Housing Fiascos, 50mm’s, Neuters and Spays OH MY!
A few notable things have happened within the last few days. I pretty much have confirmed my living arrangements, which I wrote about previousy, as being in the Balaclava apts. I am so relieved about this, and especially that I got a single…I can have some privacy. The housing application was quite chaotic…I applied a month or two ago, and last Wednesday I got an e-mail that begain with “Regards, Macquarie Housing and Dining Services”. I opened the attachment, and it told me that the housing offer would expire on the 12th of Jan, and to email if I had any questions. I emailed them, and they didnt get back to me. I started freaking out that friday, cause the following Monday was the deadline. I couldnt call them that Friday because it was Saturday their time…pretty much, it all worked out in the end, but it was hella sketch. And freakin expensive. I feel bad about that in regards to my parents.
Last week I got a new issue of Pop. Photography, and in it they had this article on the Nikon 50mm 1.4, a lens I’ve lusted after for a while. The article made it quite apparent in my mind I needed that lens for Australia. (For those of you that don’t know, the 1.4 number is the aperature value, or the f/ value. The smaller the number is, the wider the aperature opens, giving you the option of having a much faster shutter speed. This allows you to shoot in darker situations without getting blur. There is only one lens lower than 1.4, and thats 1.2…and its crazy expensive.) I asked my parents if they would split it with me (It’s $300, inexpensive for a lens of its caliber, but still a wad of cash) and they shut me down. So I took matters into my own hands and sold my bunk bed…now I’m gonna go up to CORV with Nik to pick up my paycheck, and I think I may buy it…I’m pretty pumped!
I’ve been kinda nervous about going to AUS alone, without knowing anybody, but a girl from OSU, Courtney Lynn, messaged me on facebook to let me kno that she’s going to the University of Sydney. I’m super pumped about that, I’ll have somebody to chill with and talk to stuff, should be swell! Her school is quite a ways away from mine, but it IS in Sydney. Kinda jealous of her, i think she’s near the harbor.
This is unrelated to AUS, but kinda because of it. Because I have been chillin in EUG I decided to see if I could volunteer at Bush Animal Hospital. I know the owner and one of the vets from the Oregon basketball games, we’ve sat together for over 10 years. I’m volunteering on M T TR, and it has been incredible. Mondays are days where Dr. Boggs sees clients/patients, and Tues and Thurs are surgery days. It was very cool to see Dr. Boggs interact with patients and their owners.
Tuesday, though, was a crazy milestone for me. I’ve had a fear of being squeamish around surgery, so I was quite nervous. The first surgery was on a small dog, and was a neuter. WARNING, THE REMAINDER OF THIS POST WILL BE GRAPHIC! It was pretty chill, and I did well. First off, scalpels are now rarely used-in its stead is a laser, which cauterizes the incisions, dramatically reducing blood. (But it does smell like burning hair-ugh.) He made an incision above the testicles, and pulled the testicles out of the scrotum, severing them with the laser. He then sutured it back up, and the deed was done. This took a total time of 12 minutes…incredibly fast.
This is me after my first surgery...the neuter.
Jamie is the awesome vet tech that I've been trailing/trying to help. Here she is attempting to wake up the doggie that just got neutered from is anesthesia.
After that was a spay with a HUGE dog, a mastiff puppy that will prolly get to be about 140 pounds, at least. Along with the spay, however, Dr. Boggs also performed a gastroplexy. Dogs like mastiffs are at risk for something called bloat, where the stomach tangles with other organs. A gastroplexy is where the stomach gets tacked to the wall of the body cavity. Dr. Boggs made an incision that was about 6 inches, and started on the ovariohysterectomy, or spay. He showed me the uterine horns, as well as the ovaries. IT WAS CRAZY! He removed the uterine horns, and then located the stomach. He sewed it to the inside of the body cavity, which was crazy to watch. Think about it…he was sewing the stomach!! Terrible things would have happened if he peirced it. But he didnt!
Because of my familiarity with Dr. Boggs I was very comfortable talking to him during this, and asking questions. I got to look inside the body cavity, and saw organs and vessels throbbing with each heart beat, which was crazyinsane. One of the coolest things was seeing the diaphragm, which was a purplish color. The heart was directly behind it, so I could see the diaphragm kinda moving. He was doing this intense stuff, and we were just talking casually, he answering my questions and everything.
