, and who keeps the massive mob going?
I have all the gear...my own authentic Australian Driza Bone jacket that is pure leather and goes all the way to the boots, the hat, the horse...I AM THE WOMAN FROM SNOWY RIVER, I just cant move and I have two weeks of this wich is great...just oh so sore.
So the massive mob we had today was all the way to the last paddock and we were at the gate...the sun was setting and about 1/4 of the mob broke in a run back the wrong way. Two of us stayed behind, racing back and forth to keep the remaining cows there and two took off at full speed across the field. They tried to bring them back but a no go and the sun was setting so we had to close the last fence and get them down to the yards tomorrow.
I will write more after dinner.....
All finals are done...woo hoo! I have no idea how I did on any but I hope I at least passed.
Now, I am out in the middle of nowhere and there are no words to describe how sore my ass is LOL!! I just spent the last 5 hours on horseback, and no, this is no little trail ride type horse ride. This is oh shit a bunch of calves have just broken off the mob of 300+ cows you are mustering, Christina, race your horse over there...jumping over creeks...running through tress "duck" the low branches and run as fast as you can to head them off and bring them back.
Wow..I am mustering cattle on horse back in the Outback. It is yet one more thing on my list of things to do before I die that I can cross off. My list is getting so small. There are no words to describe the site of four people on horse back racing through gorges, jumping over logs and catching those straggling calves, and having kangaroos hopping along side as well. Spectacular!! And to be racing right along with them...then have a battle plan of who races where next? Who goes to the top of the hill in the distance to get that lost calf, and who keeps the massive mob going?
I have all the gear...my own authentic Australian Driza Bone jacket that is pure leather and goes all the way to the boots, the hat, the horse...I AM THE WOMAN FROM SNOWY RIVER, I just cant move and I have two weeks of this wich is great...just oh so sore.
So the massive mob we had today was all the way to the last paddock and we were at the gate...the sun was setting and about 1/4 of the mob broke in a run back the wrong way. Two of us stayed behind, racing back and forth to keep the remaining cows there and two took off at full speed across the field. They tried to bring them back but a no go and the sun was setting so we had to close the last fence and get them down to the yards tomorrow.
I will write more after dinner.....
Thursday, June 7, 2007
3 Down 2 to Go
Random writings of the goings on at vet school Down Under
Ok I have had three finals and I have two left to go. I have no clue what I got on the pathology practical final, I feel ok, but I dont want to jinx myself, on the Pharmacology final. I studied EVERYTHING for that and had a massive panic attack overwhelmed with stress thingy. Sometimes IT DOES get a bit overwhelming. At the last minute, I decided to go over the previous semesters exams, and wouldn't you know it but it was almost like he cut and paste from those exams. All I needed to do was study those and the cardiology notes and I would have been fine. Oh well you never know.
Now I know if I just study the previous exams for Nutrition and Pathology Theory that I will probably get screwed and nothing will be from those. But my battle plan is still going to be this: fingers crossed some stuff will be from old exams...so I will do all of those and study the information that goes with those questions. If I have time after that, like my good friend Courtney says "sit back with a cup of green tea and read the reader and your notes over again, highlight important information and go back and write it down." Well I have read the reader and my notes and highlighted so many times that I have invented a new color...first reading was yellow, then pink, then green, and then blue...oh look all my important information is highlighted in some mauve color LOL!
Today was the farm prac final, and as Steve said, I am having steak for dinner and bacon for breakfast after that one. 10:30 we were assigned a cow each.
1. Age, breed, and condition score the cow please
-hmmmm, breed: well it is mostly black making it an angus cross of some sort but only the face is white kind of like a hereford...I am guessing Angus Hereford cross???? Correct!!! woo hoo
-damn cow wont lift its head for me to stick my hand in and look at the teeth, still trying to lift stuborn cows head....still fighting with it....smashed hand...wonder if I should use the evil nose pliers, nope I think I will try just using my fingers instead. Head flys up, almost sends me flying...full set of teeth, look sort of new...I am saying 31/2 -4 years??? Correct!!!!
-Not too fat, not too skinny A score of 2 1/2 -3 Correct!!!!
2. Apply a mouth gag please
- Wrestle cow for a bit...thrown around a bit...does not want giant metal thing in mouth, finally get it
3. Please insert giant metal rod into mouth and then shove tube into stomach of unhappy cow
-lots more wrestling, very unhappy cow, succeed in getting it into stomach and back severely hurting now
4. Apply rope and restrain front leg
5. Apply v-sling rope you must make from one peice of rope to back leg
6. Give heart rate, respiratory rate and temp of adult cow (I think I botched that up)
7. Tell every intricate detail you know about the correct sites of IM injection...SQ and IV
Next at 11:00 was the terrible, horrible, evil pigs
I got lucky for the first time ever...my partner not so much...she got assigned Pig #2 and these pigs have been poked and prodded for the entire semester + they are 90kilos easy = one very smart, very unhappy, very LARGE beast at the end of the rope.
