Dr. Tonya McIlnay, Omaha's veterinary ophthalmologist, calls double or second enucleations - surgery to remove an eye - the eye doctor's euthanasia, because after that, she does not ever get to see that pet again.
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Post from one year ago today...
May 27, 2016
THE BEST DESCRIPTION OF CANINE COGNITIVE DYSFUNCTION I HAVE EVER HEARD
This past Mother's Day weekend, on a rare Friday that vet tech Allison and I got to work together, I filled our schedule to the top with dental work. Usually we do one or two surgeries or dental procedures in a day, and schedule them for the morning in case we also need the time before afternoon appointments start at 2 pm to finish. We had three dental procedures scheduled for Friday morning.
"Are you sure that is a good idea, Friend?" Allison asked.
"That is not a good idea," Angie said.
"It'll be great!" I said.
I pride myself a bit on guessing accurately how complex a dental procedure will be, how long it will take and how much it will cost - though truly you cannot know all of that for sure until a pet is under anesthesia. These three dogs all have great teeth, and we expected no extractions. They were all from the same family, and Mom wanted to get them done at the same time, so I told her we would.
Jen and Allison doing dental work
Allison had her doubts, but was a good sport about it all.
"We'll see," she said.
We created a back up plan that if the procedures took longer than expected, we would reschedule the third dog for another day.
Here's the part that was the most fun...
I was so sure of Allison and her ability that I commissioned Abby to make a thank you card for Allison the night before. Abby went above and beyond, and painted the beautiful dogs we were seeing from my description. Her paintings look just like them!
Russ called flower shops and bakeries until he found a team willing to help us on the weekend of Mother's Day. He coordinated with Petit's Pastries, the awesome bakery up the street from Gentle Doctor, to deliver cupcakes with Abby's card at 11:30 am, right when I figured we would be finishing up.
Our team showed up early ready to go.
Jen was there to help. Stephanie was there to help. I was there to give anesthetic medications. As any vet tech knows though, in any dental procedure, the technician does the majority of the work. Allison was ready. The dogs came in one by one...and it went as well as I had hoped.
One of the women from Petit's Pastries came in with Allison's card and cupcakes and set them on the counter. Jen brought them back to Allison who was finishing anesthetic recovery of the third dog. Allison asked who they were from. Jen said she didn't know. Allison said they were probably from Hannah. Because Allison insisted on making sure her patient was fully recovered before letting anything break her focus, even Cookie Monster cupcakes, I had to wait a full ten minutes for Allison to check the card and see it was from me.
Timing In Real Life is not my strong suit. I am almost as proud of myself and my timing in this situation as I am of my family for making it work and Allison and the rest of the vet team in taking care of these three great dogs and their Mom. Almost.
Dr. Krapfl was explaining to us the technique he uses for bilateral abdominal cryptorchid surgery. Which is more important but less entertaining than the pictures he used to illustrate his points.
I asked Dr. Krapfl if I could post these photos, and he said I could. I also said I WAS listening. I was.
We all yelled our guesses like we were playing Pictionary. I thought the best guess was a tick.
Dr. Krapfl paused to explain that this is a dog. Clearly.
See? A beautiful dog.
For the life of us, we could not guess what the dots were, even with the hint that a dog may or may not have the marked #1 dot. Guesses included toes (nope) and pads (nope).
The dots are claws!
Thanks Dr. Krapfl for being a good sport! We truly were listening :)
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Post from one year ago today...
May 25, 2016
My Great Aunt Janeen Anderson passed away recently.
Janeen was my Mom's Mom's (my Grandma's) sister. Their last surviving sibling is my Great Aunt Pat.
Aunt Janeen and her family lived in Omaha when I was growing up, She and Uncle Frank moved to Bella Vista Arkansas thirty years ago, and have loved it. Uncle Frank was the first mayor of Bella Vista, so we called Aunt Janeen the first First Lady.
This is the ceramic Santa Janeen painted for Russ and me for our wedding gift. It is one of my favorite Christmas decorations, and sometimes I leave it out all year.
Aunt Janeen had many wise things to say, but the one thing that has impacted me the most was her description of depression, which she also lived with. She said that depression is the dark night of the soul. That is a beautiful description for such an awful condition. I love it so much.
Depression is the dark night of the soul.
It is poetic when depression is anything but.
It is hopeful when depression makes things seem hopeless.
It compares depression to night which implies morning is coming.
Thank you for your loving fingerprints on my life Aunt Janeen. We will all miss you very much.
