tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13938070326505597382024-03-12T17:41:09.243-07:00Claws Paws and ScalesKarinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15551547159833599574noreply@blogger.comBlogger264125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1393807032650559738.post-69273932624585910082014-05-30T19:14:00.001-07:002014-05-30T19:16:19.288-07:00Dr. Who?Dr. Karin!<br />
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I've started writing this post many times, so now I'm going to sit down and finish it. <br />
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I want to say thank you to everybody who has read this blog - I have had over 70,000 pageviews since I started writing 4 years ago. I know my readership dropped dramatically after I stopped paying for clawspawsscales.com, and switched to just the blogspot address. And I know the past 2 years posts have been spotty, and not as entertaining, due to not being able to write about the privately owned clinics and pets that I've encountered on clinical rotations. (Also, probably due to being happier and not bitching as much once I started clinical rotations.) A big thanks to my invisible audience out there, knowing there were so many people out there in cyberspace who were curious about my journey was a great motivator.<br />
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The week of May 12 was our required "on campus" week before graduation. I thought it would be mostly tying up loose ends, but it wasn't super useful. Had to sit through some USDA stuff, thinking that was what I'd need to get my USDA approval for interstate health certificates, but it turns out that if you're not going to practice in California, you need to re-take that portion in your own state. There were some things about financial aid, and the alumni association, but no new information. And there was a teambuilding thing. I absolutely love the two faculty members who were teaching it, but I saw the word "teambuilding" on the schedule, and couldn't bring myself to go. <br />
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Wednesday night was a formal dinner and dance in Pasadena for our class. After some good food, and watching a much-loved professor get down on the dance floor, we left and finished out the night at a dive bar. <br />
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Thursday was graduation. I've long said that if the school didn't make graduation mandatory, that I wouldn't go. Even though my hand was forced, I'm glad I walked for at least one of my degrees. It was wonderful seeing classmates again (especially those who had skipped the entire on campus activities), and seeing the faculty members who were there for us the entire 4 years up on stage supporting us. And even better not noticing those that weren't supportive. What really made my day, was seeing the veterinarian (the one that I had nominated for 3rd year preceptor of the year) from the USMARC in Nebraska flew all the way out to California to watch us graduate. Anyway, it was this great big, palpable bubble of positivity that felt amazing. <br />
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Friday, I flew back to Colorado, and started to move back into my old house that I left behind for vet school. There's something really weird, but really peaceful about having come full circle back to the same house and the same employer, but everything is so different this time around. <br />
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The next weekend, I went up to Denver for my Grandfather's 89th birthday party. I was late, because I had to wait for the utility company to come to my house and turn my gas back on (turned off for linework.) When I got into the party, everybody in my extended family started clapping, and yelling "congratulations." I was pretty confused at first, then when I realized they were doing that for me, I was actually a little angry. Why was I getting this attention when it's my grandpa's party? Then I looked around the room, and noticed the decorations. They didn't say happy birthday, they said "congratulations." My aunt pulled my aside, and told me that my 89 year old grandpa had her drive to the party store for graduation decorations, and it was his idea to use his own birthday party as a way to surprise me. That actually made me cry. Then, later, when talking to grandpa, he told me two things, that made me smile. The first was "your grandma would've been so proud of you." and the other was to try to make me promise "I wouldn't save any squirrels." Even though I told him I couldn't make that promise, because I like squirrels, it cracked me up, because he has sworn the entire species as his archenemy, because they used to get into his bird feeders. Anyway, incredibly sweet man. I'm lucky to have him in my family. <br />
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Anyway, now I get to put DVM behind my name. I'm so incredibly lucky I got to be on this journey. And vet school made up some of the worst and some of the best times of my life. It put me in student loan debt so deep I could buy a spare house with what I paid in tuition. It also got me some of the best people in the world that I can now call best friends. It got me my dream job. And while I haven't been able to express it as eloquently as I would have hoped, I wouldn't have traded the experience for a thing.Karinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15551547159833599574noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1393807032650559738.post-83282477292903608542014-05-12T21:14:00.001-07:002014-05-12T21:14:27.332-07:00I don't have a clever title for this post. Anyway, I just spent 2 weeks in Stockholm with my mom, my sister, and my best friend, as a pre-graduation present to myself. Stockholm is wonderful, and everybody there is so gorgeous. Seriously, Sweden has very few ugly people. The buildings were gorgeous, and the geography was gorgeous. I was pretty bummed out when it was time to leave. <br />
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When we were there, we got this thing called the "Stockholm Card," which gave us free admission to a shitload of museums, a free boat trip, and unlimited public transportation. We definitely got our money's worth from museum admission alone. There were a couple museums that were duds (for instance, the Nordiska Museet had an entire exhibit on things with stripes, and we didn't even go near the ABBA museum), but for the most part, things were great. <br />
