2001-09-15
9:08 p.m.

Work has been really long lately. Partly because for the first few days, we constantly kept vigil around the small tv screen we set up in the break room, only venturing out when it was needed. I also ended up doing double duty two days in a row, because Holly is in the Reserves, so she had to report to her station. I didn't get out of the clinic before nine either night.

I heard a plane fly over my house today, and I watched it, feeling a tiny amount of fear rising in my stomach. Is that what life is going to be like now? Fearing every plane taking off may have some target in mind. I found out from a friend in the military, that the CDC in Atlanta was in fact a target. The air port in Atlanta was luckily shut down before the plane had gotten a chance to take off. It's just scary.

Yesterday was one of those days at the clinic where the only thing that keeps you going is a little bit of humor. I got in about eight, thinking Holly would be in about then too, and we could get everything done before the doctors arrived. I went to medicate one horse, and ended up getting thrown against the wall three times, and knocked to the floor, in a pile of poop no less, another time. After twenty minutes of struggling, not only is there no Holly, but I have only gotten to one of the many animals. I am ten minutes away from picking up the phone, and calling Dr. Fuller when Holly waltzes in. I ask her to come and help me with the horse, only to find out what a mistake that was. Instead of waiting until she had the syringe in the horses mouth, she pushes the plunger before hand. I end up with sticky cough syrup all over my hair, face and arms. After washing myself the best I could, I went down to the barn to finish up with the horses, while Holly "medicated" the dogs. Later in the day, I end up getting fussed at for the three dogs Holly forgot.

I spend so much time going after Holly, picking up her slack, that I end up having to stay two hours longer to do my job. Ellyn pulled me asside, saying she had noticed this. She told me that until Holly was fired, that she would take over mopping and sweeping the clinic. I thought this was incredibly nice, but I won't let her do it all by herself. It is nice for the help though.

We had so many emergencies yesterday, that I didn't have a chance to stop and take a breath until about three. We had a dog that needed a blood transfusion, another dog with his leg so infected it was three times it's normal size, and a dog who had an incredibly high fever, and had no feeling in it's back end. Not to bring up old grudges, but Holly, of course, left four hours before I did. No big surprise there. The good thing, however, is Dr. Fuller taught me how to draw blood. I drew it from a goat, and was able to hit the vein my first stick. I was extremely happy about that. I left the clinic around seven thirty, thinking only of going home..until I remember. I am supposed to take care of a friends horses.

When I get to her barn, I feed them all with no problem. One of the horses had sores on his feet that have to be treated, so as I try to treat those, I narrowly avoid being trampled at the horse I was treating and another horse decide to fight. It took me fifteen minutes to get the calmed down. I finally came home and colapsed on the bed.

Then, other stuff, compiled on hard days at the clinic have made me emensly tired. So, forgive my lack of updates.

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