Brian's Weblog: August 2005

Tuesday, August 30, 2005

Oy Vey....

Today started just like any other day - woke up, got outta bed, dragged a comb across my head (doodadoodadoodadoodadooda)...found my way downstairs and had a cup, and looking up, I noticed I was late (hahahahaha). Found my coat and grabbed my hat, made the bus in seconds flat. Made my way upstairs and had a smoke, and somebody spoke and I went into a dream.....AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHLALALAAAAAAAAAALALALAAAAAAAA

Oh wait, sorry, that's a Beatles Song. If you are not familiar with the Beatles, you probably figured something was off when you read the bit about the comb.

So anyway, today started normal enough. Until we stepped foot into work.

I walk in the door and am greeted by one of the receptionists telling me that a vomitting dog I saw yesterday was back and basically so weak it couldn't walk. An 85 lb labrador. Great.

Once I carried him into the office and wiped the sweat from my brow, it became obvious that something was amiss (or, as Janja Weed would say, SUM TING WONG). I xrayed him and it looked like a corn cob was in his colon. Usually stuff in the colon is not a problem, it often passes. So we put him on some fluids, gave him some barium in his mouth, gave him an enema, and some medicine and waited to see how it went.

After morning appointments, I went to the gym and lifted weights til my muscles refused to work, then drove back to work.

At this point, the dog hadn't improved. He hadn't vomitted but oddly didn't pass the corn cob. So we re-xrayed him and it became apparent that the cob wasn't in the colon at all, and the dog was truly obstructed. Shit.

I told the owner the news, and told her that the dog needed an exploratory surgery immediately to remove this corn cob or the dog could die. She gave me the go-ahead, and seeing as my boss was away on holiday, I took it upon myself to do my first intestinal surgery. YAY!!!!!

Everything was going just peachy when I heard a commotion outside the surgery door - I heard Angela (and a few of our techs) yelling at some asshole dog that they were trying to do a skin scrape on (to check for parasites). The next thing I hear, Angela yells "I cut myself!" and starts crying. Meanwhile I am sterile holding some open intestines and a ratty smelly corncob. Fuck.

Talk about bad timing.

Val (one of our techs) had to drive her to the ER while I finished my surgery. I offered to stitch her up myself, seeing as I was in a surgical mood. She wouldn't let me even LOOK at her finger. Oh well. Probably best, seeing as I hadn't eaten lunch and was starting to go hypoglycemic and shaky.

I finished my surgery, scarfed a Power Bar, called the owner to let them know their dog was waking up, and drove over to the ER. By the time I got there, she was being stitched up - they expressed her thru so there was very little waiting time. I guess they didn't want to have to clean puddles of blood from the waiting room floor.

At this time, the events of the day started catching up to me and I was starting to get very very tired. That and the fact that I had ingested probably 600 calories the whole day which were probably burnt off by 11am probably had something to do with it.

Bottom line: Angela is fine, we didn't have to wait long in the ER. Dog is waking up fine and hopefully should make a full recovery. We ate out at Duke Falcon's and had a yummy brownie for dessert.

So, the day didn't turn out all that bad after all.

Time for "The Real World!" And then sleep....

Wednesday, August 24, 2005

Upon seeing this imprinted on the sidewalk, I was dismayed to have to wait until I got home to take a dump.

No, we aren't in the Red Light District in Amsterdam, there just isn't much light up there on the Boardwalk.

If you look closely you can see seagull tracks in the sand. That and the imprint of a bottle.

Soft-core porn anyone?

This is the retarded picture you get when you try and hold the camera out at arm's length...

Slightly blurry view from the beach.

Angela and I went for a walk on the Boardwalk tonight, I thought I would bring my camera along.

The Boys asleep on the new bed we bought for our second bedroom. They have claimed it as their own.

This is a picture taken by a co-worker's friend on his cell-phone camera. There was noone present in the house other than the girl pictured and the photographer. Nothing was thought abnormal about the photo...until it was put on the photographer's computer and he noticed the image in the far left of the photo...can you see what looks like a shadow of a little girl wearing a dress?? You can even see her fingers...Could this be a picture of a ghost??? You decide...

Monday, August 22, 2005

It's Been A While

Haven't posted in a while, mainly because there hasn't been much to post - been working lots this week, had lots of interesting cases, some of which are very frustrating, some extremely fulfilling and satisfying, some sadly not making it through the weekend. In fact, we discovered my mom and Marty's cat Pebbles has hyperthyroidism - not a major big deal, I was just happy to see her kidney function was well within normal limits. The good thing about treating your own animals is that you can use them as guinea pigs for new therapies or things you hadn't tried before. Because Pebbles is mildly hyperthyroid (if there is such a thing), I am going to try some gel inside of her ear rather than the usual orally administered tablets. We were always taught in vet school that the transdermal gel is a waste of time, but my buddy Nate says he has had luck with it, and seeing as Pebbles' thyroid hormone is only mildly elevated, I figured we'd give it a go. I'll let you know (as if anyone is really that interested!).

Not much else going on - went to a beach BBQ this weekend with a bunch of co-workers, played some basketball and had a nice time. Couldn't sleep much last night because my stomach was KILLING me. I mean seriously bad stabbing pains in my left side, right up under my ribs. I was getting scared enough that I was considering going to the ER. Pepto Bismol finally did the trick, but my stomach has still been very tender today. I was trying to figure out what could have effected my stomach in such a way...it wasn't the BBQ, because my stomach had been tender all day before the BBQ. Then I thought back a couple of days when I had some Egg Beaters as a snack. When I poured them into the bowl, I thought to myself "These eggs look dark..." but then just assumed it was that it was nighttime and the kitchen wasn't well lit, so I cooked them in the microwave, ate them, didn't think anything of it.

Until the next day.

I woke up a couple of hours after Angela, went into the kitchen to get some breakfast and was greeted by a horrible smell. "Sweetie, what the HELL is that smell!??!?"

"Oh, I was going to make cornbread, opened the Egg Beaters, and they are totally rotten!"

"Um...I just ate some of that last night..."

"Didn't you smell it?!?!?"

"Um..........nope."

"Well, I hope you don't end up getting sick from eating rotten eggs!!!"

"Nah, I'll be fine, I've got an Iron Stomach!!"

Yeah, whatever. I am just glad I wasn't puking all night. So, basically, I couldn't eat today. I forced down a Clif Bar this morning, every bite I swallowed, my stomach clenched and felt like someone was stabbing me in the ribs for a second or two. Delightful. Lunch consisted of a half a piece of bread and a banana. Dinner = a bowl of farina. Am currently feeling better, so fingers crossed I get some sleep tonight since I sure as shit didn't last night.

We bought a new bed at Ikea today for our spare room - we spent an hour putting the god damn thing together - the biggest pain in the ass was the metal supports going criss-crossed across the middle to support the wooden slats. The screws just wouldnt go in right, I was sweating like a pig. Ah well, its done now and Angela is happy. Ainsley initiated the bed by jumping on it as soon as it was made and puking all over the new blanket. Needless to say, the blanket has already been washed and Ainsley has been scolded severely by Angela. Does he care? Nope - he is sleeping on the newly washed blanket as we speak.

That's my life update for now...more as it comes.