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One of the shockers was the way the zoos and aquariums we went to were. I feel like they had animals that were "reachable" by the general public, which wouldn't ever work with stupid Americans who would find a way to get hurt. Theoretically, you could stick your hand into some of the fish tanks, and at the aquarium at the Skansen museet, there were two exhibits that blew me away. The first was the lemur cage - which we WALKED THROUGH THE MIDDLE OF. No barriers between us and the lemurs. None. Then, there was a primate exhibit that we walked through as well, but never saw any monkeys in there, but there was a nile monitor on the ground. Once again, no barriers. It was fantastic. <br />
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Now I'm back in the States, and just flew my ass to California for graduation. 3 more days! It's been over 4 years since I started this blog, and I'm finally graduating! <br />
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Anyway, here's some random pictures from Sweden. <br />
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Karinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15551547159833599574noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1393807032650559738.post-34573592502475540412014-04-19T21:30:00.000-07:002014-04-19T21:30:45.792-07:00A quickieI don't know if the link below will be clickable or not, since I'm posting this entryfrom my phone. But regardless if you can click it, or copy and paste it, this is the funniest thing I've seen in ages:<br />
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http://m.quickmeme.com/Asshole-Brain<br />
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<br />Karinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15551547159833599574noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1393807032650559738.post-47712701243534869562014-04-09T22:25:00.000-07:002014-04-09T22:25:11.947-07:00E-value, you whore. Every case we see on rotations, we're supposed to enter an online case log in a program called e-value. I've heard classmates complain of glitches but never experienced it myself. Since this is my last week of clinical rotations, e-value apparently decided to save up my quota of glitches for the past 2 years, and give them all to me this week. It keeps deleting my templates, giving me weird timeout errors after 30 seconds, and randomly logs me off when I'm about 3/4 of the way through entering a case log. I've tried using 3 different web browsers, 2 different internet connections, and changed my DNS settings, and nothing's fixed the glitching. I want to throttle the programmers, but I only have to use it for only 2 days, so its kind of hilarious at this point. <br />
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Only 2 more days of working with exotics, and I am done with this rotation, and all rotations forever and ever! I'm so close to being done!<br />
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Speaking of being done, I got my official divorce decree in the mail. It's nice to have it over and done with, but I'm still pretty bummed out that everything fell apart the way it did. <br />
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Here's to closing old doors and opening new ones.Karinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15551547159833599574noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1393807032650559738.post-76385964021713394102014-03-20T22:00:00.003-07:002014-03-20T22:00:50.906-07:00Last rotation of vet school....I'm back in Pomona, commuting to my exotic animal rotation. My originally scheduled exotics rotation was supposed to be in the Pacific NW, but that clinic went out of business unexpectedly. The vet out here was kind enough to squeeze me in last minute. I've had the luck to see quite a few amazing exotics this week, plus a ton of cool wildlife. Everything from chameleons to lorikeets to baby possums to rattlesnakes. The physical clinic here is amazing. For the sake of anonymity, I can't describe it too much, since it is so one of a kind, but the doctor did something completely different with his decor and employee uniforms when he opened his own clinic, and it makes me incredibly happy to get to see it and be a part of it. <br />
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I'm also enjoying being back in Pomona. Unlike when I was out here for the mandatory on-campus week in October, I'm not stressed about getting back home to see a husband I hadn't seen in two months to try to save an imploding marriage. I just get to relax, learn, enjoy my rotation, and enjoy getting to spend time with good friends. I'm also going to try to get to do the things I never got around to doing while I lived out here. My little sib and I are going whale watching on Saturday, I'm planning on visiting the <a href="http://goldbugpasadena.com/">Gold Bug</a> and <a href="http://www.necromance.com/">Necromance </a>one last time, and I still have a couple weekend days to fill. I'm just really trying to make a positive memory of this place, and make it enjoyable, instead of being the place I lived in the crime-ridden ghetto during the most stressful and depressed years of my life. <br />
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When I've had weeks back in Colorado between clinical rotations, I've spent as much time as possible at my old work. Last week, I got an official job offer, starting salary, and starting date. It seems so surreal, and there were points (especially during the first half of first year), where I never believed I would get here. Holy shit, this is happening. In less than two months. Life is good. Karinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15551547159833599574noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1393807032650559738.post-81457721898997955152014-03-05T17:14:00.000-08:002014-03-05T17:14:15.309-08:00What's better than exploring a new place?Having your best friend flying out for the weekend, and exploring a new place together. <br />
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Last week, Crystal flew into Tampa to join me for the weekend. We hit up the Wizarding world of Harry Potter, and took a couple boats to different island state parks - Caladesi state park, and Shell Key preserve. We hung out on beaches that had very few other people on them, explored, snorkeled, and saw black tipped sharks, sting rays, a dolphin, and got attacked by some seagulls. And now she's back in Colorado, and my hotel room is covered in sand. <br />