Janeen Kay Anderson of Bella Vista, Arkansas | 1937 - 2017 | Obituary
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Post from one year ago today...
May 24, 2016
We have a client who speaks only Spanish, which was the kick in the butt I needed to learn Spanish.
We have a client who speaks Sign Language, and I have had clients who speak Sign Language before this as well. If my Spanish speaking client is warm and kind, our Sign Language client is...the opposite. You know the people who look like they really need a hug, but you know if you hug them, there is a very good chance they will punch you? I do not think this client would punch me, but I have not hugged him either.
The pop-up on his pets' medical records lists the doctors he prefers, and, I am not making this up, it lists every doctor in the practice, including some who have left, EXCEPT me. And somehow the poor guy seems to always get stuck with me.
I love when he and his dogs are in.
He is very good at reading lips, and we write notes back and forth.
I write in a big diagonal swoop in purple sparkle pen, "Has he been itching?? :) :) :)"
and he writes in small neat letters in a straight line in black ball point pen - unless he does not have one in which case I loan him my purple sparkle pen - "yes."
I write, "I will help him! <3" and he rolls his eyes and mouths "thank you."
We may have more differences than hearing ability, but I still think it has been a jerk move on my part to not learn a LITTLE Sign Language over the years. I will start with learning "thank you," which I hope he will know will mean "I appreciate you putting up with me, and I think you and your wife and your dogs are great! :) (((hugs)))"
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Post from one year ago today...
May 23, 2016
Recently I had a client ask in Spanish if I knew any Spanish.
"No," I said (in Spanish and English). "Do you know any English?" I asked in English.
"No!" she said, and laughed. She was a very good sport about trying to tell me about her dog (who thankfully was in for wellness care, so communicating was a little more straightforward.)
I decided that the next time she and her dog were in, I would be able to say "yes."
Which I have since learned is "sí." And I learned how to make an accent mark with the keyboard!
I have no excuse for living in America - the country with the highest percentage of Spanish speakers other than primarily Spanish speaking countries - and having Spanish speaking veterinary classmates and having Spanish speaking preschool Sunday school students and having Spanish speaking clients and living in South Omaha (for Pete's sake!) and not knowing Spanish.
Thanks to my Spanish speaking client, I now have no excuse and motivation.
I found three fun apps - Rocket Languages, Duolingo and Tiny Cards.
So now I have no excuse, motivation and an obsessive compulsive drive.
Kristen (who already had the Duolingo app and who is much more multilingual than you would suspect) and Kelly and Hannah and Russ and Karen and I all decided to learn/brush up on languages with Duolingo together. (Team 120!)
So now I have no excuse, motivation, an obsessive compulsive drive...and encouragement.
This has been very fun so far! After a month's study, I can say, "sí, un poco." (Yes, a little). Next to learn will be upside down exclamation points so when my dear client and I meet again, I can say it emphatically :)
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Post from one year ago today...
May 22, 2016
We went to the lake to spend Mother's Day with Karen and Phill. We had a wonderful day!
Happy Mother's Day Karen!
You are the best Mom-in-Law I could ever have, and I love you so much!!
I left these last pictures in color - how beautiful is this fruit pizza?? Abby and Amanda made it for me. I may have been obsessing over how awesome the fruit pizzas Kelly and I have been getting are! :)
Happy Mother's Day too to my two beautiful children. You made this a very fun Mother's Day, and you make me the luckiest Mom in the world by being you. I love you so much!
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Post from one year ago today...
May 16, 2016
The couple had been in often lately with their old dog. She had surmounted many health challenges with grace, and was now - even on supplements and arthritis medication and back at a healthy weight - unable to climb stairs any more.
Dad said, "you know, she gives me the same look at the bottom of the stairs that she gave me when she was a puppy." I think the look means, "You don't really expect me to do that by myself do you?"
I said, "when she was a puppy, each stair was probably bigger than her!" She was now, after diligent care from her Mom and Dad, back down from a slightly high weight to a lean fifty pounds.
"Yeah," Mom said. "She was so small. As soon as she was a little taller, she figured those stairs out, and would tear up and down them all the time."
Dad smiled and said, "I carried her then, I'll carry her now."
They left ready to face this next stage as well as they have every one before this. I get a little teary eyed thinking about this dog and her family, but it makes me smile picturing her as a tiny puppy, ready, as ready as she is now, to take on the next challenge.
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Post from one year ago today...
