I Was Runninnnnnnng!

The title of this post is supposed to be Forrest Gump speaking. You know, that bit in the movie where...ah forget it.

So, anyway, today was the day of my first 5k run, the "Testaverde Race for Spinal Victory" - not actually associated with former NY Jet Vinnie Testaverde, but cool nonetheless. It was a balmy 46 degrees F at race time, and it was pretty damn windy - especially seeing as we were running along the ocean. Mike and his wife Susan met me, Angela and dad at Jones Beach, and we stood outside freezing until race time.

Basically, to make a long story short...I finished in 28:52 (average of 9:18 mile), better than I have ever run a 5k before - I think it had a lot to do with having Mike running with me, the motivation was there to keep his pace, and seeing as he has run a marathon before, I was quite pleased with that. He finished 7 seconds better than me. Not too shabby at all.

I shall now post some photos from the event.

Mike and I pre-race.

The race begins (I am outlined in red, Mike in yellow. Duh.)

Mike finishes. You can see me in the background...

Me finishing.

Me struggling to breathe/walk/live.

In pain...

...just kidding! FOOLED YOU!

Us and the wives post-race.

Me and my pops post-race.

All in all, even though it was difficult, it was an extremely gratifying experience, and I shall definitely be doing it more as the summer progresses. But for now...I am taking a nap.

**Extra added bonus** - 28 week belly shot:

Look at that sucker grow!!! I can hear the little heartbeat now just by putting my ear to Angela's belly - how cool!! Not long now before this balloon gets set to burst...:)

Quick jaunt to the boardwalk today - was too windy to stick around for long!

Reason # 9836 I advised Angela NOT to prepare the nursery yet...I knew this would happen.

Doggie Update

The dog from the previous post went home last night, is currently eating like a champ and starting to get her legs back under her...so, the miracle dog lives! :)

Saving Lives

Despite what most people think, life as a normal everyday vet doesn't involve a whole lot of immediate life-saving. Mostly, our day involves vaccinations, skin problems, vomitting and diarrhea. You get the occasional sick animal that is in need of IV fluids and some medical intervention. Rarely you get a dog that ate a corn cob which gets lodged in its intestines and causes problems (see the post on August 30th, 2005 concerning Kobe the dog for further details on corn cob removal). You also get the occasional bleeding spleen with a tumor on it, intestinal tumor, things like that. Very commonly, at the end of the day, especially on the weekends, we see a lot of euthanasias.

Today was no exception - the last appointment of the day was sitting in its little slot with the dreaded white/yellow/pink slip hanging out of the top. I hate putting animals to sleep, but it's even worse when it is a pet you have never seen before - I just find it awkward to make owners feel comfortable with the fact that I, a complete stranger, will be the one ending their family member's life. It's part of the territory, but I still don't find it easy.

This was the case today - a pet which hadn't been seen at our office in about 3 years, and I obviously hadn't seen her before (seeing as I have only been a vet for 2.5 years or so). I walked into the room to find a nice family and their 14 yr old airedale terrier on the table, completely flat out. I come to find that they have brought her in to be put down because she has not been eating (although she is drinking lots), she is unable to walk on her back legs, her abdomen is distended and she has blood coming from her back end. I start to examine her - her gums are pale and dry. Her heart rate is fast. Her abdomen is distended. She is obviously in shock...I lift her tail and find pus pouring out of her vulva.

"Huh???"

I inquired about whether or not she was ever spayed - she was NOT spayed, and in fact just had a heat a week or 2 ago, and was perfectly fine until 3 days ago.

The bells start going off in my head..."PYO! PYO! PYO!" For those of you reading this that are not vets, a "Pyo" is short for pyometra - an infection of the uterus. It can be very debilitating, deadly in fact...and presents exactly like this dog.