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It's amazing how isolating some of these rotations can be. I'm ready for it to be over. I miss my critters, and I want to go home - but I'm effectively homeless at this point. The apartment isn't my home, since I moved all of my stuff into my mom's house. My mom's house isn't home, it's the place my stuff is stored, and a convenient place to stay between rotations. My house isn't home, it's still occupied by temporary renters. It's an unsettling feeling, not having a place of my own to call dibs on. <br />
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I get to go back to Colorado Saturday, before I leave for my last rotation in California. At least in California, I'll be able to hang out with some great people, and won't be as isolated. And I'll be that much closer to once again having a home. Karinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15551547159833599574noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1393807032650559738.post-69569108283052933582014-02-15T16:05:00.001-08:002014-02-15T16:05:05.198-08:00Escaping the snowLast week I was home in Colorado between my internal med rotation, and my dentistry rotation. There were days I got in my car, only to see the thermometer display in the negative single digits. I keep managing to go home during the really cold snaps. On the plus side, I've managed to skip much of winter this year, and I'm continuing the trend by spending the next few weeks in Clearwater, FL. <br />
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I had a hard time finding a veterinary dentist who would take me on a 4 week internship. The one local to me said he would, and then when I sent his office manager the information to get approved as a site for the school, she backed out. Some, I emailed, and were booked solid. Others never replied to emails and voicemails. But the one out here replied immediately, and has been incredibly informative all week. I'm loving the time I'm spending working on teeth, and I'm considering that if my current plans for general practice don't work out after a few years, applying for a dental residency. I could see myself doing this and loving it. <br />
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Today was my first day to really get out and explore, and I found manatees! In Tampa, there's a power plant that releases warm water into the bay, and the manatees congregate in the warm water. (I'm not too sure how I feel about that, but at least it seems like they're trying to make an effort at conservation and stewardship.) It was amazing to see so many manatees in the wild. <br />
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I made an attempt to see a wild alligator, by going to a local park that had yelp reviews for tons of wildlife viewings, but did not get so lucky. Saw a crane, but no gators. I'll try again sometime later in the trip. <br />
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Sure beats being cold. Karinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15551547159833599574noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1393807032650559738.post-57803776095013417882014-01-22T19:41:00.000-08:002014-01-22T19:41:10.006-08:00NAVLE squeeAfter waiting (not so patiently) for the past month, I got my National board scores. I've been stalking forums, and found out that in previous years the scores have been released between the 11th and 14th of January, so I was hoping for earlier. Apparently, they decided to be masochistic and delay results this year. <br />
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Finally, today during lunch, I checked my facebook, and saw that some classmates had their results, so I checked, and I passed! I never have to take another gawd-awful test like that again! <br />
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One of my classmates is doing his core surgery rotation at the same practice as me. He went to high five me after telling me he had passed, changed his mind halfway through the high five, and bear hugged me instead. Then one of my preceptors picked up the phone, and announced "Our Western students, Karin and ***** have passed their national boards. Congratulate them when you see them." This whole time, I was acting very serene, but inside, I was bouncing off the walls with giddiness. <br />
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Just to add icing to the kick-ass-day cake, we had a special patient from a zoo (I can't go into specifics), so I got my exotic animal fix. <br />
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I can't believe I've made it this far, and I've made it through the hardest parts of vet school. Life is good. Karinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15551547159833599574noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1393807032650559738.post-64065306265321697622014-01-15T20:30:00.001-08:002014-01-15T20:30:07.074-08:00I'm really bad at waiting. For my NAVLE scores, that is. They should be released any time now, and they sure are taking their sweet time. The webpage was even changed from saying they'd be released mid-January to saying it'll by by late-January. Gah!<br />
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I'm in the Phoenix area right now for Internal Med. The clinic is nice, and time passes pretty quickly while I'm there. When I'm not there, it drags. I was lucky enough to find a place to stay here for free. The downside is it's in a gated retirement community, and I can't get through the gate after 8pm, so for 12+ hours every day after I get off work, I'm held captive in the land of old people. I'm going pretty stir-crazy, and feeling really isolated. Luckily, I don't have much more of this throughout the year. My next rotation I'm staying in a hotel (Yay! freedom and autonomy!) and then staying with a good friend (even better!) I just need to remember, there is an end in sight, and it's sneaking up quickly. <br />
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If only my NAVLE score would sneak up quickly. Karinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15551547159833599574noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1393807032650559738.post-16672022937805447512013-12-18T10:25:00.002-08:002013-12-18T10:25:33.484-08:00You know how to get your heart rate up?Step 1. Decide to take your dog out for one last walk before bedtime.<br />