May 15, 2016
When I was in middle school, I found a newborn mouse in my gym locker. The school had a mouse problem, and had brought in professionals to solve it. Clearly I could not alert the school leaders to the presence of the baby mouse. So, of course, I gently picked him up and put him in my pencil case and went outside to wait for carpool.
On the way home, I showed my friends Sue and Jenny the baby mouse. I did not show the driver, knowing she would not be as excited as I was (Sorry Mrs. Newhouse for bringing a live mouse into your car!)
At home, I told Mom that a newborn mouse was going to DIE and I SAVED him!
This may have been a turning point for Mom. Or maybe Mom had already seen where this path was taking us. Mom had said my brothers and I could have any pet but a spider, snake or rodent, and no dogs.
Mom took a deep breath and looked into my pencil bag for a while - I hardly noticed the pause as a kid, but I so appreciate Mom now for what she said next, "Well, let's get started."
Mom found a ten gallon aquarium, and we placed a soft towel in the bottom. We put a bunch of tissues in and placed the little pink bean on top of them.
I was smiling lovingly at him. Mom said, "you know he might not make it. He is very young."
"I know," I said. But truly I was already so excited to raise him that I hardly heard.
Mom heated a baked potato and wrapped it in a washcloth. We did that every few hours to keep him warm. Mom made some genius baby mouse milk supplement with yogurt and vitamins and I don't know what else. This was in the days before kitten milk replacer and the internet, so Mom was relying completely on her awesome Momness, to create a product she probably never dreamed she would need in her role as Greatest Mom in the World.
We named him Tater. I played Rick Astley's "Never Going to Give You Up" to him to encourage him.
He did live. As soon as he had open ears and eyes and could run and jump and eat hamster food on his own, Mom reminded me that he was a wild mouse, and needed to live in the wild to be truly happy. Again with the awesome Momness and life lessons when I thought we were just raising a baby mouse together.
We brought him to the field together and set him gently next to a large pile of hamster food we had put out. He grabbed a piece of corn and ran off into the field and, I am pretty sure, lived happily ever after.
Our family went on to have several hamsters, gerbils and rats. Mom and Dad did of course get a tiny poodle, Ernie Dog. They now have two wonderful Poodle dogs, Felix and Oscar. And I bet, if a grandchild was just desperate enough for help, and asked really sweetly, Grandma would help you save a baby field mouse too.
THANK YOU Mom for all you have done to raise and encourage me and nurture my love of animals. I am who I am today and where I am today because of you and Dad. You are the best, and I love you so much!
HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!
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Post from one year ago today...
May 14, 2016
Happy wedding weekend to two of my favorite people in the world!
We wish we were there with you. We hope you have a wonderful wedding, and we wish you a long, happy marriage. You are perfect for each other, and we love you both.
With love from your favorite cousin and cousin-in-law :)
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Post from one year ago today...
May 12, 2016
Again with getting behind.
This time it's the depression.
I would be kinder to myself if this were not supposed to be a daily blog. But also part of the reason for the blog is to feed my spirit. So maybe I should lay off myself a bit. Or be harder on myself. I dunno.
Anyways, the thing I feel worst about is that if I catch up and you get my emails, you will get an avalanche of emails before I am back to the daily posts. I am sorry about that.
Begin again <3
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Post from one year ago today...
May 11, 2016
Before the road trip for Russ's birthday, I was running on empty. I was putting all of my energy into caring for patients, which usually comes a little more naturally, or at least more easily. I was sleeping all of the time I was at home. Depression and physical exhaustion were doing their damnedest to smash me, and I ran to the point of using sheer will power to function. And I did it. I made it to the last hour of the last work day before our trip with the last of what I had left.
I let Dr. Bashara know I would not have my phone on, but he could get ahold of me on Russ's phone if he needed anything. I let our parents know. Between the five of them, they could get word to friends and family if need be.
I tossed my phone into my nightstand with a exhausted, relieved sigh. I turned it back on Monday morning.
Other than Mom and Dad's puppies eating Mom's medication (!!!), no one needed me all weekend, and all went well. Mom knew she could reach me if she needed (You still could have called me Mom!), but she called VCA Midwest Veterinary Referral and Emergency Center, and they walked her through making sure the puppies were safe. (Thank you Midwest. I cannot tell you how much of postponing - and hopefully avoiding - burnout is because you are there when I cannot be. I am forever grateful.) The puppies did not get sick.
I rested with Russ, Amanda and Abby and the dogs all weekend and recovered.