Must catch pig by nose with noose of rope and tie WITH CORRECT KNOT to the fence...pig knows what is going on, pig even once caught rears into air and smashes me and my partner...this is her pig and she has to catch, and tie and draw blood from the ear vein...many tries, my hand is smashed and bruised...pig so bad we have to give up and it is my turn :(
Pig #5 please be good...he only took three tries...hit the ear vein first shot I love you #5 pig
Back to devil pig #2...metal snare time...many more tries to catch and tie pig...both of us covered in blood and who knows what else...finally she gets blood from screaming pig...we are both smashed up
What??? Temp and IM injection time...turn around and #5 is laying down...I love you #5...jab needle into neck...pig does not move...shove thermometer in bum...pig looks at me, but does not move HOW LUCKY IS THAT...everyone else trying to hit running targets
So I am bruised, covered in blood, and "smell worse than the Cats litter box" says my roommate when I get home...BUT I PASSED!!!!
Now time to go to work...what work...I can barely move, I need a back massage...oh the pain and now 6 hours on my feet feeding drinks to the locals...oh gooody!!!
Ok I have had three finals and I have two left to go. I have no clue what I got on the pathology practical final, I feel ok, but I dont want to jinx myself, on the Pharmacology final. I studied EVERYTHING for that and had a massive panic attack overwhelmed with stress thingy. Sometimes IT DOES get a bit overwhelming. At the last minute, I decided to go over the previous semesters exams, and wouldn't you know it but it was almost like he cut and paste from those exams. All I needed to do was study those and the cardiology notes and I would have been fine. Oh well you never know.
Now I know if I just study the previous exams for Nutrition and Pathology Theory that I will probably get screwed and nothing will be from those. But my battle plan is still going to be this: fingers crossed some stuff will be from old exams...so I will do all of those and study the information that goes with those questions. If I have time after that, like my good friend Courtney says "sit back with a cup of green tea and read the reader and your notes over again, highlight important information and go back and write it down." Well I have read the reader and my notes and highlighted so many times that I have invented a new color...first reading was yellow, then pink, then green, and then blue...oh look all my important information is highlighted in some mauve color LOL!
Today was the farm prac final, and as Steve said, I am having steak for dinner and bacon for breakfast after that one. 10:30 we were assigned a cow each.
1. Age, breed, and condition score the cow please
-hmmmm, breed: well it is mostly black making it an angus cross of some sort but only the face is white kind of like a hereford...I am guessing Angus Hereford cross???? Correct!!! woo hoo
-damn cow wont lift its head for me to stick my hand in and look at the teeth, still trying to lift stuborn cows head....still fighting with it....smashed hand...wonder if I should use the evil nose pliers, nope I think I will try just using my fingers instead. Head flys up, almost sends me flying...full set of teeth, look sort of new...I am saying 31/2 -4 years??? Correct!!!!
-Not too fat, not too skinny A score of 2 1/2 -3 Correct!!!!
2. Apply a mouth gag please
- Wrestle cow for a bit...thrown around a bit...does not want giant metal thing in mouth, finally get it
3. Please insert giant metal rod into mouth and then shove tube into stomach of unhappy cow
-lots more wrestling, very unhappy cow, succeed in getting it into stomach and back severely hurting now
4. Apply rope and restrain front leg
5. Apply v-sling rope you must make from one peice of rope to back leg
6. Give heart rate, respiratory rate and temp of adult cow (I think I botched that up)
7. Tell every intricate detail you know about the correct sites of IM injection...SQ and IV
Next at 11:00 was the terrible, horrible, evil pigs
I got lucky for the first time ever...my partner not so much...she got assigned Pig #2 and these pigs have been poked and prodded for the entire semester + they are 90kilos easy = one very smart, very unhappy, very LARGE beast at the end of the rope.
Must catch pig by nose with noose of rope and tie WITH CORRECT KNOT to the fence...pig knows what is going on, pig even once caught rears into air and smashes me and my partner...this is her pig and she has to catch, and tie and draw blood from the ear vein...many tries, my hand is smashed and bruised...pig so bad we have to give up and it is my turn :(
Pig #5 please be good...he only took three tries...hit the ear vein first shot I love you #5 pig
Back to devil pig #2...metal snare time...many more tries to catch and tie pig...both of us covered in blood and who knows what else...finally she gets blood from screaming pig...we are both smashed up
What??? Temp and IM injection time...turn around and #5 is laying down...I love you #5...jab needle into neck...pig does not move...shove thermometer in bum...pig looks at me, but does not move HOW LUCKY IS THAT...everyone else trying to hit running targets
So I am bruised, covered in blood, and "smell worse than the Cats litter box" says my roommate when I get home...BUT I PASSED!!!!