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Step 2. Put on his leash, and walk out the back door.<br />
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Step 3. See a startled skunk come running straight at you, because apparently he lives under the porch, and was running to his safe spot - which happens to be exactly where you are standing. <br />
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Step 4. Forcibly drag your dog back inside, because at this point all he wants to do is chase this fantastic animal he's never seen before. <br />
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Step 5. Realize how lucky you are that neither you nor the dog got sprayed. <br />
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So that was fun last night. And now every time we go for a walk, Skwissgaar wants to go sniff at the porch. I have a feeling this isn't going to end well for us. And no, I'm not going to do anything to chase it off - if it lives under the porch, it was there first. <br />
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When I was at the zoo, I got to work with a skunk they have in their education building - her name is Lilly, and she is an absolute sweetheart. However, she has a really wirey, short hair coat, possibly due to some endocrine disease. The skunk that came running at us last night had the most glorious fur, like it was in some sort of skunk pantine pro-v commercial. As startled as I was, I couldn't help but marvel at what must be the Portia De Rossi of the skunk world. Lilly would be jealous. Karinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15551547159833599574noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1393807032650559738.post-55340163077801365082013-12-16T14:43:00.000-08:002013-12-16T14:43:12.233-08:00Done with NAVLESo I took my national boards on Friday. Despite it being a computerized test, I have to wait until January to find out how I did. I really hope I never have to re-take that sucker. Until I find out, I've got a few weeks off with no obligations, and it's fantastic. I've got all my christmas shopping done, presents are wrapped, and I know this christmas won't be a repeat of last year's christmas. Life is good. I took Skwissgaar to my old schutzhund training group yesterday, and he showed off his mad training by ignoring the bite sleeve, running to the fence to chase the neighbor's horses, then refusing to come when called. It was embarrassing, but he had fun. Anyway, boring update, but I figured I'd update since I survived my boards. Karinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15551547159833599574noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1393807032650559738.post-1648529115171533792013-12-04T09:20:00.002-08:002013-12-04T09:20:45.791-08:00Let the studying for boards commenceSince my last post, I've become a lot more zen about my situation. I'm moved into my mom's house for right now. It's a bit disheartening to be 28 and living with mom. It doesn't make sense to get a place right now, since between now and when I graduate I'll be gone for 3 1/2 months. So I'm temporarily here, the tenants living in my house will be moved out in a few months, and then I'll be able to have my old house back once I'm done with school. I left almost all of my furniture with Tyler, so there's a little bit of joy of knowing that once I get to move into my house, I won't have to move any heavy furniture - I'll be able to order new stuff and have it delivered. On my study breaks, I've been trolling pinterest, and pinning up a storm. I'm daydreaming about being able to decorate my own place with no other input, and not having to have a band practicing in my basement again. <br />
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One of the big plus-sides of being at my mom's house is my harp is here - I couldn't take it to California with me when I moved for vet school, and I've missed it ever so much. I'm pretty rusty, but I've been practicing every day, so hopefully it will come back to me quickly. <br />
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9 days until I take the NAVLE. Holy crap. I just need to direct all my energy at this one thing, and after I finish, the rest of the year should be pretty smooth sailing. 9 days. Eek!Karinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15551547159833599574noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1393807032650559738.post-75676355979006529642013-11-11T18:08:00.000-08:002013-11-11T18:08:28.350-08:00Trying to look on the bright side of things. I'm back in Colorado, and I started my zoo rotation last week. Sorry updates have been few and far between. So far, the zoo has been fabulous. I know I have a job lined up for when I graduate, and I know it's a job I'll love, but damn, I wish I could be a zoo vet. <br />
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Anyway, about everything else that's going on in my life. I left California a day early to try to get back home to Colorado on Halloween. It's my favorite holiday, and the thought of spending it listening to powerpoints, then driving across the dessert was rather depressing. <br />
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My pups were happy to see me. Tyler, however, was not. Knowing that I was home, and I hadn't seen the guy in 9 weeks, he stayed at a friend's party for hours after I told him where I was. 2 days later, he drops the bombshell that he wants a divorce. So I've been dealing with the fallout from that for the past week and a half. I've been trying to find somebody to take care of my cats for my next 3 rotations, since Billy obviously hadn't been getting his thyroid meds while I was gone, packing up all my stuff and moving it to my mom's house for storage, until I can move into my own place once I'm done with all of the travelling for school, and just trying to hold my shit together. <br />
