I guess a lot has happened since my last post, but I have a good reason for not posting. It's still not anything I want to talk about, but not out of shame or embarrassment or really anything that has to do with humans.
I graduated on December 19th. It was really nice. My grandparents came down and spent the whole day with me. Grandpa held up really well despite the Parkinson's. My neighbors and Mike's girlfriend's parents came to the graduation dinner that we had with Alyssa and Melissa, and that was lovely, too. Ashley and I went over to Alyssa's place later that night and hung out for a while, but unfortunately we couldn't stay long because we were so tired! My good friend Kim came from Virginia Tech to see all her old UGA classmates/friends graduate, and it was really great to see her, like always. Hopefully she and Alyssa can work something out so they can come visit me at Disney World. :)
Christmas was a quiet family affair... nothing too extravagant for anyone. Since Mike and I are both going to be gone for a while (Mike will be in China until Independence Day), it was great that we all got to spend a little more time together.
Lauren, Grace, Julie, and I went to Busch Gardens as a sort of Christmas vacation. It was so much fun! I think we spent more time in the tiger exhibit than we spent in line for any of the rollercoasters, but all the tigers were moving around and it was irresistible. The flamingos were doing odd things... animal behavior is kind of fascinating. We went to dinner in flashy dresses for no good reason other than that we wanted to dress up. Carrabba's was crowded, so the service wasn't great, but the food was excellent and the company was even better. We went back to my apartment and watched The Princess Bride before we all fell asleep out of sheer exhaustion.
On December 31st, I received the long-awaited/dreaded email from Iowa State that turned out to be an invitation to an interview the weekend of January 17-18th. At first I was happy and excited, but terror gradually set in. They'll be asking me behavioral questions, like "Tell us about a time that you had to break a promise with someone. What was the result? What is your relationship with that person now?" I'm going to try to come up with answers to as many questions as I can find on the internet, and hopefully that will assuage some of the intense fear that pulses through my veins whenever I think of the looming interview. I have a friend at Iowa State that I convinced to show me around Ames, so I'm really looking forward to seeing him. Probably more than I should. My fears about him usually seem to be unfounded, so maybe it'll turn out okay. I've been seeing so much Iowa for the last several months... I can't figure out what it means.
My kitten, Lotte, (who really isn't a kitten anymore) and I are going to Orlando to stay on Tuesday. I have to pick up my dining table from the furniture store on Wednesday, and then hopefully I'll get to see my dear friend Joe either later that day or on Thursday. I haven't seen him in a really long time... we always have fun when we hang out together. (I just realized how many names I've dropped in this post... it's like I actually have a social life or something. Ha. That's gonna change really soon.) Friday is my first day of "work"--I'll spend all day at orientation and hopefully get some kind of a work schedule. I'm starting to get excited. I also applied to volunteer at the Orlando Humane Society, so I'll have something to do with my free time. I've always wanted to volunteer at a shelter, but I never have, and it seems like this one is well-organized enough that it won't be too frustrating.
Oy, this is a long post. I might post more interesting things later, but for now, that's an update on my life. Oh, and I started a new blog that I'm going to try to use strictly for Animal Kingdom internship stuff: http://alimentaryaminaladventures.blogspot.com/
Sunday, January 4, 2009
Friday, November 14, 2008
Leaving Neverland...
I was probably supposed to grow up before I got to college, but I still sorta don't feel like an adult yet. I'll be graduating in five weeks and I was offered a job on Wednesday. I guess it's not a real job yet; it's a "professional internship" at Walt Disney World.
I suppose that the simple fact that I'll be working at Disney is further proof that I haven't grown up yet.
On the other hand, I'll have to live on my own. That means I'll have my own apartment, my own rent to pay, and my own bills. I guess my parents will co-sign with me when I find an apartment, so I'm not entirely on my own. Luckily I'll have my dog so I'm not so lonely and homesick in this new place.
As scared as I am about going into something so new and different, I'm really excited, too. I'll be working in the Animal Nutrition Center in the Animal Kingdom Park. My primary job will be to prepare diets for all the animals. My secondary job will be to interact with guests in Rafiki's... planet watch... or something... and tell everyone about the animal nutrition center mission (and maybe I'll get my picture with Rafiki!). Additionally, I'll be conducting nutrition research on the animals, but it sounds like it'll be more of a data entry thing than anything that's really ground-breaking. Here's a description: http://disney.go.com/disneycareers/internships/wdw/students/roles/animal_programs/animal_program_roles/pi_animal_animal_nutrition.html.
Like with every other exciting internship I've had, I plan to update my blog with interesting things that I do on a regular basis. I found that that really helped me remember things from Avalon, the exotic animal hospital that I worked at one summer. Hopefully it will do the same for me here.
I'll also post pictures when I can. One of the benefits of this job is that I get free admission into the park, so maybe I'll desensitize myself to the terrifying Expedition Everest roller coaster and maybe I'll be able to get a snapshot of the great Yeti on a rare day off. And I plan to ride Space Mountain several times because it's my favorite roller coaster ever.
BUT I also think that I won't be spending a lot of my free time at the parks. The primary reason I applied for this job was to expand my animal knowledge, so I may end up volunteering to do silly extra things that I won't get paid for just so I can learn more (like what I'm doing now! haha). I don't really even know if there will be any opportunity to do that, but one of the grad students I work with knows a vet who works in the Animal Kingdom, so maybe I'll expand my people network and he'll let me shadow him once in a while. In other words, I'll find extra stuff to do. hehe. I'll see what's available when I get there. I just want to make the most of it. I know won't ever get an opportunity like this again, and I don't want to waste a minute of it.
I suppose that the simple fact that I'll be working at Disney is further proof that I haven't grown up yet.
On the other hand, I'll have to live on my own. That means I'll have my own apartment, my own rent to pay, and my own bills. I guess my parents will co-sign with me when I find an apartment, so I'm not entirely on my own. Luckily I'll have my dog so I'm not so lonely and homesick in this new place.
