So What HAVE I Been Doing...

To take up all of my time this year? You all know I've been studying Vet Tech for the past year, so let me tell you what that entails. Aside from being President of the Vet Tech Club...

Vet Techs can do everything but four things that only Veterinarians can do:
1) We cannot do surgeries.
2) We cannot prescribe medication. We can fill prescriptions, but not prescribe anything.
3) We cannot give Prognosis or Diagnosis to our clients about our patients... which includes reassuring that their animal is going to be alright...
4) We cannot instigate treatment without the doctor giving us permission to do so.

I've come to realize that somehow I always wind up in the lion's den....
Literally...

My first week, we did a Cattle lab in Animal Handling and Restraint. I'm somewhat afraid of cattle, but thought I could manage. We were gathering up the cattle and fencing them off so that we could drive them into the chute. I was just trying to follow the herd of students when suddenly I find myself in the corral with four other student and the two teachers. Here I was, tiny little me, staring at our seven head of very large, fat cattle, who looked just as scared as I felt. We drove our four into the chute... with very little help from me... ^_^' and proceeded with our lab.

The second time I was caught in the lion's den, was during Wildlife Management. Again, I was just trying to absorb as much as possible while following the group. We were doing the Bear lab, and trying to anesthetist our year old cub. Keep in mind that this 'little' bear cub was at least 230 lbs and when it stood on its hind legs it was at least my hight, about 5'5". So we were in the cage and the Vet says that only one of us can be in there. So I turn to leave and find the door closing behind me with all of my Vet Tech comrades waiting outside of the cage.

So our cub finally goes down after about 30 min and A LOT of tranquilizer and the Vet and DOW guys start dragging him towards the tub, so that we can work on getting his tags in and implanting a microchip under his skin, and he wakes up! Of course he starts charging my way, and I ran out of the way and let him run back into his Faux Den. About 20 min later he's finally out cold and we got to go forward with our procedures. 

This year I also saved the lives of six kittens and successfully drew blood out of the jugular on a goat... On the first try even!

A little ambling notion

As I read my assigned reading, I think about how school has affected my learning and effected me. To quote Jerry Farber, "History is engrossing, Literature is so beautiful. And school is likely to turn them dull or even ugly." I find this completely true on so many levels. I, myself, often admit that though I didn't go to school very often as a child, I learned more from my studying at home than I ever did at school. I was often much more competent in my "academic skills", although my grades didn't reflect this. I didn't mind being an F student... This way I could study more enthusiastically. I would read text books... similar to the ones I'm having to choke down now. It would be a great venture to be able to study freely, without petty competitiveness, or rewards and punishments. Its taken me years to figure out that being an F student didn't make me lazy or stupid... it showed a stubborn unwillingness to submit to being a slave of the system, so to speak. Skipping school, avoiding it, was my way of teaching myself, in my own time and on my own terms. Learning, actual learning, is self discipline. And what is self discipline, but a way of making yourself happy...

Public Speaking Class

We had to play Two Truths and a Lie in class today, so one of my truths was that I had attempted to commit suicide when I was 13... and that it wasn't my first. I didn't, however, explain that it was my last attempt and that I've been in counseling for it, ect. It was breif, I more or less just wanted to go back to my seat as soon as possible.My boyfriend is making me feel super self conscious about it. At first I felt fine, because I learned a lot from that experience. But Stephen says that it was probably really shocking to people. But everyone else was pretty open about personal stuff, was I too open? I want to be more open with people, I want to make friends, and be more personable... Damn now I'm really regretting it.... I hate self-doubt!!! Whatever... what ever happens, happens.