Now time to go to work...what work...I can barely move, I need a back massage...oh the pain and now 6 hours on my feet feeding drinks to the locals...oh gooody!!!
Tuesday, May 22, 2007
Holy Crap!!!
Random writings of the goings on at vet school Down Under
One final down...sooo many more to go. The final was tough as, but I studied very hard so I am hoping I did ok.
An example question:
This autopsy is from an aged German shephard who had a limp for the past 5 months, then developed a cough and died.
Picture is of horrible lookings lungs....
What is the possible pathology of this disease???? Good god, it could be anything by the looks of the lung, but a limp? aged? I will have to say a bone tumor or osteosarcoma that metastisized to the lungs and caused multiple multi-focal to coalescing areas of calcification in the lung parenchyma.
Oh boy....I hope I am right, but hey, I have accomplished alot and it is already time to enroll for second semester of 3rd year...holy crap!
One final down...sooo many more to go. The final was tough as, but I studied very hard so I am hoping I did ok.
An example question:
This autopsy is from an aged German shephard who had a limp for the past 5 months, then developed a cough and died.
Picture is of horrible lookings lungs....
What is the possible pathology of this disease???? Good god, it could be anything by the looks of the lung, but a limp? aged? I will have to say a bone tumor or osteosarcoma that metastisized to the lungs and caused multiple multi-focal to coalescing areas of calcification in the lung parenchyma.
Oh boy....I hope I am right, but hey, I have accomplished alot and it is already time to enroll for second semester of 3rd year...holy crap!
| 2007/S1 | Processes in Animal Disease ( VET340 ) | MURDOCH | D | ENROLLED | 4.000 | ** | ** | ** |
| 2007/S1 | Veterinary Pharmacology and Chemotherapy ( VET345 ) | MURDOCH | D | ENROLLED | 4.000 | ** | ** | ** |
| 2007/S1 | Veterinary Nutrition and Animal Toxicology ( VET346 ) | MURDOCH | D | ENROLLED | 4.000 | ** | ** | ** |
| 2007/S2 | Veterinary Microbiology ( VET341 ) | MURDOCH | D | ENROLLED | 4.000 | ** | ** | ** |
| 2007/S2 | Veterinary Applied Pathology and Diagnosis ( VET343 ) | MURDOCH | D | ENROLLED | 4.000 | ** | ** | ** |
| 2007/S2 | Veterinary Parasitology ( VET344 ) | MURDOCH | D | ENROLLED | 4.000 | ** | ** | ** |
| 2006/S1 | Veterinary Anatomy ( VET240 ) | MURDOCH | D | COMPLETED | 4.000 | 51 | P | 4.000 |
| 2006/S1 | Veterinary Biochemistry ( VET241 ) | MURDOCH | D | COMPLETED | 4.000 | 68 | C | 4.000 |
| 2006/S1 | Veterinary Physiology ( VET244 ) | MURDOCH | D | COMPLETED | 4.000 | 64 | C | 4.000 |
| 2006/S2 | Veterinary Form and Function ( VET243 ) | MURDOCH | D | COMPLETED | 4.000 | 54 | P | 4.000 |
| 2006/S2 | Animals and Society ( VET246 ) | MURDOCH | D | COMPLETED | 4.000 | 67 | C | 4.000 |
| 2006/S2 | Veterinary Immunology and Molecular Genetics ( VET247 ) | MURDOCH | D | COMPLETED | 4.000 | 51 | P | 4.000 |
| 2005/S2 | Animal and Plant Recognition ( BIO157 ) | MURDOCH | D | COMPLETED | 3.000 | 74 | D | 3.000 |
| 2005/S2 | Introduction to Travel and Tourism ( TOU102 ) | MURDOCH | D | DISCONTIN | 3.000 | - | W0 | 0.000 |
| 2005/S2 | Animal and Human Bioethics ( VET106 ) | MURDOCH | D | COMPLETED | 3.000 | 77 | D | 3.000 |
| 2005/S2 | Topics in Comparative Mammalian Anatomy ( VET108 ) | MURDOCH | D | COMPLETED | 3.000 | 60 | C | 3.000 |
Tuesday, May 8, 2007
Anyone Wondering What I Study???
Random writings of the goings on at vet school Down Under
Look at what I am studying
Short Answer Questions (5 marks)
1. Compare transudate, modified transudate and exudate. Give an example of a disease that would be associated with a transudate, modified transudate and exudate.
2. Compare haemorrhage and diapedesis, what processes cause haemorrhage and diapedesis, give an example of a disease characterised by diapedesis and haemorrhage.
3. What is Apoptosis? Briefly contrast the process of apoptosis and necrosis.
4. What is Haemosiderosis? Give examples of lesions in which this process might occur.
5. Cells and tissues vary in their ability to adapt. Using examples, list the features of cells and organs that influence their ability to adapt
6. Discuss the most plausible relationship between the following pathological changes:
Chronic hepatic abscessation, severe, acute epistaxis, hemoptysis and sudden death.
