First week down

Its the end of the first week and its been pretty chill so far. They keep telling us that we don't really learn a whole lot of new information, we just take our existing knowledge and put it in a clinical setting with clinical reasoning, so with any luck this year wont be so bad! Here's hoping! Now that we're all back it really feels like we never left so its really just back in the swing of things. We're in a lecture theatre that doesn't totally suck, except the AC is on all the time so its freezing but at least its better than the one from last year. We appear to have a schedule that is correct, only 5 emails of wrong ones later, so that seems promising! Friday we had a day of role playing which was actually pretty fun, as lots of our comm stuff can sometimes feel a little tedious. First we had a crashing dog that we had to get from a car into the hospital with a crazy owner yelling at us, and then later we had to rescue unlucky the horse from a ditch, which was surprisingly fun. Then I had my first rugby practice! Yes, I'm playing rugby this year, so we'll see how that goes, fingers crossed for no catastrophes! Tonight a bunch of our friends came over and we played some games and had a bunch of crazy good food! It was fun to all hang out, since I suspect that, for fear of failing like previous years, once this year really gets started in earnest we wont be seeing much of each other. Other than that not much happening really, its going to get pretty boring on this blog pretty soon after such a fun summer, but thats school!

A picture of our smorgasbord! And that wasn't even all of it in the end.

Back to school!

Today was the first day back! Its been a great summer, but it is good to be back. This year is going to be crazy from what I can tell, but it'll be exciting for sure! I can't wait to see what's in store for this year, though I may have to remind myself why I'm doing this to myself while I'm crying the corner from the vast amount of lectures! Let the last year of lectures begin!

Huskies and the Golden Circle!

Today was our last day in Iceland so we have to go out with a bang! It was anther early start, but at least te breakfast room was less crowded. We waited for quite a

While outside for the shuttle to come and pick us up and when it arrived we found out that it was going to be just us today! So we drove off to the kennels to meet he huskies! They were already suited up by the time we got there avs they were super cute!! We hopped in the cart and off we went! We ride around by the kennel and around some fields surrounding the start and it was so fun! Those dogs are amazing, they make it look easy. While we were riding the musher was telling us about the dogs and their names and some information about them. They were super cute and there were Greenland huskies, a few siberians and a cross husky with a hunting dog just bred to run. It was really interesting and we met a dog that had been in Walter Mitty! So a real celebrity! Then we got to hang out with the dogs and meet the other ones in the kennel that hadn't been out with us and then got back into the van and headed off to the next place.

First we went to a mini waterfall that was just a quick stop before heading to Gullfoss which is a huge waterfall and so pretty! At the waterfall we ate at the cafe there and, on the request of our guide, I had a traditional lamb stew thing. It was alright, but certainly warmed me up! Then we hiked around the fall and then met the driver and left again. We then went to the hot springs and saw the geyser, called gyser. It went of about every 5-10 min so pretty regularly and we got to home around there as well. Then we went on to a national park where we hiked around. It was really interesting because in this park you can see the North American tectonic plate, so it was really cool to see that! So we crossed from euro-Asian plate to the North American plate which was neat! It was a really fun day and we did a ton!Best day in Iceland by far! I'm already planning my next trip!

Whale watching!

Today we got up bright and early to catch the shuttle to take us whale watchig. Well before we did anything we checked on the outcome of the referendum, looks like I'll be heading back to a united UK.  We went downstairs to have some breakfast, which was mostly cold cuts and cheese and lots of different brown breads. It was pretty good, and free! The we caught the shuttle and stopped at a few other hotels and got to the wharf. The boat is prett nice and because it's raining we got to wear very stylish full body fowlies! Pretty hot! Actually they were totally worth it since it was quite cold with the rain. We set out and didn't see much at first, some birds and a bunch of jelly fish, and I was starting to think it might be a bit of.l a bust, but then we spotted a Minki whale! So we watched it for a bit and then suddenly it surfaces literally right next to the boat! It was so cool and then kept surfacing near us as it swam away. Pretty neat! Then we went to where some porpoises had been spotted and saw a bunch of white beaked dolphins  hunting, so that was pretty cool! The whale was te most exciting for sure, but it was a nice trip out on the water.

We then decided that it was time for lunch so we tried to go to this Mexican place that we saw earlier, but alas it was closed! So we wandered around and ended up going to a sandwich place called lemon that made a really good panini type thing. Very good! Then we went to Harpa, that big concert hall and went in this 360 video cube room where we watched a film about Iceland. It was kind of like soarin over California but you're not moving. Then we grabbed the hop om hop off tour so we could see a bit more of the city and had it drop us off the church of Leif erikson. It's pretty nondescript inside but upstairs there's a really great view of the whole city! Then we

Shopped around a bit more and are currently having happy hour at a little restaurant while we figure out what to do for the evening!

We then went to double check that tonight wasn't a good night to go see some northern lights, which is wasn't because it's too cloudy, and then we wandered back towards the hotel and went to a restaurant inside a place called kex hostel that was really good! Craft beers and interesting food inside probably the most hipster place in Iceland! So we hung out there for a while before heading back to the hotel after a very long day!