As scared as I am about going into something so new and different, I'm really excited, too. I'll be working in the Animal Nutrition Center in the Animal Kingdom Park. My primary job will be to prepare diets for all the animals. My secondary job will be to interact with guests in Rafiki's... planet watch... or something... and tell everyone about the animal nutrition center mission (and maybe I'll get my picture with Rafiki!). Additionally, I'll be conducting nutrition research on the animals, but it sounds like it'll be more of a data entry thing than anything that's really ground-breaking. Here's a description: http://disney.go.com/disneycareers/internships/wdw/students/roles/animal_programs/animal_program_roles/pi_animal_animal_nutrition.html.
Like with every other exciting internship I've had, I plan to update my blog with interesting things that I do on a regular basis. I found that that really helped me remember things from Avalon, the exotic animal hospital that I worked at one summer. Hopefully it will do the same for me here.
I'll also post pictures when I can. One of the benefits of this job is that I get free admission into the park, so maybe I'll desensitize myself to the terrifying Expedition Everest roller coaster and maybe I'll be able to get a snapshot of the great Yeti on a rare day off. And I plan to ride Space Mountain several times because it's my favorite roller coaster ever.
BUT I also think that I won't be spending a lot of my free time at the parks. The primary reason I applied for this job was to expand my animal knowledge, so I may end up volunteering to do silly extra things that I won't get paid for just so I can learn more (like what I'm doing now! haha). I don't really even know if there will be any opportunity to do that, but one of the grad students I work with knows a vet who works in the Animal Kingdom, so maybe I'll expand my people network and he'll let me shadow him once in a while. In other words, I'll find extra stuff to do. hehe. I'll see what's available when I get there. I just want to make the most of it. I know won't ever get an opportunity like this again, and I don't want to waste a minute of it.
Wednesday, October 1, 2008
This is MY Personal Statement.
Since the vet school application is due today, I guess it's safe to assume that no one will plagiarize my work and get me in trouble for posting my personal statement.
The personal statement is the essay on the vet school application. You pretty much have to summarize your life in relation to veterinary medicine and tell them about your version of the American dream in less than 3800 characters or something. So here's what I said.
Although I had considered it a possibility, I never seriously planned to pursue a career in veterinary medicine. I decided, however, that the fairest way to eliminate it as a career possibility was to try it. I took an internship at Sugar Hill Animal Hospital during my senior year of high school, and--much to my surprise--I loved it. I continued working at Sugar Hill for another 2 1/2 years. The work inspired me to expand my proverbial horizons, and I found an internship at a wildlife and exotic animal hospital. I was once again pleasantly surprised by how engaging veterinary medicine can be. I learned that veterinary medicine is not the austere profession I imagined. It is about compassion. It is as much about treating the client as it is about treating the patient. It is about less-than-ideal circumstances and the fine line drawn by the word "humane." It is about innovation, overcoming a challenge, and having the knowledge and ability to solve a problem.
I unexpectedly learned even more about what it means to be a veterinarian from my host family during my study abroad trip to Peru. Upon telling my familia of my aspirations, my madre replied, "Ah, que bonita." After pondering for a while what she meant by calling veterinary medicine "pretty," I realized that it is something of a dream career. Veterinarians do not become veterinarians for the income or the prestige; few achieve much of either. In fact, a veterinarian's detachment from these coveted qualities of the "ideal" occupation is what makes the career "bonita," for the veterinarian has pursued his dream in spite of it lacking those ideals. As I have never had much regard for an excessive salary or even the title of "Doctor," my desire to become a veterinarian is shared by every veterinarian: it is a passion. I realize that by entering this profession I am committing myself to continually improving my professional knowledge and my technical skill both during school and throughout my career.
In accord with my method of eliminating careers by experiencing them, I have explored some of the many facets of veterinary medicine in order to determine in which area I do not want to specialize. I have worked medically with small animals, large animals, exotics, wildlife, and even such bizarre creatures as humans. Of these, the only one that I have decided that I will be unable to medically treat is the human. I truly enjoy interacting with human clients, but I have found that even the most fractious feline patient is not half as fussy as many of the human patients I have worked with. Cooperation between the doctor, the client, and the patient are the key to recovery and maintenance of health. In my experience, animal patients are more pleasant to treat because the client is eager to help, and animal patients are more likely to recover because they are less inclined to object treatment as resolutely as human patients.
Since I have been unable to eliminate anything but humans from the possible medical specializations, I have instead taken the opposite approach and looked at what I like the most. After much contemplation, I have found that I most enjoy working with poultry. Over the past year, I have expanded my knowledge of poultry science through my coursework and research; in so doing, I have learned the value of a challenge and essential problem-solving skills. These qualities have given me a respectable degree of confidence. After attending several lectures given by poultry veterinarians at the Poultry Diagnostic and Research Center in Athens, Georgia, I have found many areas of poultry science that I am eager to further explore as a veterinarian. Although I value the one-on-one interaction that I had with clients and patients in the small animal practice, I want to take my degree beyond the exam room. I want to use the knowledge and skills that I have gained in college and that I will gain in veterinary school to help the chicken, the farmer, the producer, and the everyday chicken-sandwich-lover. I want to improve not only poultry medicine, but also everything that comes with it: population health, food safety, agriculture- and science-related politics, poultry production, and the ground-breaking research in the field of poultry science. Poultry is my passion, and I am willing to do everything it takes to become a poultry veterinarian. I plan to pursue further education after earning my DVM degree via the Master in Avian Medicine program offered at the Poultry Diagnostic and Research Center. After earning my MAM degree, I see myself working for the poultry industry for a few years in order to gain what cannot be taught in a classroom: real-world experience. I would like to then enter academia and share my knowledge, experience, and passion for poultry medicine with other aspiring young individuals. For now, I intend to make the most of what lies immediately ahead: next week's avian medicine exam.