7. Explain the relationship between the administration of corticosteroids and the alleviation of pain and fever.
8. Your good friend is working on a farm during her summer holidays and rings you to tell you about her day helping the farmer kill a sheep to butcher for meat. She tells you they ended up having to kill 2 sheep because when they opened the abdomen of the first sheep there were multiple pale tan-yellow nodules, ranging from 1 to 3cm diameter, occupying 70% of the liver. When the farmer cut into the nodules they had a putty-like consistency in the centre with a firm outer margin. The farmer decided to cut this sheep up for dog meat and kill another sheep for human consumption (which appeared grossly normal).
What pathological process(s) do you think are responsible for the changes in the liver of the first sheep and why? Was it a good idea to feed the sheep with the liver lesions to the dogs and why?
9. Explain the events that occur in the healing of a sutured surgical skin wound caused by a scalpel.
10. What are the possible consequences of disease? Give examples.
11. What is meant by the term functional reserve capacity, give examples.
12. Briefly discuss the following pathological processes, and give examples of where each might occur. (5 marks each)
a. Atrophy
b. Metaplasia
c. Lipofuscinosis
d. Gangrene
e. Metastatic calcification
f. Jaundice
13. What do the terms ‘benign’ and ‘malignant’ mean with respect to neoplasia?
14. What are oncogenes, and how are they related to the development of neoplasia?
15. Using pRb (the retinoblastoma gene product) as an example, outline what is meant by a tumour suppressor gene / protein.
16. How do viruses cause cancer?
17. How do the developmental periods of the fetus differ in their susceptibility to teratogens?
18. Briefly discuss one viral teratogen.
19. Why was thalidomide banned, and why may it now reappear?
20. How may teratogens be classified?
Medium Length Questions (10 marks)
1. Discuss how the immune response influences the development and progression of tuberculosis
2. What is oedema, how does it form, give examples?
3. What are the main cellular, chemical and vascular elements of acute inflammation, discuss in broad terms, how they cause the cardinal signs of acute inflammation?
4. From you knowledge of cellular injury and adaptive responses, briefly explain the meaning the following statement:-
“The normal cell, the adapted cell, the injured cell and the dead cell are hazily delimited states along a continuum of function and structure”
5. Outline how the susceptibility to teratogens of a developing mammal varies with its developmental stage
6. Discuss the prothrombotic and antithrombotic properties of endothelial cells.
7. Discuss the process and purpose of scarring; include in your discussion the consequences of scarring in different organs.
8. Compare and contrast the processes of acute and chronic inflammation. Include in your discussion the elements involved in each process, what determines whether there is an acute or chronic inflammatory response and the physiological effects of acute and chronic inflammation.
Woo hoo and this will be alot like MY final in four weeks....holy #$%^!!!!!
Look at what I am studying
Short Answer Questions (5 marks)
1. Compare transudate, modified transudate and exudate. Give an example of a disease that would be associated with a transudate, modified transudate and exudate.
2. Compare haemorrhage and diapedesis, what processes cause haemorrhage and diapedesis, give an example of a disease characterised by diapedesis and haemorrhage.
3. What is Apoptosis? Briefly contrast the process of apoptosis and necrosis.
4. What is Haemosiderosis? Give examples of lesions in which this process might occur.
5. Cells and tissues vary in their ability to adapt. Using examples, list the features of cells and organs that influence their ability to adapt
6. Discuss the most plausible relationship between the following pathological changes:
Chronic hepatic abscessation, severe, acute epistaxis, hemoptysis and sudden death.
7. Explain the relationship between the administration of corticosteroids and the alleviation of pain and fever.
8. Your good friend is working on a farm during her summer holidays and rings you to tell you about her day helping the farmer kill a sheep to butcher for meat. She tells you they ended up having to kill 2 sheep because when they opened the abdomen of the first sheep there were multiple pale tan-yellow nodules, ranging from 1 to 3cm diameter, occupying 70% of the liver. When the farmer cut into the nodules they had a putty-like consistency in the centre with a firm outer margin. The farmer decided to cut this sheep up for dog meat and kill another sheep for human consumption (which appeared grossly normal).
What pathological process(s) do you think are responsible for the changes in the liver of the first sheep and why? Was it a good idea to feed the sheep with the liver lesions to the dogs and why?
9. Explain the events that occur in the healing of a sutured surgical skin wound caused by a scalpel.
10. What are the possible consequences of disease? Give examples.
11. What is meant by the term functional reserve capacity, give examples.
12. Briefly discuss the following pathological processes, and give examples of where each might occur. (5 marks each)
a. Atrophy
b. Metaplasia
c. Lipofuscinosis
d. Gangrene
e. Metastatic calcification
f. Jaundice
13. What do the terms ‘benign’ and ‘malignant’ mean with respect to neoplasia?
14. What are oncogenes, and how are they related to the development of neoplasia?
15. Using pRb (the retinoblastoma gene product) as an example, outline what is meant by a tumour suppressor gene / protein.