The next dilemma - how do I tell these people my suspicion? They have already got it set in their minds that their dog is dying today. Will they be receptive to an alternative to that? Believe it or not, it can be a very touchy subject - when people bring their dogs in to be put down, they often do not want to hear that there is a chance that their condition is fixable...sounds ridiculous, but I have often had patients brought in for euthanasia that have had problems that were potentially fixable (i.e. diabetics are big ones, because some owners are too squeamish to inject them with insulin daily), but people had already got it set in their minds that it was time to call it a day.

So...I just came out with it - I said that this is a common presentation for a pyo. The way to confirm it is is via a simple x-ray - the owner quickly agreed, saying they want to give her every chance possible. EUREKA!

We snapped an xray...and suspicion confirmed - abdomen completely filled with pus-filled uterine loops. I brought the x-ray in and showed them. They were suitably impressed...then comes the discussion on whether to do surgery or not. The dog is 14 yrs old - who is to say that even if we get her through this that it won't succumb to kidney failure or cancer or some other horrible disease process in the next year? Month? Week?? Not to mention the cost of this major abdominal surgery - It ain't cheap, folks.

Despite all the negatives, there was one positive - this dog could completely turn around with the procedure, and do fantastically well...if it survives the operation, that is.

The owners decide to go for it. HALLELUJAH!

We take her back, prep her for surgery, and thank god my boss was in, because it was a BITCH of a procedure...but we got it done, and the dog survived the operation. It isn't out of the woods yet, but sometimes you just get a feeling about these things...and my gut tells me this dog is going to do just fine. I called the owners to tell them that she survived the procedure, and we will see how she does tomorrow. They were overjoyed and extremely thankful.

On my way out, after placing her on a fluid pump, piggy-backing an extra bag of fluids and making sure she was comfortable, I said goodbye to my boss on the way out.

He said, "Really good job today Brian - you saved a life."

This kinda hit home for a couple of reasons:

1) It is uncommon for us to get complimented.
2) Praise aside, and much more importantly...its not often that we save lives. Yet, saving lives is all I ever wanted to do. So when I get the chance, and it goes well, it brings a great sense of accomplishment.

Especially when I couldn't do the same for poor little Garfield.

Yes, the little G-man lives on in spirit today - he serves as my inspiration still, to not give up on a patient, even if their death may appear imminent.

Its nice to leave work late on a busy Saturday with a warm fuzzy feeling inside...and a smile on my face.

The Good Ol' Days

Looks like someone was always meant to be involved in the medical profession, eh? :)

Random Thoughts

Yesterday the weather was stunningly beautiful, so wifey and I went for a nice walk on the boardwalk and afterwards stopped at TCBY. I, of course, didn't get anything for fear of wasting my earlier treadmill session, but Angela got a kiddie-sized cup of heaven on earth - White Chocolate Mousse yogurt with Heath Bar topping. I had to sample it, obviously, to make sure it wasn't rotten or poisoned or anything...and it got me thinking - why the hell does everything that tastes SO good have to be SO bad for you?? WHY!??! What cruelty exists in this world! But then I started thinking that things like this are simply tests for us mortals. OK, by "us mortals," I obviously mean people (like me) with a weight problem. This is how I have managed to keep myself from eating this stuff - I look at each temptation as a challenge. I guess that is just my personality, I do not allow myself to think that anyone or anything is capable of bettering me. So...that tiny cup of 400 calorie delight is not allowed to have control over me - I can enjoy 2 little tastes of it and not be overwhelmed with desire to consume the entire supply of it in the Northeast. This is how I am different now than I used to be.

I love to BBQ. It is like the best thing ever. Its kinda weird too, because although I do enjoy eating BBQ'd food, that isn't why I like BBQing. I don't know why I enjoy it so much. Even in my heftier days, I would stand there and run the BBQ for hours at parties in the UK, and maybe eat a sausage or two. It never was about eating the product of my toils - maybe I just like cooking for people. I have no idea, but BBQing is awesome. Ya know what, maybe I just like FIRE. FIREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE! (Yelled in my best Beavis impersonation)

I have decided on running the 5K Race for Spinal Victory on Sunday, April 30th at Jones Beach. Be there or be square...or just wish me luck. That would be cool too.