I think the personal statement is what they use to weed you out when they can't use your GPA, GREs, or possible felonies to put you in the reject pile. I applied to three schools: UGA, Iowa State, and Kansas State. UGA did not require a supplemental application, Kansas State's supplemental application was very basic, and Iowa State's supplemental was actually kind of challenging, which I appreciate. Here are the questions that they asked me and the answers that I gave them (though I guess technically I'm still revising the answers; the supplemental isn't actually due until tomorrow)
What do you believe the College of Veterinary Medicine at Iowa State University has to offer you that is unique? (1750 character limit)
Why would a Georgian who wants to become a poultry veterinarian come to Iowa to earn her DVM degree? By any direct and logical reasoning, it does not seem to make sense. Iowa is the pork capital of the nation—not the chicken capital. Why would I choose to attend veterinary school at Iowa State University? The simple fact is this: no veterinary college in the country can boast of having an excellent poultry medicine program because poultry medicine is such a specific specialization. The fact is that there are very few opportunities for me to expand my knowledge of poultry medicine during veterinary school no matter which school I attend. I understand that my next step in becoming a poultry veterinarian will be to pursue a Master in Avian Medicine degree after I earn a DVM degree, but in the meantime, I would like to take the opportunity to expand my knowledge of a more general specialization: food animal medicine. In that area, Iowa State University does have bragging rights. The Midwest is known for its livestock, and I understand that Iowa State is one of the best schools in the nation for students who wish to become food animal veterinarians.
Iowa State has more to offer me than just its excellent food animal program, however. My strong professional interest in research is another reason why I would like to attend this school. Iowa State University is something of an epicenter for veterinary research, with three major research laboratories nearby. There are also numerous opportunities for summer research via the Summer Scholars program, and I know that I will take advantage of this if I am admitted to the college.
In short, the combination of Iowa State University’s strong food animal program and dedication to veterinary research make the college an excellent fit for me.
What (other than your veterinary and animal experiences and your academic pre-veterinary work) will you as an individual bring to the ISU veterinary community? At ISU we are committed to building a diverse student community with students of varied talents, personal and professional experiences, opinions and cultural backgrounds. (3500 character limit)
I realize that my suburban upbringing is not unique, but it is not something that I would have changed even if I could have. I was raised in a culturally diverse environment and I believe that my open mind is a product of this upbringing. I have come to respect and often admire people whose backgrounds, races, and opinions are different from my own. Because many of my classmates throughout my educational career have had such varied backgrounds and ethnicities, I understand the value of diversity in advancing ideas and learning. This diverse community with which I have grown and learned is still somewhat homogeneous, however. I have lived in Georgia for over thirteen years, so you could say that I have something of a Georgia mindset—my perspective, my values, and even my opinions are somewhat similar to those of other Georgians. If I am admitted to Iowa State University, I as a Georgian will not only challenge the Iowa mindset, but I will also most certainly learn from it.
My professional interest in poultry medicine is another factor that will contribute to the diversity of the veterinary community. I have sought out any opportunity I could find to further develop my professional interest in poultry medicine. Through research with my professors and by attending lectures given by poultry veterinarians at the Poultry Diagnostic and Research Center in Athens, Georgia, I have gained a strong background in poultry. Furthermore, I have learned that my research projects in nutrition and endocrinology of poultry are applicable and relevant to veterinary science. I believe that my deep professional interests in poultry and in research will make me a unique student in a veterinary classroom, and I hope that this will enhance my own education as well as that of my fellow classmates.
Leadership is one of the talents that I possess that I most value. My first major leadership role was as editor of my award-winning high school literary magazine. Since then, I have developed my leadership abilities in college by taking various officer positions in Pre-Vet Club and Poultry Science Club. A test of my leadership abilities came forth this year when I decided to start a new student organization to help manage the population of feral cat colonies on the University of Georgia campus. Because of my leadership abilities, Cats on Campus is now an official student organization with about 40 members and a very enthusiastic board of officers. I aspire to start the club off in the right direction, and I believe that I can do so with my strong leadership abilities.
As far as opinions are concerned, I suppose that most of my pertinent opinions are related to animal agriculture. I am not afraid of a bird flu pandemic, though I realize that it is a potential risk. I do not believe in “natural” beef, “free-range” chicken, rBST-free milk, or a ban on farrowing cages for sows. When it comes to animals, I am a compassionate person, but my opinions are based on what I know about animals and agricultural practices rather than on misplaced anthropomorphism. I weigh the options, the ends, and the means so that I can form an educated opinion. This may not make me unique in a veterinary community, but I know that I would not be able to stand behind my opinions nearly as strongly if I did not research both sides of the debate.
So I have to wait around until Kansas or Iowa call me for an interview or tell me that I'm not good enough for them. I won't hear anything from UGA until the end of March or April. In the meantime, wish me luck!
The personal statement is the essay on the vet school application. You pretty much have to summarize your life in relation to veterinary medicine and tell them about your version of the American dream in less than 3800 characters or something. So here's what I said.
Although I had considered it a possibility, I never seriously planned to pursue a career in veterinary medicine. I decided, however, that the fairest way to eliminate it as a career possibility was to try it. I took an internship at Sugar Hill Animal Hospital during my senior year of high school, and--much to my surprise--I loved it. I continued working at Sugar Hill for another 2 1/2 years. The work inspired me to expand my proverbial horizons, and I found an internship at a wildlife and exotic animal hospital. I was once again pleasantly surprised by how engaging veterinary medicine can be. I learned that veterinary medicine is not the austere profession I imagined. It is about compassion. It is as much about treating the client as it is about treating the patient. It is about less-than-ideal circumstances and the fine line drawn by the word "humane." It is about innovation, overcoming a challenge, and having the knowledge and ability to solve a problem.
I unexpectedly learned even more about what it means to be a veterinarian from my host family during my study abroad trip to Peru. Upon telling my familia of my aspirations, my madre replied, "Ah, que bonita." After pondering for a while what she meant by calling veterinary medicine "pretty," I realized that it is something of a dream career. Veterinarians do not become veterinarians for the income or the prestige; few achieve much of either. In fact, a veterinarian's detachment from these coveted qualities of the "ideal" occupation is what makes the career "bonita," for the veterinarian has pursued his dream in spite of it lacking those ideals. As I have never had much regard for an excessive salary or even the title of "Doctor," my desire to become a veterinarian is shared by every veterinarian: it is a passion. I realize that by entering this profession I am committing myself to continually improving my professional knowledge and my technical skill both during school and throughout my career.