16. How do viruses cause cancer?
17. How do the developmental periods of the fetus differ in their susceptibility to teratogens?
18. Briefly discuss one viral teratogen.
19. Why was thalidomide banned, and why may it now reappear?
20. How may teratogens be classified?
Medium Length Questions (10 marks)
1. Discuss how the immune response influences the development and progression of tuberculosis
2. What is oedema, how does it form, give examples?
3. What are the main cellular, chemical and vascular elements of acute inflammation, discuss in broad terms, how they cause the cardinal signs of acute inflammation?
4. From you knowledge of cellular injury and adaptive responses, briefly explain the meaning the following statement:-
“The normal cell, the adapted cell, the injured cell and the dead cell are hazily delimited states along a continuum of function and structure”
5. Outline how the susceptibility to teratogens of a developing mammal varies with its developmental stage
6. Discuss the prothrombotic and antithrombotic properties of endothelial cells.
7. Discuss the process and purpose of scarring; include in your discussion the consequences of scarring in different organs.
8. Compare and contrast the processes of acute and chronic inflammation. Include in your discussion the elements involved in each process, what determines whether there is an acute or chronic inflammatory response and the physiological effects of acute and chronic inflammation.
Woo hoo and this will be alot like MY final in four weeks....holy #$%^!!!!!
Tuesday, May 1, 2007
Make it stop!!!
Random writings of the goings on at vet school Down Under
So nothing I am studying about nutrition is sticking. It really wont stick. Have I reached my maximum capacity for information holding in my brain space? If I shove more in....will things I do know and need fall out my ears??? I am beginning to wonder if 9 years is the maximum holding capacity for information for full time study. Its ok...breathe, there must be more room in there.....come on only 2 1/2 more years to go....hmmmm must start forgetting irrelevant things.
Happy note....I love my car, and I had a great meal of lamb and steamed vegetables from work. Going to sleep now, I have all day off tomorrow so I will study till I cant do it anymore and just go for it on Thursday....I did get a credit on my Processes of Animal Diseases test!!! D's and HD's are a thing of dreams for this working gal.....
nighty night
So nothing I am studying about nutrition is sticking. It really wont stick. Have I reached my maximum capacity for information holding in my brain space? If I shove more in....will things I do know and need fall out my ears??? I am beginning to wonder if 9 years is the maximum holding capacity for information for full time study. Its ok...breathe, there must be more room in there.....come on only 2 1/2 more years to go....hmmmm must start forgetting irrelevant things.
Happy note....I love my car, and I had a great meal of lamb and steamed vegetables from work. Going to sleep now, I have all day off tomorrow so I will study till I cant do it anymore and just go for it on Thursday....I did get a credit on my Processes of Animal Diseases test!!! D's and HD's are a thing of dreams for this working gal.....
nighty night
A Day in the Life of This Working Vet Student
Random writings of the goings on at vet school Down Under
What a crazy day....the thing is, I have so many like this, but I thought I would share this one. One thing I do have to say is I GOT A CAR FINALLY!!! Last week I got myself a little roller skate. It is a Toyota Starlet and I love it. This little silver bullet has already been named Coors by my friend Courtney. I will post pics and talk more about it very soon
Ok the day started with me waking up at 7:30 even though the alarm was set for 6:30. You see, on Sunday I worked all day and then studied till really late and finished my pathology report. My brain was mush so I set the alarm, but forgot to turn it ON...minor detail.
Feed dog...sprint to shower...proceed to run around in the shower cursing because it is either scalding hot or freeezing cold, jump out while going past kitchen, stop and throw water on stove to boil. Get ready in .2 seconds while printing out the days lectures. Run to kitchen, throw lunch together while shoving breakfast in face...pour boiling water in cup to make green tea...boiling water is hot ...note to self dont drink right away. Oops!
Throw everything in car, continue shoving food in face and very excited because I can listen to whatever music I want...woo hoo, run to class. 8:30-9:30 is Pharmacology. Realize I have not purchased the second reader for the course and the next exam on Monday, is on the material in this reader. Class ends...run to bookstore in the rain. Search everywhere for reader, it is not there so must order it and I sure hope it is in by Wednesday. 10:30-11:30 time for Nutrition and Toxicology, lack of sleep starting to catch up ....oooh dog nutrition and calculations
Must stay awake, but just cant do it...wake up in time for next class which is Processes of Animal Disease....it is a review of the midterm we just had...hmmmm did not do as well as I thought, but I passed. Oh look, a break at 12:30 , or is it. Go to the Common Room and stare into space while shoving a sandwich in my face and then off to the library to print off more notes and study Nutrition. We have another midterm on Thursday ...this will be Antioxidants, Metabolic Diseases, Pig, Llama, Cattle, and Dog Nutrition...Ration Formulation...and I am sure I am forgetting something. So from 1-2:30 I try and fill my brain with as much of this information as possible. 2:30 is time for Pathology workshop. This is where each group of six is given a gross image and a slide and we have to say the pathological changes we observe in front of the class...this class takes FOREVER AND EVER. We finally get out at 4:30, just in time for traffic, but I dont care because I am driving my new car
The only reason I care is because I have to be at work at six.