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I'm really trying to look on the bright side of things right now. I no longer have to deal with bat shit crazy in-laws. I no longer have to hear non-stop droning about hockey and the Red Wings. I no longer have to support a full grown adult who doesn't contribute to household bills, or clean, or take responsibility for anything. In May, when I'm done with rotations, and the tenants move out of my house here, I can move in, decorate how I want, and not have to worry about having his band practicing in the basement again, so I know it won't get trashed again. Logically, I know I'm better off. Part of me is pissed off that he's the one leaving me - because I expressed my disappointment in how he's treated me over the years (because apparently it's ok to mooch off your wife, put the band, your friends, and toxic family before her, and to break your vows multiple times, but it's not ok for her to react to those constant slights). The other part of me is incredibly embarrassed that I've put up with so much shit for so long, and that I've been a complete doormat. I'm trying not to dwell on it, and just move on, and concentrate on improving my situation, and studying for my boards in December. <br />
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As a result of all that, and in an attempt to cheer myself up, I did something impulsive - I booked a 2 week trip to Stockholm with my Mom, Sister, and best friend. I have a few weeks between when I'm finished with all my clinical rotations, and when graduation happens. I can't work in that time, while I'm waiting around for my diploma, so I figured I'd make the best of it. I seriously doubt that I'll be able to take any sort of time off for the next few years while I'm building my career, so it's now or never. <br />
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It may not feel like it right now, but life is good. <br />
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<br />Karinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15551547159833599574noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1393807032650559738.post-27000952603895547652013-10-06T14:29:00.000-07:002013-10-06T14:29:26.889-07:00In the Desert!I've been just south of Phoenix for the past week on my CORE surgery rotation, and it's been a blast so far. The doctors at the practice I'm at are very laid back, and willing to answer questions, and I've gotten to scrub into some cool surgeries. <br />
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I decided to explore the area a little bit today, and found the Superstition Mountain Museum. It had a lot of exhibits covering mining, the lost dutchman mine, the apaches, and to end the visit, there was an old chapel with an Elvis statue standing up front. I guess there used to be an old Western movie set in the area, but the Elvis addition was hilarious. Apparently people actually get married there. <br />
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After that mini-adventure, the rest of my day is dedicated to finishing up case logs from Friday, writing a case report, doing laundry, and all that "responsible" stuff I have to do. <br />
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<br />Karinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15551547159833599574noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1393807032650559738.post-56235368376676178352013-09-23T17:30:00.001-07:002013-09-23T17:30:31.487-07:00I'm apparently breaking stuff here. I let my domain for this blog expire, and forgot to change my redirect settings, so that would explain why my pageviews have been stuck at 0 since the 17th. Sorry about that. Hopefully, if you've been using clawspawsscales.com to get here, you can figure out how to get to the blogspot address (clawspawsscales.blogspot.com), otherwise, oops, I just lost a ton of readers. <br />
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The past few weeks here in MN have been great. I've leaned how to do orthopedic procedures and endoscopy on birds, plus a ton of other things. I'm ready to leave, though, and the next 4 days are going to drag. I think I hit my quota of days I can be gone without being homesick, and unfortunately, I have to go straight from here to Arizona. <br />
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I've been plowing through a ton of busywork the past few days, trying to get all of these random assignments done for this rotation, and my motivation is pretty sapped. Busywork + personal life crashing and burning while I'm 1,000 miles away + missing my puppies is not a good combination. I had grand plans to knock out all my assignments over the weekend, but instead ended up watching a bunch of episodes of The Shield, plus the Dexter series finale. I fail at life. <br />
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I did get my email today from the NAVLE, giving me the go-ahead to schedule my national boards. I was able to schedule them in my hometown, in the timeframe I was hoping for. I'm excited and terrified. Karinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15551547159833599574noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1393807032650559738.post-67468231804797521902013-09-05T18:35:00.000-07:002013-09-05T18:35:06.260-07:00I'm in Minnesota!I'm halfway through my first week at the Raptor Center. I had labor day off, so it's only been three days. But in those three days, I've seen more raptors than I've seen in my life (in the wild, and zoos combined.) I think the board said we had 99 patients today - everything from merlins to bald eagles to various hawk species. I'm getting tons of hands-on experience, and getting practice with handling and IDing various species, and it's overall just wonderful. <br />
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I'm staying at the house of this woman who rents out rooms to students, and she is an absolute sweetheart. I've been walking the 2 miles to the raptor center every day, and she's been hellbent on finding me a bike. I don't mind walking, but she's way more concerned about it than I am. <br />
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One of the weird things I've noticed on my rotations is I keep finding vets who very closely resemble faculty members from school. At CSU, one of the ECC residents had the EXACT same intonation and accent as our pharmacologist at Western. Here at the raptor center, one of the vets has identical facial expressions and personality traits as our surgeon. Nothing that makes any of them a complete doppleganger, but just enough similarities to throw you off. <br />