In accord with my method of eliminating careers by experiencing them, I have explored some of the many facets of veterinary medicine in order to determine in which area I do not want to specialize. I have worked medically with small animals, large animals, exotics, wildlife, and even such bizarre creatures as humans. Of these, the only one that I have decided that I will be unable to medically treat is the human. I truly enjoy interacting with human clients, but I have found that even the most fractious feline patient is not half as fussy as many of the human patients I have worked with. Cooperation between the doctor, the client, and the patient are the key to recovery and maintenance of health. In my experience, animal patients are more pleasant to treat because the client is eager to help, and animal patients are more likely to recover because they are less inclined to object treatment as resolutely as human patients.
Since I have been unable to eliminate anything but humans from the possible medical specializations, I have instead taken the opposite approach and looked at what I like the most. After much contemplation, I have found that I most enjoy working with poultry. Over the past year, I have expanded my knowledge of poultry science through my coursework and research; in so doing, I have learned the value of a challenge and essential problem-solving skills. These qualities have given me a respectable degree of confidence. After attending several lectures given by poultry veterinarians at the Poultry Diagnostic and Research Center in Athens, Georgia, I have found many areas of poultry science that I am eager to further explore as a veterinarian. Although I value the one-on-one interaction that I had with clients and patients in the small animal practice, I want to take my degree beyond the exam room. I want to use the knowledge and skills that I have gained in college and that I will gain in veterinary school to help the chicken, the farmer, the producer, and the everyday chicken-sandwich-lover. I want to improve not only poultry medicine, but also everything that comes with it: population health, food safety, agriculture- and science-related politics, poultry production, and the ground-breaking research in the field of poultry science. Poultry is my passion, and I am willing to do everything it takes to become a poultry veterinarian. I plan to pursue further education after earning my DVM degree via the Master in Avian Medicine program offered at the Poultry Diagnostic and Research Center. After earning my MAM degree, I see myself working for the poultry industry for a few years in order to gain what cannot be taught in a classroom: real-world experience. I would like to then enter academia and share my knowledge, experience, and passion for poultry medicine with other aspiring young individuals. For now, I intend to make the most of what lies immediately ahead: next week's avian medicine exam.
I think the personal statement is what they use to weed you out when they can't use your GPA, GREs, or possible felonies to put you in the reject pile. I applied to three schools: UGA, Iowa State, and Kansas State. UGA did not require a supplemental application, Kansas State's supplemental application was very basic, and Iowa State's supplemental was actually kind of challenging, which I appreciate. Here are the questions that they asked me and the answers that I gave them (though I guess technically I'm still revising the answers; the supplemental isn't actually due until tomorrow)
What do you believe the College of Veterinary Medicine at Iowa State University has to offer you that is unique? (1750 character limit)
Why would a Georgian who wants to become a poultry veterinarian come to Iowa to earn her DVM degree? By any direct and logical reasoning, it does not seem to make sense. Iowa is the pork capital of the nation—not the chicken capital. Why would I choose to attend veterinary school at Iowa State University? The simple fact is this: no veterinary college in the country can boast of having an excellent poultry medicine program because poultry medicine is such a specific specialization. The fact is that there are very few opportunities for me to expand my knowledge of poultry medicine during veterinary school no matter which school I attend. I understand that my next step in becoming a poultry veterinarian will be to pursue a Master in Avian Medicine degree after I earn a DVM degree, but in the meantime, I would like to take the opportunity to expand my knowledge of a more general specialization: food animal medicine. In that area, Iowa State University does have bragging rights. The Midwest is known for its livestock, and I understand that Iowa State is one of the best schools in the nation for students who wish to become food animal veterinarians.
Iowa State has more to offer me than just its excellent food animal program, however. My strong professional interest in research is another reason why I would like to attend this school. Iowa State University is something of an epicenter for veterinary research, with three major research laboratories nearby. There are also numerous opportunities for summer research via the Summer Scholars program, and I know that I will take advantage of this if I am admitted to the college.
In short, the combination of Iowa State University’s strong food animal program and dedication to veterinary research make the college an excellent fit for me.
What (other than your veterinary and animal experiences and your academic pre-veterinary work) will you as an individual bring to the ISU veterinary community? At ISU we are committed to building a diverse student community with students of varied talents, personal and professional experiences, opinions and cultural backgrounds. (3500 character limit)
I realize that my suburban upbringing is not unique, but it is not something that I would have changed even if I could have. I was raised in a culturally diverse environment and I believe that my open mind is a product of this upbringing. I have come to respect and often admire people whose backgrounds, races, and opinions are different from my own. Because many of my classmates throughout my educational career have had such varied backgrounds and ethnicities, I understand the value of diversity in advancing ideas and learning. This diverse community with which I have grown and learned is still somewhat homogeneous, however. I have lived in Georgia for over thirteen years, so you could say that I have something of a Georgia mindset—my perspective, my values, and even my opinions are somewhat similar to those of other Georgians. If I am admitted to Iowa State University, I as a Georgian will not only challenge the Iowa mindset, but I will also most certainly learn from it.
My professional interest in poultry medicine is another factor that will contribute to the diversity of the veterinary community. I have sought out any opportunity I could find to further develop my professional interest in poultry medicine. Through research with my professors and by attending lectures given by poultry veterinarians at the Poultry Diagnostic and Research Center in Athens, Georgia, I have gained a strong background in poultry. Furthermore, I have learned that my research projects in nutrition and endocrinology of poultry are applicable and relevant to veterinary science. I believe that my deep professional interests in poultry and in research will make me a unique student in a veterinary classroom, and I hope that this will enhance my own education as well as that of my fellow classmates.
Leadership is one of the talents that I possess that I most value. My first major leadership role was as editor of my award-winning high school literary magazine. Since then, I have developed my leadership abilities in college by taking various officer positions in Pre-Vet Club and Poultry Science Club. A test of my leadership abilities came forth this year when I decided to start a new student organization to help manage the population of feral cat colonies on the University of Georgia campus. Because of my leadership abilities, Cats on Campus is now an official student organization with about 40 members and a very enthusiastic board of officers. I aspire to start the club off in the right direction, and I believe that I can do so with my strong leadership abilities.