Run through the door and jump in shower...run around cursing again because the shower SUCKS!!!! Jump out run by kitchen and throw fish sticks on George Foreman grill...give Keaton a hug and a carrot. Try to get ready in record time....must be very presentable as the Dockers are in for dinner and there is a cocktail party of 60....yuck! Burn dinner, but make good salad to make up for burnt fish, sit down for 15 minutes to enjoy. Feed dog ...go to work.
Proceed to put on fake smile and walk around with plates of finger food for cocktail party for the next four hours...9:30 rolls around, and they are all toasted. Finally they start leaving and we have to bring in all the tables from outside and reset everything for the next day...help move massive amounts of tables and chairs, polish countless glasses and cutlery...pull shoulder out when lifting ...ouch, it is killing me. 10:30 pm.....home, and cant sleep because of coffee at work. Should be studying, but brain is mush. Going to go lie in bed and stare at ceiling and pray for sleep because I have another big day tomorrow.
How I have done this for the past 9 years or more, I have no clue...it is tough, but it could be worse, and my brother could probably beat me with his stories of working and studying. Supposedly it will all pay off in the end.....oh how I cant wait for the day when all I have to worry about is just uni....or all I have to worry about is just work....I guess I will keep dreaming, and I have a car, so apparently that will make everything better.
Thursday after the test will be sooooo much better. Friday we are having our annual Cinco De Mayo party which will be awesome...I do have another test on Monday and a paper due on the next Friday, but I am not thinking about that..Take it one at a time.....one at a time.....
What a crazy day....the thing is, I have so many like this, but I thought I would share this one. One thing I do have to say is I GOT A CAR FINALLY!!! Last week I got myself a little roller skate. It is a Toyota Starlet and I love it. This little silver bullet has already been named Coors by my friend Courtney. I will post pics and talk more about it very soon
Ok the day started with me waking up at 7:30 even though the alarm was set for 6:30. You see, on Sunday I worked all day and then studied till really late and finished my pathology report. My brain was mush so I set the alarm, but forgot to turn it ON...minor detail.
Feed dog...sprint to shower...proceed to run around in the shower cursing because it is either scalding hot or freeezing cold, jump out while going past kitchen, stop and throw water on stove to boil. Get ready in .2 seconds while printing out the days lectures. Run to kitchen, throw lunch together while shoving breakfast in face...pour boiling water in cup to make green tea...boiling water is hot ...note to self dont drink right away. Oops!
Throw everything in car, continue shoving food in face and very excited because I can listen to whatever music I want...woo hoo, run to class. 8:30-9:30 is Pharmacology. Realize I have not purchased the second reader for the course and the next exam on Monday, is on the material in this reader. Class ends...run to bookstore in the rain. Search everywhere for reader, it is not there so must order it and I sure hope it is in by Wednesday. 10:30-11:30 time for Nutrition and Toxicology, lack of sleep starting to catch up ....oooh dog nutrition and calculations
Must stay awake, but just cant do it...wake up in time for next class which is Processes of Animal Disease....it is a review of the midterm we just had...hmmmm did not do as well as I thought, but I passed. Oh look, a break at 12:30 , or is it. Go to the Common Room and stare into space while shoving a sandwich in my face and then off to the library to print off more notes and study Nutrition. We have another midterm on Thursday ...this will be Antioxidants, Metabolic Diseases, Pig, Llama, Cattle, and Dog Nutrition...Ration Formulation...and I am sure I am forgetting something. So from 1-2:30 I try and fill my brain with as much of this information as possible. 2:30 is time for Pathology workshop. This is where each group of six is given a gross image and a slide and we have to say the pathological changes we observe in front of the class...this class takes FOREVER AND EVER. We finally get out at 4:30, just in time for traffic, but I dont care because I am driving my new car The only reason I care is because I have to be at work at six.Run through the door and jump in shower...run around cursing again because the shower SUCKS!!!! Jump out run by kitchen and throw fish sticks on George Foreman grill...give Keaton a hug and a carrot. Try to get ready in record time....must be very presentable as the Dockers are in for dinner and there is a cocktail party of 60....yuck! Burn dinner, but make good salad to make up for burnt fish, sit down for 15 minutes to enjoy. Feed dog ...go to work.