I have this song "Incredible" by The Shapeshifters stuck in my head!!! It's a good song though.

You know what kind of annoys me? Now that Jamie Foxx played Ray Charles in a movie, he thinks he can sing. Kanye West didn't help matters by having him immitate Ray Charles in his "Gold Digger" song either. But now Jamie Foxx releases an album?!? What the hell?? He is crap.

Dammit, now "Gold Digger" is stuck in my head.

And now "Hips Don't Lie" by Shakira is stuck in my head. I HATE Shakira, she sounds like a constipated mexican man. And she looks like a monster too.

What kind of name is Jamie Foxx anyway?? Sounds like a porn star.

My old housemate Caroline emailed me saying I should write a book. I would consider it, but I don't know what I would write about or when I would write it. I also have a problem with editing - I used to write for my vet school's website, and I had to submit my articles to some dude and he would edit them. That pissed me off. I write shit the way I want it written, who the hell do people think they are to change my words?!? I think it is obvious that I also have a problem with authority. I don't like people telling me what to do - why should I listen to anyone else? What makes them think that I have to listen to them? OK, maybe I have to listen to my boss - he does pay the bills - but I hate having to listen to anyone. Of course, I also have zero desire to own my own place, hence the conflict. But, yeah, what should I write a book about? I don't think I am that interesting a person where anyone would want to read about ME. Maybe I can write a weight loss book for the average every day guy. Nah, that is pretty presumptuous that anyone would give a crap about my method for dropping poundage. I don't think I would write a very good novel though, because I feel that I write best from this perspective (i.e. my own), and a novel involves a lot of narrative. Unless of course I decide to revolutionize the entire genre and write a complete novel with no narration, just type and type and type, kinda like I am doing now, and hoping that something interesting will come out. Then again, what sort of fiction would I know enough to attempt a story on? UGH. I could go on like this for days. I guess I will just stick to the blog and being a vet. Who knows, maybe someday an idea for a book will strike me, and then Oprah will feature me. Maybe then I will get to meet Dave Matthews and the rest of the band. That would friggin' RULE.

DAMN James Herriot for writing all of those vet stories, I could have done that!

OK, I finally got all the songs out of my head now, so it is time for bed.

FLAVOR FLAAAAAAAAAAAV. Out.

Another Short Update

Ran a 5K again today (on the treadmill) - finished it in 28:58. 1 minute better than my last attempt. Not too shabby, eh?

Work is busy as hell and, therefore, exhausting, so haven't had much else going on to write about...but will write more about nothing soon.

PEACE OUT.

Done!

Feeling much better today, so went to the gym for the first time in a week - it was hard to breathe rapidly without coughing, so I took it easy. I weighed myself...

The scale read 197.5 lbs!!!

HOLY CRAP!

Angela said that maybe I just need to get sick periodically to jump start my weight loss. Perhaps she is right...

Next goal = 189 lbs.

Jury Doody

Let me pre-empt this story with the fact that I have been getting sicker and sicker with some messed up flu virus that is running rampant throughout the entire northeastern US (that is probably completely false, but everyone at work is sick, ok???) - it started on thursday or friday with a scratchy throat. That progressed to a runny nose. Now I am so congested that it feels as if my upper respiratory tract is constipated. I CANNOT shift this phlegmy mucoid mess, no matter what medication I try. It is infuriating.

I did not sleep 1 single minute last night. I am not exaggerating - I went to bed, laid down, and could not breathe. So I got up and sat on the computer all night, ate breakfast at 4am (my usual cereal, however because of my nasal constipation, I may as well have been eating dried twigs and shrivelled rodent testicles), and got dressed...