As far as opinions are concerned, I suppose that most of my pertinent opinions are related to animal agriculture. I am not afraid of a bird flu pandemic, though I realize that it is a potential risk. I do not believe in “natural” beef, “free-range” chicken, rBST-free milk, or a ban on farrowing cages for sows. When it comes to animals, I am a compassionate person, but my opinions are based on what I know about animals and agricultural practices rather than on misplaced anthropomorphism. I weigh the options, the ends, and the means so that I can form an educated opinion. This may not make me unique in a veterinary community, but I know that I would not be able to stand behind my opinions nearly as strongly if I did not research both sides of the debate.
So I have to wait around until Kansas or Iowa call me for an interview or tell me that I'm not good enough for them. I won't hear anything from UGA until the end of March or April. In the meantime, wish me luck!
Sunday, July 6, 2008
I guess I'm writing because I have too many other things to do.
Last Saturday was my cousin Whitney's wedding (the 7th wedding I've attended since high school graduation, but who's counting?) The Sunday before that was Laura Dresdow(now Driggers)'s wedding. Both weddings were very pretty and pleasant, but I must admit I enjoyed Laura's more. Probably because I knew her better. And because the preacher quoted The Princess Bride during the ceremony. Trooo luv. Ms. Pinion, my former calculus teacher, and old friend Keida were there so I had people to talk to. It was fun times.
Skip forward to this week. Mum and Dad and I went to Texas! 2100 Belmont Park Drive, to be precise. We visited our former neighborfriends and hung out with them all week and ate lots of delicious TexMex and Texas Barbeque that you can't find in Georgia. Or anywhere else, for that matter. We went to the horse races in Fort Worth and saw the JFK assassination museum in Dallas (I recommend it, by the way) and had an overall good time catching up. Perhaps they'll come visit us next summer.
Now I'm back and American Government starts Monday. The high school students I'm teachingassistanting will be presenting their research on Thursday morning and leaving on Friday afternoon, which means I won't have much to do in the way of work after Friday.
I moved up two spots on the vet school wait list last time I checked. I'm number 4 now. Maybe I should see what I can do about financial aid in case they decide to let me in. In the meantime, I'm going to clean my room. Ciaociao.
Skip forward to this week. Mum and Dad and I went to Texas! 2100 Belmont Park Drive, to be precise. We visited our former neighborfriends and hung out with them all week and ate lots of delicious TexMex and Texas Barbeque that you can't find in Georgia. Or anywhere else, for that matter. We went to the horse races in Fort Worth and saw the JFK assassination museum in Dallas (I recommend it, by the way) and had an overall good time catching up. Perhaps they'll come visit us next summer.
Now I'm back and American Government starts Monday. The high school students I'm teachingassistanting will be presenting their research on Thursday morning and leaving on Friday afternoon, which means I won't have much to do in the way of work after Friday.
I moved up two spots on the vet school wait list last time I checked. I'm number 4 now. Maybe I should see what I can do about financial aid in case they decide to let me in. In the meantime, I'm going to clean my room. Ciaociao.
Wednesday, May 7, 2008
Hace mucho tiempo...
...que escribí. Time to update.
Lauren and Grace and I met at Julie's apartment for dinner today. It was quite lovely. We watched 27 Dresses and then made tacos and whatnot for dinner. Her husband, Brian, is always entertaining. She gave us each a bag of Amish friendship bread that she got from a friend at work, so I'm trying to figure out who I'm going to give my bread starter to in 10 days. It's tasty stuff!
Then we decided to go to Busch Gardens this summer. Just the Beloved group. She somehow gets tickets for free and a cheap rate on a hotel. Hopefully Frances can come, too! I'm superexcited. Even though we'll only be at the park for a day, it'll be quite an adventure.
As for me, I think I'm still 6th on the wait list to get into vet school, and I honestly believe that I'm not going to get in this year. Everyone who wants to go has already sent in their commitment deposit, and it's very rare that anyone will change their mind at the last minute. On the downside, my best studybuddy got in this year, so I won't have her to study with, and I'll have to retake the GRE and the GRE Biology for next year's application. On the up side, I'll have more time to devote to the club I founded this semester, I'll be able to apply to that internship in Disney World, and I'll be able to spend a little more time with my other friends.
I'm doing research on zebra finches this summer with Dr. Navarra, one of the new poultry science faculty members. I'll also be doing stuff for freshmen orientation and taking PE, Economics, and American Government. I have 3 mini-vacations planned this year: 4th of July in Texas, end of June at Busch Gardens, and end of July at Chincoteague. Hopefully they'll all work out!
Classes and research start Tuesday. So in the meantime, I'm doing other random things to entertain myself. Like shaving my cat. And my sister's cat. And my brother's girlfriend's cat. I don't know why they're all trusting me with this, but they ought to understand that I've never done it before and it could turn out quite badly. I'll make sure my camera battery is charged.
Ay. Time for sleep.
Ciaociao y'all.
Lauren and Grace and I met at Julie's apartment for dinner today. It was quite lovely. We watched 27 Dresses and then made tacos and whatnot for dinner. Her husband, Brian, is always entertaining. She gave us each a bag of Amish friendship bread that she got from a friend at work, so I'm trying to figure out who I'm going to give my bread starter to in 10 days. It's tasty stuff!
Then we decided to go to Busch Gardens this summer. Just the Beloved group. She somehow gets tickets for free and a cheap rate on a hotel. Hopefully Frances can come, too! I'm superexcited. Even though we'll only be at the park for a day, it'll be quite an adventure.
As for me, I think I'm still 6th on the wait list to get into vet school, and I honestly believe that I'm not going to get in this year. Everyone who wants to go has already sent in their commitment deposit, and it's very rare that anyone will change their mind at the last minute. On the downside, my best studybuddy got in this year, so I won't have her to study with, and I'll have to retake the GRE and the GRE Biology for next year's application. On the up side, I'll have more time to devote to the club I founded this semester, I'll be able to apply to that internship in Disney World, and I'll be able to spend a little more time with my other friends.