Proceed to put on fake smile and walk around with plates of finger food for cocktail party for the next four hours...9:30 rolls around, and they are all toasted. Finally they start leaving and we have to bring in all the tables from outside and reset everything for the next day...help move massive amounts of tables and chairs, polish countless glasses and cutlery...pull shoulder out when lifting ...ouch, it is killing me. 10:30 pm.....home, and cant sleep because of coffee at work. Should be studying, but brain is mush. Going to go lie in bed and stare at ceiling and pray for sleep because I have another big day tomorrow.
How I have done this for the past 9 years or more, I have no clue...it is tough, but it could be worse, and my brother could probably beat me with his stories of working and studying. Supposedly it will all pay off in the end.....oh how I cant wait for the day when all I have to worry about is just uni....or all I have to worry about is just work....I guess I will keep dreaming, and I have a car, so apparently that will make everything better.
Thursday after the test will be sooooo much better. Friday we are having our annual Cinco De Mayo party which will be awesome...I do have another test on Monday and a paper due on the next Friday, but I am not thinking about that..Take it one at a time.....one at a time.....
Saturday, April 21, 2007
Looking UP
Random writings of the goings on at vet school Down Under
I know I have been saying this for awhile, but I feel I will have a car here within the next few weeks and that will make a whole lot of difference. I have hated having to depend on others to get me to places I need or want to go. I hate asking for favors and help, and lately it feels like that is all I have been doing. "Can someone pick me up here?" Can someone take me there....I would go but I cant get there without a car etc. The plans when I have one....to put my board in the back and actually go surfing, to take Keaton to some really cool spots, to drive to the coast and just watch the kite surfers for hours, and maybe even try, to be able to go to the fish store and stare at the aquariums and dream of the giant one I will have again someday...yes I am weird, but it relieves stress. I can take up Salsa dancing lessons and actually go dancing....having dancing withdrawals here definitely. Actually be able to visit and hang out with friends and not worry when the last bus is leaving....and just drive, drive, drive...wherever and whenever. All these things, dancing, surfing, fish staring, and driving to nowhere in particular are my big stress relievers and I have done hardly any of them for the last two years here.
Most of the time I handle everyday stresses sooooooooooo well, but I have felt overwhelmed lately. Being in a new country...yes it is still very new here, can do that to a person. I am not saying having a car is my magic button, but I sure think it will help. Like now, should I wake up my roommate to borrow her car to go shopping and to the laundromat? I will probably just wait till she wakes up, which throws off my day.
Oh and guess what? My loans are approved!!!! I was panicked that a credit check would go wrong again and I would come this close to having to go home, but they are approved....I am here without worrying how to pay for school for another year.
I have three more weeks of farm prac I have to do. I got assigned to a cattle ranch in esperance for two weeks in June herding cattle on horseback...exactly what I wanted and then a week at an Alpaca stud farm and then farm experience is over and clinical experience begins. Maybe I can get out of some of the twelve weeks since I spent 8 years in a few. Heres hoping.
I know I have been saying this for awhile, but I feel I will have a car here within the next few weeks and that will make a whole lot of difference. I have hated having to depend on others to get me to places I need or want to go. I hate asking for favors and help, and lately it feels like that is all I have been doing. "Can someone pick me up here?" Can someone take me there....I would go but I cant get there without a car etc. The plans when I have one....to put my board in the back and actually go surfing, to take Keaton to some really cool spots, to drive to the coast and just watch the kite surfers for hours, and maybe even try, to be able to go to the fish store and stare at the aquariums and dream of the giant one I will have again someday...yes I am weird, but it relieves stress. I can take up Salsa dancing lessons and actually go dancing....having dancing withdrawals here definitely. Actually be able to visit and hang out with friends and not worry when the last bus is leaving....and just drive, drive, drive...wherever and whenever. All these things, dancing, surfing, fish staring, and driving to nowhere in particular are my big stress relievers and I have done hardly any of them for the last two years here.
Most of the time I handle everyday stresses sooooooooooo well, but I have felt overwhelmed lately. Being in a new country...yes it is still very new here, can do that to a person. I am not saying having a car is my magic button, but I sure think it will help. Like now, should I wake up my roommate to borrow her car to go shopping and to the laundromat? I will probably just wait till she wakes up, which throws off my day.
Oh and guess what? My loans are approved!!!! I was panicked that a credit check would go wrong again and I would come this close to having to go home, but they are approved....I am here without worrying how to pay for school for another year.
I have three more weeks of farm prac I have to do. I got assigned to a cattle ranch in esperance for two weeks in June herding cattle on horseback...exactly what I wanted and then a week at an Alpaca stud farm and then farm experience is over and clinical experience begins. Maybe I can get out of some of the twelve weeks since I spent 8 years in a few. Heres hoping.