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Anyway, I've had long days sandwiched by long walks, I need to do my case logs for the last 3 days, and an avian radiology exercise, so I'm not going to write much of an update. The whole year will probably be like this, which is sad, because this is probably the most interesting year, but the one I can write the least about. Karinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15551547159833599574noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1393807032650559738.post-88318249997573782842013-08-12T12:51:00.000-07:002013-08-12T12:51:08.575-07:00Things you probably shouldn't say to your future bossI was working at Dr. G's today. She brought up how when I start to buy her practice from her, there's some cheap insurance you can get to make either business partner whole if something happens to the other. <br />
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Because I like to put my foot in my mouth, the first thing out of my mouth was "Good idea. Then if you regret going into business with me, you can just cut my brake lines." Good thing she's got an equally dark sense of humor. Karinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15551547159833599574noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1393807032650559738.post-74369826552366812182013-08-11T12:29:00.001-07:002013-08-11T12:29:29.143-07:00Well, that went by quickly. I'm home, after spending the month in Ft. Collins doing my emergency rotation at CSU. It was not at all what I expected from an emergency and critical care rotation (75% critical care, 25% emergency, and once a patient was stable, it got referred to a different dept. for treatment.) I've got a few weeks off before my next rotation starts, but I'm not wasting it. <br />
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Tomorrow, I'm going to my old clinic to do some supervised shelter work. In a way, it's like a working interview, even though Dr. G has already introduced me to clients every time I've been there recently as "her new vet in a few months." Or once "the future owner." Eek! <br />
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Anyway, not much to add here. I can't really write about anything from CSU due to confidentiality, and I haven't exactly had much of a life the past 4 weeks to write about. I'm 1/4 of the way done with 4th year. 2 rotations down, and 6 more to go! Karinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15551547159833599574noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1393807032650559738.post-16374998811039486672013-07-28T21:17:00.001-07:002013-07-28T21:17:36.002-07:00I'm in Fort Collins!I've been on my emergency and critical care rotation for the past 2 weeks, with 2 more left to go. It's been some long, crazy hours, and I've pretty much studied, then crashed soon after getting out each day, so sorry I suck about updating. CSU has been gracious enough to give the "visiting" students weekends off, so I've been able to drive the 2 hours home the past 2 weekends to see Tyler and the critters. I've almost finished unpacking all of our boxes, and it's starting to feel like home. Too bad I won't be around much this year to appreciate it. I bought a used couch yesterday, since we got rid of ours before moving, only to find out that it won't fit through the door to the room we were going to put it in. I was running late getting back to Ft. Collins, so I had to leave it where it was, blocking the entire kitchen for Tyler to deal with when he got off work. Poor guy. <br />
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I finally got my last rotation booked for February, and while I'm super excited I finally found a dentistry rotation that'll take me, I'm also sad it's out of state. My original plan for 4th year was to try to do all of my elective rotations in Colorado, and only have to travel for my core internal med and surgery rotations, but I suck at booking things, and somehow, out of my 6 electives, 1 was in Cali before we moved, 3 are out of state, plus the 2 required out of state rotations. I'm going to miss the hubby so much. Karinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15551547159833599574noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1393807032650559738.post-12065138767053759362013-07-09T17:55:00.004-07:002013-07-09T17:55:52.945-07:00Washing the California stink off of meI've neglected posting here the past few weeks. First, I was packing up my stuff in Cali, and had no internet. Now that I've made the drive to Colorado, I've been slowly putting a dent in unpacking my boxes. It's really hard to unpack when you're unpacking about 700 square feet of stuff into a 500 square foot apartment! I haven't even unpacked my Kitchenaid mixer, and I'm 99% sure I have nowhere in my kitchen to fit it. Anyway, it's taken me so long to update, because I've been spending what feels like every free moment hanging out with the people I missed like crazy, and this is the first time I've had to sit down and write. <div>
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I've only done one car, but I just got Colorado plates on my vibe, and damn, does it feel good to get those Cali plates off. There's always been a palpable hostility towards California here (and Texas), due to getting tons of people immigrating from those states and contributing to the urban sprawl/mcmansion problem we have. I wasn't really comfortable getting stereotyped into that group because of identifiable plates, so it feels good to have the car "clean," so to speak. I also got pawprint plates! I was supposed to get spay/neuter plates in Cali, but they needed a minimum order for the run before they could issue them, and I left too early to get them. So now I have plates from a better state, with better artwork on them. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Doesn't the California plate look like the dog is melting, or has a chromosome missing or something? </div>
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One plus side of hitting up the DMV today, is that it's super close to Garden of the Gods. Sure, I wasn't prepared to go hiking - I was wearing a dress, my cell battery was almost dead, and didn't have a water bottle, but who can resist on such a beautiful day? </div>
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Having that in my backyard is exactly why I've spent the past 3 years homesick like crazy. </div>