I'm doing research on zebra finches this summer with Dr. Navarra, one of the new poultry science faculty members. I'll also be doing stuff for freshmen orientation and taking PE, Economics, and American Government. I have 3 mini-vacations planned this year: 4th of July in Texas, end of June at Busch Gardens, and end of July at Chincoteague. Hopefully they'll all work out!
Classes and research start Tuesday. So in the meantime, I'm doing other random things to entertain myself. Like shaving my cat. And my sister's cat. And my brother's girlfriend's cat. I don't know why they're all trusting me with this, but they ought to understand that I've never done it before and it could turn out quite badly. I'll make sure my camera battery is charged.
Ay. Time for sleep.
Ciaociao y'all.
Sunday, March 16, 2008
Externship Day IV
Yes, I am quite late in posting this; my fourth and final day of externship was Thursday. A thousand apologies. So let's jump right into the case studies, shall we?
Charlie, 19-year-old Quarter Horse gelding
Charlie is the horse with the eye problem. I don't know whether I mentioned him earlier or not, but he has had one eye removed already and now the other is having problems. Dr. Butterworth, one of the interns, wants to ennucleate (remove) the horse's eye because he is essentially blind already and they're not entirely sure that the horse will recover 100%. He is being given Banamine as a painkiller, but his dose is being gradually reduced because, according to his bloodwork, it's having a negative effect on his kidneys. Another way to measure kidney function is through urinalysis, which is exactly what it sounds like: you determine how much acid, glucose, protein, etc. is in the urine. Banamine affects the proximal convoluted tubules of the kidney's nephron, the site of reabsorption of nutrients and electrolytes back into the bloodstream. So to see if Banamine has damaged the kidney here, you test the urine for electrolytes: if electrolytes are present in the urine, your patient's kidneys are damaged. More specifically, the inner medulla is damaged. The inner medeulla is the portion of the kidney that has the lowest blood supply, so the blood supply is essentially cut off to this portion of the kidney when damage occurs, and the tissue of the inner medulla begins to die off, something they like to call necrosis. You can't fix necrosis. So it's a good idea to always make sure you're not killing your patient with painkillers, and administration should be appropriately changed at the first sign of kidney damage (or, in the case of Rimadyl or Metacam for your dog, liver damage).
Joey, 8-year-old gelding pony
Joey came in because his owners suspected him of having colic. His temperature and percent cell volume were normal, he didn't reflux anything, and the ultrasound didn't show anything. His is defecating, but his stools are loose. Some possible problems include: colon impaction, colitis, or gas colic. Small colon impactions may be associated with a Salmonella infection; large colon impactions are not.
Keep Rollin' and her foal
Keep Rollin' was assessed by the theriogenology team and is ready to be bred on her foal heat. The foal is nursing well, and his mom is not painful around her mammary glands. (Vera taught me how to examine a lactating mare!) The colt is on 4 different antibiotics (K-Pen, amikacin, refambrin, and metronidazole) in an attempt to eradicate the umbilical abcess. He has no signs of sepsis (infection) other than the abcess, and he's getting stronger every day. He even gained 10 pounds over the past two days (1-3 pounds of weight gain per day is expected). He will continue on antibiotics and his renal function will be monitored by bloodwork, while his umbilical abcess will be monitored by ultrasound. They may change his antibiotics depending on whether they're reducing the size of the abcess or not. The cool thing about the ultrasound machine is that you can pretty accurately measure the size of things in the body, like septic abcesses, for example.
Ace, 10-year-old gelding
This horse came in with colic and immediately refluxed 7 L of fluid from his belly. He went into surgery that night and had 8 ft of necrotic (dead tissue) intestine removed. For post-op recovery, he'll be receiving IV fluids, Calmate (to increase his calcium levels), 2 antibiotics (gentamicin and K-Pen), Banamine (painkiller), and lidocaine (prokinetic, anti-inflammatory, painkiller). Once he starts feeling better, he'll get equine senior, then he'll slowly start up on hay again.
Ralee, 5-year-old American Warmblood
Ralee is recovering well from his colic scare. He defecated overnight, and he will be getting hay along with his mash (less frequently). He is high-energy, and he gets plenty of walks each day. His owner was planning on coming to pick him up on Friday morning.
Coke, Appaloosa gelding
This is the guy with the prolapsed prepuce. His sutures were removed and his swelling went down. Unfortunately, he re-prolapsed and the swelling returned. Dr. Eggleston came up with something like jock strap or a G-string to hold it in place. It was pretty amusing.
I think that's enough for case studies. I really had a lot of fun and learned so much this week, and I'm really happy that Dr. Pellegrini was willing to let me follow her around. I thoroughly enjoyed it!
I got my letter from the vet school on Thursday, too, and found out that I'm on the wait list. I'm glad that I wasn't flat-out rejected, but it really just prolongs my wait. So... I guess I'll still have to plan like I will go to vet school this Fall all and also plan like I won't go to vet school this Fall. I find out what number I am on the wait list on April 16th.
In other news, I took my cat, Charlotte, to the vet on Friday for her vaccines. And she had a reaction that night, so we went back to the vet on Saturday morning (good thing I didn't sleep in). She's feeling much better now, so now I just have to remember to space out her vaccines next time.
School again tomorrow. mneh.
Charlie, 19-year-old Quarter Horse gelding
Charlie is the horse with the eye problem. I don't know whether I mentioned him earlier or not, but he has had one eye removed already and now the other is having problems. Dr. Butterworth, one of the interns, wants to ennucleate (remove) the horse's eye because he is essentially blind already and they're not entirely sure that the horse will recover 100%. He is being given Banamine as a painkiller, but his dose is being gradually reduced because, according to his bloodwork, it's having a negative effect on his kidneys. Another way to measure kidney function is through urinalysis, which is exactly what it sounds like: you determine how much acid, glucose, protein, etc. is in the urine. Banamine affects the proximal convoluted tubules of the kidney's nephron, the site of reabsorption of nutrients and electrolytes back into the bloodstream. So to see if Banamine has damaged the kidney here, you test the urine for electrolytes: if electrolytes are present in the urine, your patient's kidneys are damaged. More specifically, the inner medulla is damaged. The inner medeulla is the portion of the kidney that has the lowest blood supply, so the blood supply is essentially cut off to this portion of the kidney when damage occurs, and the tissue of the inner medulla begins to die off, something they like to call necrosis. You can't fix necrosis. So it's a good idea to always make sure you're not killing your patient with painkillers, and administration should be appropriately changed at the first sign of kidney damage (or, in the case of Rimadyl or Metacam for your dog, liver damage).
