Chill Out

My relaxation week seems to be going well so far. I've done very little! So far time is spent reading, climbing, walking, visiting friends or going to the pub. It's doing wonders for my sanity.

We are worked so hard in, and out, of University it can be difficult to switch off and just relax for a change. The ones who don't manage it go slowly crazy. There is so much to learn, and so many things to do, I must remember to take a step back and let my body fix itself.

So the rest of my time here will be spent much the same. I have a whisky fringe ticket for tomorrow, there is recovery planned for Sunday, and then not a lot else. Apart from climbing.

4 weeks

I've just completed 4 weeks of EMS in Wales.

4 weeks of solid work, two Sundays off.

It's taken it's toll, because now I'm exhausted. This isn't much of a surprise because I haven't really stopped since starting 4th year. I've even spent most of my nights on call. There are a few cases that stick out, and that I will probably write about later:

The good jobs - Tom the bleeding spaniel, Meg with her puppies, Jess with her bad paw, Ralph who couldn't breathe and Buck the sick cat.

As always there are the bad jobs too - the injured sheep, Scamp the dying dog, Mot the angry puppy, numerous sick cats and the caesar cow.

And the just plain daft cases - mostly these are cute puppies for their first vaccines, but Meg with the ear and the pregnant guinea pig are hot contenders too.

Most of the vets I know have a slightly strange sense of humour which is necessary to stop us all going insane from the daily grind. I'll try and tell a few of our stories, sorry if they offend! As one person wisely told me - "No-one wants to hear when it's gone well. They don't care that you made an excellent diagnosis and saved the day. They do however love to hear about when it goes horribly, horribly wrong." Thanks Pete!

Wedding

Internet access is a rarity in Wales, and finding privacy to write on here is even more rare. I've hidden myself away for a few minutes to write a quick post about the past few weeks.

The main event, James and Anna's wedding!

I don't think I can sum it all up in words, it was an amazing day and an equally fun evening. There is photographic evidence of me dancing in a kilt, and apparently even a video somewhere that I have yet to see.

The wedding itself was lovely - Anna looked great , James was looking all pretty in his kilt, and I didn't lose the rings. The only slight hitch was that several people were delayed by bad traffic and trains (you know who you are), but in the end everyone was there.

This was followed by the meal and speeches. My speech went quite well, or at least it was over quickly and people laughed in the appropriate places. Then came the drinking and dancing section of the night. I think the less said about this the better...

Breakfast was a painful affair - I managed to concuss myself during the night, and combined with a hangover I was feeling quite ill. If there is a next time I shall prepare for this with IV fluids, metaclopromide and rehydration salts. I continued to feel bad for the next week in fact! Definately concussion coming in there.

From wedding there was a day of lazing at James's house before heading off to Wales. Some lovely people said goodbye at the station, then I faced the rail network on a Sunday. I eventually arrived home and slept - I was working the next day.

The To-do List

Seeing as my life mostly consists of EMS at the moment various things that needed to be done have been left. Small things like changing a broken lightbulb, or big things like writing a best man speech just haven't been done as there was very little free time.

Now it's my summer holidays! Four whole days off to get through the huge list of tasks. I got quite a few out of the way yesterday, including climbing the bathroom walls to changes lights (I can see in the shower! Not sure if that's a good things though.) and getting a new railcard.

The afore-mentioned best man speech is due to be delivered on Friday and I still haven't written it. That's today's task. It's going to be a long day.

Escape

Sometimes you just need to get away. You've had enough of the place, the people and the things you are doing every day and some time in a different area is required for sanity. Or at least that's how things are with me.

With uni finished for another term I was stuck in Edinburgh but longing for time away, and the opportunity came up, so I left for Wales. I didn't tell my family I was down, but stayed with a friend and relaxed. Most days I went to my vet practice, but it was a pleasant walk along the river with the dog instead of pavement, buses and humans.

Dolly on the train

One day we decided it was too nice to stay inside, so we fled to the beach on the train. The dog seemed quite happy to sit and watch the world go by as long as she had her own seat. We went for a walk along the beach, then for ice cream, then more walking. It was a lovely warm day so we just carried on walking for miles. When we got to the end, we just came back again.

Scary waves

I've returned to Edinburgh now feeling happier about life in general. Most of this is thanks to a certain friend and her hound who followed me for miles over the space of 2 weeks. It's nice to have a bolt hole when city life is just too boring.

Gratuitous dog pic. Because I can.

Final Year

It's been 2 weeks since the results of the equine and exotics exam came out and sometimes I still don't believe it, I have to go back and check I've passed, because all this means I'm in final year of vet school! With any luck there is only 1 year between me and the wide world.

I was talking to a friend from home yesterday. We hadn't spoken for a while and she had no idea what I was up to. There were quite a few people who doubted that I'd ever get in to study vet medicine, and some who thought I wouldn't cope if I did get it. I know pride goes before a fall, but I pleased with what I've accomplished so far.

Next year is when it gets serious - rotations all day every day. We switch topics every week and are expected to be on the ball with everything. It's going to be hard work, but hopefully it will be fun. My final year group is fun, we seem to get on OK, so I can't wait. In fact the waiting is the hardest part.

I start ICU cover in just under 2 weeks, but until then I'm fairly free. Depending on what others are up to I may go to Wales for a bit, go climb or just be lazy. It's odd having free time...

Results

And the results are all in for this year - aaaaaaaaaaand it's a pass!!

I'm so happy about having got through the equine and exotics exam. Didn't stop grinning for a week!

We have also just finished the CLIC course with the open book exam. I'm not too proud of the distinction, it was easy, especially as we did it as a group.

Soon we start final year, but until then we get a bit of time off. Woo! There are plans to climb and maybe do a bit of walking first.