Sunday, April 15, 2007
Only five weeks left
So there is only five weeks left of 1st semester 3rd year...this means in July of this year I will be at the half way point. Of course my class will celebrate with a massive day of festivities titled with something appropriate like Half-Way to Insanity, or Half-Way to the Asylum. This is of course because we are all pretty much insane and getting crazier by the minute for actually going through this torture and becoming veterinarians. I must say that sometimes, after 9 years of full time study it starts to get difficult to sit down and write yet another paper. I think I have written way over 100 research papers in my lifetime with more to come I am sure. I will also have another degree under my belt at the end of this year. So strange Dr. Christina Webb BS, BSc, BVMS...time for the age old joke THAT IS A LOT OF BS!!!
On a big plus side, classes are actually still very interesting, maybe because they are more applicable. On the bad side...they still test sooo differently here. At least I am still passing, but not as well as I would have hoped, and here I can study so very hard and yet not get the mark I wanted. It used to be so easy getting the highest grades, working full time + overtime and having time for a social life. It seems harder to balance that now. Maybe, it is because even though this hospitality job is perfect money and a perfect location, it is not what I want to do. I want to be practicing at a veterinary clinic. So first thing, I am going to get a car so I can get a clinic job. Second, no makeup, wont style my hair....wont have bubbly overwhelming personality and try to fit in since apparently I was told I do not at the last clinics. Wish me luck as it still sticks in my head when I got my first hair cut here and I was told most women here dont cut their hair short because they dont like to stick out like you Americans. I should have bitch slapped her, but I did realize it is tough to move forward here if you stand out. Hmmmmm when in the states you are encouraged to stand out, sell yourself, and be an individual.
Or maybe I just had three bad experiences...all I know is I am trying to learn from them because they were very humbling. Still, I will do whatever it takes to get a clinic job again...within reason of course.
I have a seminar to present with my group on Tuesday on the drugs used for treating feline hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and the drugs to treat canine dilated cardiomyopathy. 20 minutes long and 30 slides. Wish me luck. I also have a prac test in Pathology and even though this is becoming my favorite subject, it is very very hard. We have been messing around with farm animals again in a class called ICE, or Introduction to Clinical Exams. All the usual suspects are there, sheep, goats, cattle, pigs. Horses and the domestic pets are fourth year. I have already learned how to put a stomach tube in the cow and take blood from the tail vein...OUCH. Draw blood and give vaccines to sheep, goats, and cattle. Always in the neck under the ear so as not to damage the meat. Now it will be three weeks of my not so favorite pigs, and on Fridays. 4 hours of pigs every other Friday for 3 whole weeks....oh nooooo.
It has started raining here, wish I had an even longer summer. Oh well next time. Hope everyone back home is doing good. I moved my blog here because I have tried to make comments possible on my other site but it is not working. It should work here though.
Hope to hear from people soon
On a big plus side, classes are actually still very interesting, maybe because they are more applicable. On the bad side...they still test sooo differently here. At least I am still passing, but not as well as I would have hoped, and here I can study so very hard and yet not get the mark I wanted. It used to be so easy getting the highest grades, working full time + overtime and having time for a social life. It seems harder to balance that now. Maybe, it is because even though this hospitality job is perfect money and a perfect location, it is not what I want to do. I want to be practicing at a veterinary clinic. So first thing, I am going to get a car so I can get a clinic job. Second, no makeup, wont style my hair....wont have bubbly overwhelming personality and try to fit in since apparently I was told I do not at the last clinics. Wish me luck as it still sticks in my head when I got my first hair cut here and I was told most women here dont cut their hair short because they dont like to stick out like you Americans. I should have bitch slapped her, but I did realize it is tough to move forward here if you stand out. Hmmmmm when in the states you are encouraged to stand out, sell yourself, and be an individual.
Or maybe I just had three bad experiences...all I know is I am trying to learn from them because they were very humbling. Still, I will do whatever it takes to get a clinic job again...within reason of course.
I have a seminar to present with my group on Tuesday on the drugs used for treating feline hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and the drugs to treat canine dilated cardiomyopathy. 20 minutes long and 30 slides. Wish me luck. I also have a prac test in Pathology and even though this is becoming my favorite subject, it is very very hard. We have been messing around with farm animals again in a class called ICE, or Introduction to Clinical Exams. All the usual suspects are there, sheep, goats, cattle, pigs. Horses and the domestic pets are fourth year. I have already learned how to put a stomach tube in the cow and take blood from the tail vein...OUCH. Draw blood and give vaccines to sheep, goats, and cattle. Always in the neck under the ear so as not to damage the meat. Now it will be three weeks of my not so favorite pigs, and on Fridays. 4 hours of pigs every other Friday for 3 whole weeks....oh nooooo.
It has started raining here, wish I had an even longer summer. Oh well next time. Hope everyone back home is doing good. I moved my blog here because I have tried to make comments possible on my other site but it is not working. It should work here though.
Hope to hear from people soon
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