I was very impressed by how many people have posted and emailed me to
continue my stories.   I had not idea how much or how many people liked
them.  I am touched that people really like hearing about my progress
as a vet tech student.  I'm sorry that i haven't posted much, but i
plan to post a lot more now.

I'm in my final two semesters. YAY!  I have to take a Work Study
course, which is easy since I"m already working.  I just have to keep
daily journals of what i do everyday that I am there.  heh, and i'm
already behind.  Typical me.  Ah well tomorrow is my one day off so I
plan to not play World of Warcraft until i get some homework done.

This semester i only have two classes in addition to work study.  I'm
taking Clinical Pathology and Radiology.  Due to Labor Day i haven't
had Clin Path yet, but Radiology will be fun, kind of.  If people
remember, i tried taking this class last year but had to drop due to
the massive workload from my other classes.  Radiology has the highest
dropout rate.  It is normal for a senior student to try to take four
classes during a semester, but every time they end up realizing that
four classes is too much.

Radiology will be interesting, as X-rays have always fascinated and
puzzled me.  It's the only way we can try to see inside a patient's
body for any diaganosis, but at the same time unless you've got the
experience of looking at a lot, you really have NO idea what you are
looking for.

I remember in Anatomy class back in 2003 we had a test where we looked
at X-rays and had to tell what was wrong with them.  Sometimes it was
obvious, but other times how the hell are we supposed to see a tiny
hairline fracture?

Once I helped take and develop an X-ray and had it up the viewer and
was staring at it when Dr. S also came up and was looking at it.  I
said, "I know i'm not experienced but I don't really see anything
wrong."  Dr. S said, "Well, there's always the possibilty that there
may NOT be anything wrong."  Greeeeeeeat.

I've tried to shoot x-rays once.  I suck at measuring, since that
detemines the settings of the machine.  Cats are extremely hard to
measure because you measure at the widest point (usually at the bottom
of the rib cage)  But unlike dogs, cats don't just sit there.  They are
curled up in a tight ball and it's difficult to stretch them out.
Hmph.

Then the fun part begins.  You get all your settings correct, you've
loaded the cassette, and you've gotten all your heavy protective gear
on.  Now you have to position your animal on their side or back or
whatever position and then try to convey to them that they just need to
hold still for a few seconds.

BTW, cats can bite through lead gloves.  I found that out the hard way
last year.  *sigh*

Ah well.  this semester i'll be learning how to correctly position an
animal and hopefully be able to use that knowledge to take X-rays at
work.

Imp, Mischief and Mayhem are doing quite well.  Mayhem still chases
Mischief around, but sometimes i think she just wants to play.  It's
Mischief that gets all defensive.  They still will run around in the
middle of the night scaring the heck out of me with their growls and
hisses.

Mayhem's interview to be a program cat is on Sept 21.  She will be
evaluated by the program Vet and if she is accepted will live at the
school for the duration of the semester.  All the students will care
for her and feed and cuddle and play with her and she will be used to
help teach the students.  I know I will be using her in Radiology to
help learn how to take X-rays.  I hope she will hold still long enough.
BTW, she normally is only used once for any demonstration to limit the
amount of stress.  A lot of people think we mistreat the animals in the
program, which is completely wrong.  Yes we use them to help us learn
how to hand and perform certain procedures, but  everything is done to
ensure the animal's safety and wellbeing during the entire semester.
At the end of the semester, they are found a loving home and hoomin to
care for them.  Some of you may rememebr that Tinta was I cat I found
and gave to the program.  She went home with a student that does foster
homes, but she fell so much in love with Tinta that she kept her.  I
know that if Mayhem becomes a program cat, she will have dozen of
students to wrap around her paw and to choose as a new permanent slave.

that's all for now.  Hopefully i'll have time to post tomorrow

Kristi