...for Jury Duty. Yes, I had to report for Jury Duty today, having had zero sleep in, oh, a day and a half, snot pouring down my face, nostrils reddened from blowing my nose over and over and OVER just trying to get some blessed AIR through my clogged sinuses.......! I did not shave. I did not care. I was hoping someone would take one look at me, and tell me to get the hell out of the courtroom....didn't happen. The following is what walked into the Supreme Court Building this morning (You may wish to avert your eyes...):

You are not imagining things. Yes, that is a white zit at the tip of my nose. I am an absolute frikkin' mess. This photo was not dramatized either: I didn't squint for dramatic effect, I am constantly on the verge of a sneeze and thus my eyes are just shut all the time. My lips are swollen - I don't quite know how to explain that. My facial hair is growing in nicely, I wish I could continue to grow it but the wife has shut that idea down. Notice also, if you will, the rawness of my sub-nostril skin. "Puffs Plus" my ass - might as well have used sandpaper to blow my nose.

So, yeah, I roll into the court building and take a seat. They show us some cheesy video starring Ed Bradley and Diane Sawyer meant to make us excited to spend our day sitting there "participating in the legal system." Um, right. I wouldn't mind it at all if I weren't feeling like a slightly warmed plate of pig vomit, I actually sat on a jury once and enjoyed it. But today? Come on. Give me a break. PLEASE.

I sit in a haze of exhaustion. For hours. Hearing names blared over the sound system. None of which are mine. I brought a book to read - all the letters swam across the page sleepily to form little pictures of rainbows and ponies and machine guns and..."...for those of you whose name has not been called, you are excused until 2pm for lunch. Thank you for your patience." Great, so now I have to go waste some more time in a public place trying to ingest some more food I can't taste. Super duper.

I go to The Source Mall because there is a food court and an Old Navy. I go to Subway and buy some sort of chicken sandwich - may as well have been horse meat for all I knew - I ate around half and threw the rest away. As I sat and tried to take in my surroundings, looking for any way to wake my sorry ass up, I noticed something strange. Every single table around me was full of retarded people. Some with helmets. SERIOUSLY. What the fuck?!? Was I hallucinating? I looked all around me, and I swear I felt like I was in the middle of a Corky Thatcher Convention. It wasn't Downs Syndrome that these folks had though, it was some other disorder...and they all went their separate ways, it wasn't like they were all there together either. So it couldn't have just been some big day trip, they had all come from different places. I was astonished. I then felt the urge to relieve myself.

I got up, went to the bathroom, and again, I couldn't believe what was happening. Every urinal and bathroom stall had a retarded man using it with his pants around his ankles. The stall doors were all open. OPEN. These were not kids, they were men. I had to leave. Now.

So I left. Drove back in a haze to the parking area of the courthouse. Went inside and used their facilities. No retards there. Whew. Not that I have a problem with retards, but enough already. Sat down and resumed "reading." At 2:45pm I vaguely heard my name called over the loudspeaker to go to Room 3. So I went and sat down. Some lady came in and said that they had been waiting for a judge for a criminal trial that we would have been the jury for, but the defendant had accepted a plea bargain and we were free to go. THANK GOD.

I drove home. I don't know how on earth I made it to the courthouse and back, I honestly don't. I kinda fell asleep for a little while when I got home. I ingested some sort of food (still cant taste anything). I called in sick for work tomorrow...OK, I had Angela do it for me because I am a pussy and she loves me. Luckily, the boss is cool with it. I don't blame him. Would you want infected boogers dripping into your pet's surgical site? Didn't think so.

I shall now go take some Nyquil and see if I can induce myself into a coma. Hopefully I don't revisit that bathroom in my dreams. Or nightmares. Whatever. UGH. I HATE BEING SICK.

VIVA CORKY THATCHER!

Belly Shot time again, folks. Here we are, just about 24 weeks pregnant. It's getting HUGE! :)