I made one feax pas tho. There was a bit of fat that was removed and layed over the drapes, and I asked a question about it. While I was asking a question I kinda had my finger pointing to it, over it, over the drapes. Dr. Boggs said, “Oh, you’re in the field!”. I backed off, and he explained that i was contaminated, and he wasnt, and that you can’t even be in the air above the drapes, which are near the surgery location. That kinda embarassed me, but he didnt tell me about it before. Also, it really made me appreciate how careful they are about everything.
This whole surgery lasted 1 hour 31 minutes…mannnn!
This is Kelly, a vet tech, with the mastiff puppy that was spayed and had the gastroplexy. She was the sweetest dog ever! (Other than Beau, but that goes with out saying...)
As I’ve been at Bush for the past week I’ve kinda come to the conclusion that I DO want to be a vet. I really enjoy working with the people and animals, and it is very exciting and intense. I am a little conflicted tho…I have a lot of fun with it, but sometimes I wonder if it would be making as big as an impact on the community/world that I should have. Is it making that much of a difference? My question is this: Should one choose a job based solely on what they enjoy, or how they can best utilize their skills? I would LOVE to hear answers, Please comment to this post with answers, i would greatly appreciate it!!! Alright, this incredibly long post is now finished…things will get more interesting, as well as having more Australia stuff in it. I PROMISE!!!
Taylor said,
January 18, 2009 at 1:26 am
Dude, do what you love, in my mind that’s the only way you’ll be truly happy with you’re career. If you’re lucky, what you love will be what best utilizes your skills.
Franz (Big Daddie) said,
January 19, 2009 at 4:24 am
I totally agree with Taylor… The things that you will excel in are the things you love. Think of all the animals and families that you would impact! I think that that is a huge impact. Academic research would also have a huge impact-although I think that you would miss the animal/people contact.
Even the people who are known for making the greatest impact on society do it in steps…..stretch the envelope make the difference….stretch it farther-make more difference. Do what you love, spread the love, be an example and teach through your work by example. I’m excited for you.
Gina :) said,
January 20, 2009 at 11:46 am
I’m gonna have to hop on the “i completely agree” train on this one. I think that when you are enjoying yourself, that’s when you will be most motivated to MAKE a difference. If you’re doing something that doesn’t make you happy, you may not even want to be there and then you REALLY can’t make a difference. Sure, you might see people that are doing huge things and it seems like, wow, they’re really making a difference. But sometimes, I think it’s the smaller things that are even more meaningful. When you get the chance to heal somebody’s pet (or whatever) that may be their closest companion, I know you’ll see the difference that you’re making in not only the animal’s but also the person’s life. And it is personal, even though it might not be on a huge scale. I say, if you think you’ll love being a vet, DO IT, and watch yourself make a significant difference in lives around you.
stgeorgedownunder said,
January 23, 2009 at 1:42 pm
wowsersssssssssssss. that is perspective for you…!
Aunt Kathy said,
January 23, 2009 at 10:04 pm
Peter… all your friends [Big Daddy included] have said it better than I. However, I do want to say, that you CAN’T make a difference if you don’t LOVE what you do… and only when you are doing what you love will your skills shine. Go forth! Love, Aunt Kathy
stgeorgedownunder said,
January 29, 2009 at 1:39 pm
thats kinda what I’m struggling with, is whether I would love it or not. Ugh, I will do pondering in Sydney!! And I appreciate all the responses!!!
Autumn said,
February 27, 2009 at 10:02 am
Peter, I think you should do something that every morning you are excited to do. Something that people can see the passion in your eyes for, because then you are not only reaching your fullest potential of being a contributing person, but you are inspiring others too.
Kye K said,
May 29, 2009 at 3:59 am
While it certainly is possible to make huge contributions to society doing something you absolutely hate, or lack a certain amount of passion for, it is my opinion that your soul will be incomplete if you devote your time to a venture that does not encompass your heart. Of course we do our very best in the field/profession that has captured our passions…and when anything is done well and with love it in effect causes a chain reaction. In less words, go with your heart and change will follow. And it’s not like you have to pick one thing, either…the most inspiring people I’ve known switch careers every other decade