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It's weird being back though. Random businesses have changed, entire buildings have been erected or demolished, urban sprawl has gotten worse. But the differences between here and Pomona are stark. Pomona has a doughnut shop on every corner, the springs has either a tattoo studio or a church. Too damn many churches everywhere. And the number of tattoo shops seems to have doubled since I left - precisely the reason why I had to quit piercing - way too much competition to be able to make it charging full price for top quality work. It's out of control now. </div>
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I do have some amazing news though. I stopped by my old clinic, and was greeted with "hurry up and graduate so you can start working here!" I was also informed that since the property may get taken by the city by eminent domain in the next few years, that the owner's looking for a new place - and since I'll be owning it someday, my input is wanted. :) I've also been given the open offer to work there during my gaps between clinical rotations, do exams, and work up cases. Eeeee!</div>
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I start my emergency rotation next week in Ft. Collins. I'm extra excited and terrified. Terrified, because I hate navigating large institutions, and I'm always convinced I'll get lost, and because even with as much preparation I've been trying to do, I don't feel like I know enough. (Which, I honestly don't and never will. It keeps me constantly reading and bettering myself.) However, I love emergency, and I get to stay with family that I haven't seen in far too long, so I'm excited about that. Fingers crossed. (And as always, if I write about 3rd and 4th year stuff, since so much of it involves clients/patients, details will be either fudged or left out completely.) </div>
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Anyway, that's the super-quick past couple weeks in a nutshell. I don't know what my hours will be like in Ft. Collins, so updates may continue to be sporadic. </div>
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Karinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15551547159833599574noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1393807032650559738.post-58775979176746310032013-06-22T17:03:00.000-07:002013-06-22T17:03:08.577-07:008 days to the big moveMoving truck delivered. Check. Everything that's not going to get used over the next week in boxes. check. All that time spent playing tetris being put to good use as I load the truck. Check. Finding an auto shipper for my 2nd car - not going so well. Hopefully somebody will come get it in the next few days. That's a whole drama in and of itself. <br />
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Speaking of drama, does anybody else have the problem of being a magnet for crazy? I had to leave radiology early on Friday so I could keep biting my tongue without snapping at a classmate. I really try not to be rude to people, and I don't know if they sense that, and see it as a weakness, or what. But the last thing I need is a socially awkward person following me around in class, assuming a level of camaraderie that doesn't exist, and not picking up on social cues that I want to be left alone. It happens to me all the time. It's why I avoid using public transportation - it's almost guaranteed if I take a city bus, and there's 20 empty seats, that a crazy person will sit next to me and start talking. It's why when I go to Stater Bros for a quick grocery run, I get stuck talking to some weird 40 year old guy who wants to talk about music, even as I'm acting disinterested and inching my cart away from him. What body language are they picking up on, and how do I fix that, short of just being a raging bitch to everybody? <br />
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Do you remember this post from a few months back? <a href="http://www.clawspawsscales.com/2012/11/i-need-smaller-dogs.html">http://www.clawspawsscales.com/2012/11/i-need-smaller-dogs.html</a><br />
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In it I was joking about all the online searching I was doing for my 3rd year on-campus classes about reportable diseases, public health, and disaster management. You know, using a giant chunk of <a href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2150281/REVEALED-Hundreds-words-avoid-using-online-dont-want-government-spying-you.html">keywords on this list.</a> With the news about <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/edward-snowden">Edward Snowden's leaks of PRISM</a>, I don't know if I should say I told you so, or be very, very sad about the complete destruction of privacy and 4th amendment rights in this country. <br />
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<br />Karinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15551547159833599574noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1393807032650559738.post-67926254551987432222013-06-14T22:48:00.001-07:002013-06-14T22:48:31.140-07:00Anaheim sillinessTyler and I had a rare day off together today. Since I'm leaving California soon, my first thought that we should go to Disney before we move. Then I realized that I'm not all that into disney, especially not for how expensive ticket prices are. So we went to the Discovery Science Center instead. Tyler's wanted to go since he found out there was a hockey exhibit, and I'm always game for a museum, even if it is geared towards kids. We followed that up with German food (since there's no German restaurants near Pomona), and then we accidentally stumbled on the brick-and-mortar store for Ipso Facto. All that money I saved by not going to Disney? Completely decimated by going to that store. Oh, well, at least I have something to show for it besides some photos and a sunburn. <br />
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Speaking of clothes, I ordered some swimsuits online, and the store I got them from had mystery grab-bag type shoes for super cheap. I picked my size, and took a gamble. It did not pay off. I cannot walk in 6 heels. If you're a size 10, not a klutz, and like leopard print, they're up for <a href="http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=321144007216">auction on ebay,</a> before I break an ankle trying to walk in them. <br />
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We found a place to move to in Colorado. It's a downstairs apartment in a 1900's house, and we've been warned that we will hit our heads on the ceiling if we're taller than 6', so we're cutting it close at 5'11". But it's super cheap, it allows us to have our critters, and it's back home. I'm stoked. 2 weeks and I'm out of the ghetto!<br />