Joey, 8-year-old gelding pony
Joey came in because his owners suspected him of having colic. His temperature and percent cell volume were normal, he didn't reflux anything, and the ultrasound didn't show anything. His is defecating, but his stools are loose. Some possible problems include: colon impaction, colitis, or gas colic. Small colon impactions may be associated with a Salmonella infection; large colon impactions are not.
Keep Rollin' and her foal
Keep Rollin' was assessed by the theriogenology team and is ready to be bred on her foal heat. The foal is nursing well, and his mom is not painful around her mammary glands. (Vera taught me how to examine a lactating mare!) The colt is on 4 different antibiotics (K-Pen, amikacin, refambrin, and metronidazole) in an attempt to eradicate the umbilical abcess. He has no signs of sepsis (infection) other than the abcess, and he's getting stronger every day. He even gained 10 pounds over the past two days (1-3 pounds of weight gain per day is expected). He will continue on antibiotics and his renal function will be monitored by bloodwork, while his umbilical abcess will be monitored by ultrasound. They may change his antibiotics depending on whether they're reducing the size of the abcess or not. The cool thing about the ultrasound machine is that you can pretty accurately measure the size of things in the body, like septic abcesses, for example.
Ace, 10-year-old gelding
This horse came in with colic and immediately refluxed 7 L of fluid from his belly. He went into surgery that night and had 8 ft of necrotic (dead tissue) intestine removed. For post-op recovery, he'll be receiving IV fluids, Calmate (to increase his calcium levels), 2 antibiotics (gentamicin and K-Pen), Banamine (painkiller), and lidocaine (prokinetic, anti-inflammatory, painkiller). Once he starts feeling better, he'll get equine senior, then he'll slowly start up on hay again.
Ralee, 5-year-old American Warmblood
Ralee is recovering well from his colic scare. He defecated overnight, and he will be getting hay along with his mash (less frequently). He is high-energy, and he gets plenty of walks each day. His owner was planning on coming to pick him up on Friday morning.
Coke, Appaloosa gelding
This is the guy with the prolapsed prepuce. His sutures were removed and his swelling went down. Unfortunately, he re-prolapsed and the swelling returned. Dr. Eggleston came up with something like jock strap or a G-string to hold it in place. It was pretty amusing.
I think that's enough for case studies. I really had a lot of fun and learned so much this week, and I'm really happy that Dr. Pellegrini was willing to let me follow her around. I thoroughly enjoyed it!
I got my letter from the vet school on Thursday, too, and found out that I'm on the wait list. I'm glad that I wasn't flat-out rejected, but it really just prolongs my wait. So... I guess I'll still have to plan like I will go to vet school this Fall all and also plan like I won't go to vet school this Fall. I find out what number I am on the wait list on April 16th.
In other news, I took my cat, Charlotte, to the vet on Friday for her vaccines. And she had a reaction that night, so we went back to the vet on Saturday morning (good thing I didn't sleep in). She's feeling much better now, so now I just have to remember to space out her vaccines next time.
School again tomorrow. mneh.
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
Externship Day III
Today was kind of uneventful. We sat down in the conference room thing to do rounds this morning, which was nice because standing in front of the patients' stalls for two and a half hours really makes your back hurt! However, I can see the benefit to actually going to the patient to talk about him. It helps you remember the patient better when you've seen her with her foal or you've seen how anxiously he circles in his stall. And anyway you need a strong back if you're working with large animals.
I learned the three main properties of lidocaine today that make it so useful when given in the vein: it's an antihistamine, it's a prokinetic (it promotes motility of the gut and improves the effectiveness of other drugs), and it its a pain killer (or rather, a numbing agent). These are all good properties to have when your patient is recovering from colic.
Case Studies!
Keep Rollin' 08 Standardbred colt (a few days old)
I got to watch the intern put a catheter in this baby. If you think of a horse's vein as a room, think of the catheter as a door to that room. Putting the catheter in allows you to easily open the door and give the patient drugs that must be given in the vein. Without it, you have to find the wall of the room and make your own door every time. As you might imagine, this is difficult, and is not an ideal situation in an emergency. In a horse, the three common places to put a catheter are the jugular vein in the neck, one of the veins that runs along the horse's side, and the vein along the inside of the hind leg.
So anyway, the interactions between the mare and the foal are very interesting. Whenever the baby feels in danger of being left too far behind his mom, he gives a funny sort of grunting sound and Mom nickers back to him. If he's walking behind her, she waits for him to catch up. Mom is a lot more comfortable with us working with her foal when she is able to nuzzle some part of his body. I haven't witnessed this, but I think Mom would panic if we were to take her baby away from her and leave her in the stall all alone.
Keep Rollin', 7-year-old Standardbred mare
Mares tend to drink a lot of water when they're lactating. That makes sense, eh? Mom was given a theriogenologic (theriogenology=study of reproduction) exam this morning, and is recovering well from giving birth. Mares go into heat twice each year (if I'm not mistaken) and also go into heat about a week after giving birth--a heat commonly known as "foal heat." The theriogenologist said she is showing signs of this in her ultrasound; her follicle is growing and her uterus is edemic. These are good signs to stop adminstering oxytocin.
Coke, 14-year-old Appaloosa gelding
Callie and I spent some quality time with Coke today. He's a very nice horse. He kind of acts like a Labrador. I picture him living in a big backyard behind a house filled with kids. Anyway, his problem is getting better. Dr. Pellegrini said his edema is caused more by the position of the penis in the prepuce, which is why suturing it in place should help to reduce the edema. He's very tolerant of the twice-a-day cleaning and whatnot, considering how personal his problem is.