During the three day weekend my phone was in my nightstand and I was in Kansas City, I received twenty six texts plus calls and emails requesting immediate responses to work related things. I turned my phone back on on the way to work Monday morning. (I pulled over and stopped first!)
Sometimes you guys, I just need to walk away. As much as I love my teammates, our clients and their pets, my profession and my job...when I am off, I need that time. Not always. Sometimes though. If I don't answer right away, keep calling, but if there is anyone else at work or in your circle who can help you, please let them.
Luna does not have a problem with work-life balance.
I get that this is not a career I can disappear from. Pets are not sick 9-5 weekdays. (Just kidding! I mean not 7:30-6 or 7 weekdays and 7:30-1 Saturdays!) Still, we have an amazing veterinary community at Gentle Doctor and in Omaha at large whose whole (on the clock) goal is to protect the health and well being of our pets.
You can call. Always call. Always call any time. But please be patient with me and forgive me if sometimes I am not there. I promise to always return, and when I am present, I promise to be present 100%.
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Post from one year ago today...
May 10, 2016
We went to Kansas City for the weekend of Russ's birthday.
We brought both dogs. They actually did very well!
We had a very fun weekend. We mostly shopped at the Plaza and watched Marvel movies in the hotel room.
Abby shared the pictures she got...
Joy and Luna love road trip adventures!
Luna resting with Amanda...she is not always good at things that come naturally to other dogs!
Luna figures out resting in the car...
Joy at the Plaza. She does not love clothes as much as Luna does.
Being told you look fabulous in your dress all day is nice but exhausting.
Joy found her chair in the hotel room.
There's not really room for more people on this chair...
I mean there would be room if I did not need to pose!
Abby and Luna perfect their selfie game.
Good night Luna!
Sleep tight <3
Sophie Stoll was adopted by her wonderful family eight years ago on May 8, 2009.
Happy 8th adoptiversary Sophie! You are as beautiful as ever, inside and out. You could not have picked a better home! <3
Happy birthday Finch! We love you so much! Hope this one (birthday...year) is the best yet.
Someone put a cup with a cotton ball soaked in spider repellant (eucalyptus maybe?) in the corner of the doctors' office at the 153rd location. Genius! Only two spiders moved in, and they live in the corner above the cup now.
Last time I left for the evening, I told them good night as I turned out the lights.
We went to the new Hy-Vee Market Grille inside the Hy-Vee at 50th and Center Street in Omaha on the night it opened.
It was so good you guys!
The serving team was super nice, but maybe it was part of the Hy-Vee team we already knew was super nice? We were not sure.
The food was great, and it was a good way to start our weekly shopping.
Here is a typical chocolate case:
Your job as a veterinary team is to turn this pile into the number of ounces of types of chocolate most likely ingested that you can convert to grams of theobromine to compare to the weight of your patient - who is either not saying when he or she tipped the basket/raided the stocking/tore open the Valentine box or is standing before you happy as can be with a chocolate smile and no signs of toxicity - yet? Ever?
That is what you need to figure out!
Also, do not forget to account for any xylitol in sugar free candy and gum and any toys or wrappers or other things that could have been ingested and cause stomach or intestinal damage or an obstruction.
Thankfully, this particular tiny dog, though he ate enough to cause vomiting and diarrhea, had no clinical signs and did well.
Worse case is a danger of neurotoxicity.
Worst case is a fatality.
Thankfully, I have never had a patient die of chocolate toxicity, and the most stressful part of every case has always been turning something as vague as something like this pile of wrappers into a number we can use to help our patient.
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Post from one year ago today...
April 27, 2016
A client adopted two kittens for her terminal dog to cheer him up.
It worked.
Now the three of them are best friends.
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Post from one year ago today...
April 26, 2016
We have a Husky patient who comes in frequently for a bath and to be brushed out. His Husky brother, who always came in with him, recently passed away, leaving a Husky shaped hole in his heart, our hearts and their Mom and Dad's hearts.
They were the best dogs. He is still the best dog.
When you are a big furry dog, a bath and brush becomes an all day affair. Between steps, he comes into the office with me and looks out the window, as he and his brother used to always do together.
The other day, our Husky friend came in for blood work. When a patient only needs to have blood drawn, it takes mere seconds.
Husky had his blood drawn and trotted into the office. He looked at the closed blinds then looked over his shoulder at me.
"You don't have to stay today, buddy," I said.
He sat down and stared at the closed blinds.
I got up and opened the blinds. He stood up and looked out the window for a while.
When he heard his Mom calling from the front, he turned around, bid me farewell and headed home.
I love that dog so much.