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I'm still loving my radiology rotation. We just finished up the first half of interpreting radiographs, and the next two weeks will be nothing but doing ultrasounds. Did I mention how lucky I am to be able to take this course before Dr. J retires? Karinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15551547159833599574noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1393807032650559738.post-76171921199064057592013-06-08T15:53:00.001-07:002013-06-08T15:53:33.752-07:00What a week!I just finished my first week of 4th year. Right now I'm taking Dr. J's radiology, which I am so lucky that he was willing to do for our class before he retires. He was one of my favorite professors in the first 2 years of school, and he's really making all of this imaging come together and make sense. I think I've learned more useful information in the past week than I did in all of 3rd year.<br />
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In the meantime, I dropped Izzy and Billy off at Banfield. Izzy blocked, and passed a stone while I was in Washington, and I wanted to see if using the stone dissolution diet was working. Umm.. it doesn't appear to be, but she hasn't blocked again, so I guess I'll keep her on it. Billy, my most favorite kitty in the whole world had dropped an alarming amount of weight over the past 2-3 weeks, despite eating everything, and starting the bad habit of trying to steal food from me as I'm putting it in my mouth. A t4 confirmed that he's hyperthyroid, and will have to be on daily medication for the rest of his life, or until I can afford to have his thyroid treated with radiation. I'm just glad he's taken care of, and hopefully he'll start putting on weight again soon. <br />
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I had applied for a really perfect looking house back in Colorado, and got a call from the property management company saying they wouldn't even look at my application because I had too many pets. Now I'm moving in 3 weeks, with no house to move to, and I'm starting to freak out. I need a home!<br />
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<br />Karinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15551547159833599574noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1393807032650559738.post-30747681903977833862013-05-31T20:35:00.000-07:002013-05-31T20:35:03.045-07:00Nothing to see hereI was just looking at my blog stats, and I just crossed 60,000 page views. Wasn't it just a few months ago that I crossed 50,000? <br />
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My radiology rotation starts on Monday. It's the official start to fourth year, and it seems like a good way to ease in. It's taught by Dr. J, who's a wonderful teacher and radiologist, and whose wife was the founding dean of the school. Hopefully by the end of the month, I can actually start to feel really comfortable reading films and doing ultrasounds. Especially ultrasounds. It's a skill I need, but sometimes it's so confusing. I need to dedicate this month to learning every little thing I can. <br />
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After that rotation, I need to get in a truck and drive to Colorado. We've found a house that we want to rent (since our house has tenants in it until February), and we're just waiting to hear from the property management company about whether or not we've been approved. It's so close I can taste it. I'm so homesick, and ready to be back in a state that doesn't smell like exhaust. Poor Tyler is especially homesick - I've been rather distracted by school for the past three years, and I've have the opportunity to make friends with classmates, while he's been working for a company he doesn't like, ripped away from his friends back home, without a whole lot of opportunities to integrate here. One month, and we'll get back! I can't wait. Karinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15551547159833599574noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1393807032650559738.post-20538788562869820362013-05-18T16:03:00.001-07:002013-05-18T16:03:42.761-07:00So over this. Done with finals. Counting down the days until I can return to Colorado. Looking forward to my radiology rotation in a few weeks. <br />
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I'm pretty sick of my car right now. I brought it in over spring break to repair a leaking exhaust manifold, and replace the bearings. They replaced the manifold, and had to replace the intake gasket and re-machine the engine. Then, it started to die on me again, and Tyler took it into the shop while I was in Oregon. First they thought it was the fuel injectors, and I had to pay to replace those. Then they finally figured out it was the O2 sensor. It's been running fine for about 2 weeks, then last night, the check engine light starts flashing, and it's running rough like it's misfiring. I am so sick of dealing with car problems, and I'm mad I ever bought this piece of junk. <br />
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I was getting lost in some rabbit holes online, and I found a couple articles about CU's dental school. Apparently in <a href="http://www.denverpost.com/ci_14314028">2010, they got into some problems with the DEA, </a> and then it looks like just recently, they're<a href="http://www.kktv.com/news/elevenforhealth/headlines/83354287.html"> under investigation again.</a> Basically, they were letting students and residents prescribe and use sedatives for anesthesia that were all under a doctor's DEA number, even when he wasn't physically present on campus. This got me thinking, since we don't have a teaching hospital here, what is the standard operating procedure for prescribing at teaching hospitals? Does one doctor order all the anesthetics for the hospital, and everybody uses them? I wonder if there are differences between states, and between the human/veterinary/dental divide. Leave a comment if you know how your school works. <br />
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I bought a powerball ticket for tonight's drawing. I feel like I should have my grades in statistics revoked from me. :) Karinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15551547159833599574noreply@blogger.com0