Rain, 10-year-old mare
This is Neil's case, and I haven't seen much of her. She has a coronary ulcer. She's getting a drug called atropine, which dilates your pupil. In a healthy, normal horse, atropine will dilate the pupil for 1-2 months. This horse, however, is in pain, and pain causes the pupil to constrict. This horse gets atropine every 4 hours. As a vet, you should begin taking the horse off the atropine as its condition improves. For example, in a few days, Rain may be down to a twice-a-day dose or a once every other day dose. If you don't take your patient off of atropine before it is fully recovered, it will end up with dilated pupils for a long time. Fortunately, this will eventually subside, so you can reassure your client that their horse will recover from this medicine.
Ralee, 5-year-old American Warmblood male
I really like this horse, even though he is kind of nervous. He's doing well and he actually defecated this morning! (Isn't it funny when you get excited about poop?) He may be going home soon, but he will receive a rectal before he does. He's getting this medicine called gastroguard, and apparently he really doesn't like the way it tastes.
Petey, 7-year-old Clydesdale mare
I don't really know much about this case, but I learned more about horses today through this mare. Clydesdales and other big draft breeds commonly have long hair known as "feathers" on their lower legs above their hooves. Apparently this area is prone to mange and tends to be itchy. Luckily, the problem is easily solved with regular application of Frontline, a topical drug commonly used to prevent flea infestations in dogs.
I think that's all I can come up with for tonight. I believe tomorrow will be my last day at the hospital; I've got too much work to catch up on to spend Friday there, too. It has definitely been a great experience! Dr. Pellegrini even offered to write me a recommendation letter for vet school, which I'd really appreciate, though I wonder if she'd be willing to help me with my application for next year if I don't get in this year. Anway, I think I'll try to bake them cookies and bring them in on Friday to thank them all for being so kind and helpful! They'll probably forget who I am in a week, so I'll be sure to ask Dr. Pellegrini for a letter before her next block of students comes in, whether I receive my acceptance-or-rejection letter by then or not.
I learned the three main properties of lidocaine today that make it so useful when given in the vein: it's an antihistamine, it's a prokinetic (it promotes motility of the gut and improves the effectiveness of other drugs), and it its a pain killer (or rather, a numbing agent). These are all good properties to have when your patient is recovering from colic.
Case Studies!
Keep Rollin' 08 Standardbred colt (a few days old)
I got to watch the intern put a catheter in this baby. If you think of a horse's vein as a room, think of the catheter as a door to that room. Putting the catheter in allows you to easily open the door and give the patient drugs that must be given in the vein. Without it, you have to find the wall of the room and make your own door every time. As you might imagine, this is difficult, and is not an ideal situation in an emergency. In a horse, the three common places to put a catheter are the jugular vein in the neck, one of the veins that runs along the horse's side, and the vein along the inside of the hind leg.
So anyway, the interactions between the mare and the foal are very interesting. Whenever the baby feels in danger of being left too far behind his mom, he gives a funny sort of grunting sound and Mom nickers back to him. If he's walking behind her, she waits for him to catch up. Mom is a lot more comfortable with us working with her foal when she is able to nuzzle some part of his body. I haven't witnessed this, but I think Mom would panic if we were to take her baby away from her and leave her in the stall all alone.
Keep Rollin', 7-year-old Standardbred mare
Mares tend to drink a lot of water when they're lactating. That makes sense, eh? Mom was given a theriogenologic (theriogenology=study of reproduction) exam this morning, and is recovering well from giving birth. Mares go into heat twice each year (if I'm not mistaken) and also go into heat about a week after giving birth--a heat commonly known as "foal heat." The theriogenologist said she is showing signs of this in her ultrasound; her follicle is growing and her uterus is edemic. These are good signs to stop adminstering oxytocin.
Coke, 14-year-old Appaloosa gelding
Callie and I spent some quality time with Coke today. He's a very nice horse. He kind of acts like a Labrador. I picture him living in a big backyard behind a house filled with kids. Anyway, his problem is getting better. Dr. Pellegrini said his edema is caused more by the position of the penis in the prepuce, which is why suturing it in place should help to reduce the edema. He's very tolerant of the twice-a-day cleaning and whatnot, considering how personal his problem is.
Rain, 10-year-old mare
This is Neil's case, and I haven't seen much of her. She has a coronary ulcer. She's getting a drug called atropine, which dilates your pupil. In a healthy, normal horse, atropine will dilate the pupil for 1-2 months. This horse, however, is in pain, and pain causes the pupil to constrict. This horse gets atropine every 4 hours. As a vet, you should begin taking the horse off the atropine as its condition improves. For example, in a few days, Rain may be down to a twice-a-day dose or a once every other day dose. If you don't take your patient off of atropine before it is fully recovered, it will end up with dilated pupils for a long time. Fortunately, this will eventually subside, so you can reassure your client that their horse will recover from this medicine.
Ralee, 5-year-old American Warmblood male
I really like this horse, even though he is kind of nervous. He's doing well and he actually defecated this morning! (Isn't it funny when you get excited about poop?) He may be going home soon, but he will receive a rectal before he does. He's getting this medicine called gastroguard, and apparently he really doesn't like the way it tastes.
Petey, 7-year-old Clydesdale mare
I don't really know much about this case, but I learned more about horses today through this mare. Clydesdales and other big draft breeds commonly have long hair known as "feathers" on their lower legs above their hooves. Apparently this area is prone to mange and tends to be itchy. Luckily, the problem is easily solved with regular application of Frontline, a topical drug commonly used to prevent flea infestations in dogs.
I think that's all I can come up with for tonight. I believe tomorrow will be my last day at the hospital; I've got too much work to catch up on to spend Friday there, too. It has definitely been a great experience! Dr. Pellegrini even offered to write me a recommendation letter for vet school, which I'd really appreciate, though I wonder if she'd be willing to help me with my application for next year if I don't get in this year. Anway, I think I'll try to bake them cookies and bring them in on Friday to thank them all for being so kind and helpful! They'll probably forget who I am in a week, so I'll be sure to ask Dr. Pellegrini for a letter before her next block of students comes in, whether I receive my acceptance-or-rejection letter by then or not.
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