Icand money is odd

Iceland!!

Today we officially leave for Iceland! Also pre-apologies for the disjointedness of these posts as to keep up with them I'm just writing them as I go. So anywho, we woke up at 5am, packed, and had breakfast at the hotel before walking over to the airport. Now that I've been inside Luton I feel like I've been here before but I can't remember why, I'll have to investigate further. Security was uneventful and we headed to the gate before getting on a bus to get on the plane. It's super foggy here and I think it's raining in Iceland, but hopefully I packed appropriately!

Well there was so much fog a Luton that we were in a crazy long queue to take off. Normally it would have been really annoying but I enjoyed the 1 1/2 hour long nap. We finally took off and a quick flight later were here in Iceland! The airport is really nice, and now I finally have a Iceland stamp on my passport, last time I was here I didn't leave the airport. We decided to take a shuttle into town since it's waaaay cheaper than a

Taxi, and we got the round trip tickets so were all sorted for when we come back AND for barely much more the shuttle takes us to our hotel! Pretty neat!

After we got everything sorted we wales down to city centre and boped around trying to find somewhere to eat. We ended up having pizza for lunch and it was really good! Then we wandered around downtown, went to a museum, and did some shopping. Then we passed by this place and in the window they had siracha, so we went in for their happy hour which was really good! Then we went to go see if tonight was a good night to possibly go try and see some aurora, but it's oo cloudy alas. So we headed home, but first stopped at this concert hall that is really cool and walked around the inside. Then headed back to the hotel to chill since it has been a long day and we have to be up early again tomorrow!

Iceland bound!

Today we leave for Iceland!! Currently I'm at the airport having dinner before our flight out to Luton and then we leave for Iceland in the morning! I'll try to post pics and such depending on the wifi situation. Hopefully everything goes smoothly, and well see if we come back to the UK or a newly independent Scotland! 

We made it to Luton without any problems AND got to check our bags at the gate, which is one of my favourite things that can happen while traveling! Now time to chill and sleep before tomorrow! Also I collected another airport! Holla!

And DONE With EMS For The Summer!

Yesterday was my last day of EMS for the summer! I can't believe that its almost over, it has gone by so quickly! I've gone so many places and done so much this summer, I could say that this has been one of the best summers yet, but I think I'm looking forward to starting school again and seeing everyone. Only one more week and a quick trip to Iceland is left and summer will officially be over!

C-section

Today there wasn't a bunch in, but we still had a full day, In the morning a bitch came in that was questionably a week overdue with her pups, but the owners weren't sure exactly when a stray dog came into the yard (even though they may have watched it?) So we gave her some oxytocin, but that wasn't having any effect, so we went ahead and did a Caesarian. The first pup was born alive, but with all its organs outside of its body. The next one was pretty similar but with a cleft palate and deformed front legs, and the third was normal. Hopefully the pup can work out feeding and the dog can work out mothering once she heals up a bit better. Another dog came in that had been attacked by another dog and had some broken toes. Another dog came in later that had also been attacked by a dog but just had a cut on its ear and I got to stitch it up! Other than that some vaccinations and regular consults, pretty standard.

Cat castrate!

Thete weren't that many ops on today so I figured that it would be pretty slow. But I got to do a full cat castration today, so that was pretty cool! I sat in on some consults and this dog came in with cray bad skin and demodex, plus a bunch of choke chains, cropped ears and a docked tail which is such a shame. He also seems to have some sort of digestion problems, so he was a bit of a mess. Mostly I've been looking down the microscope today and there were a few dentals, but nothing particularly exciting. I'm mostly their lab slave, but it's great to put all that I learned last year into practice!

Week 2!

This is the start of the last week of my smalls placement and my last placement of the summer! Today I got to ligate and then close a bitch spay! So I've essentially done a spay now, complete with intradermal sutures (which are a pain let me say). Also I did a full skin work up complete with  punch biopsies. The vet here is also leaving me in the room by myself to do clinical exams which is pretty cool! Its nice doing it without the vet watching because there's less pressure of them watching over me, but they still come in at the end and wrap up everything nicely. Hopefully I can swing working here again, it would be a great way to practice all that I'm going to learn next year! I also (finally) placed a damn IV catheter that was able to stay! So certainly making improvements.

Long hard days, but so worth it!

Its been some pretty long days doing small animal med so far, and my feet are killing me! We have absolutely been slammed with ops and appointments but its been amazing! Today I got to do a fill lumpectomy by myself! From incision to suturing the whole shebang! They're also letting me do most of the consults and have even left me alone with some of the clients to do exams and take histories. Its really great. I'm also doing lots of slide readings for them and my radiograph interpretation is improving. I think the biggest hurdle is learning all of the drugs, but I think a lot of that will come after 4th year since we really only know classes, not brand names. They seem to like me helping them and its been so busy I like to think I'm not much of a bother, especially when they just leave me to do some ops while they sort out paper work. I'm excited for the rest of the week and next to hopefully get to do more!

I really hate blogging about small animal medicine

But I do it for my legions of fans (Sue), without whom this blog would not exist! So I've started my last placement for the rest of the summer in a small animal hospital near Glasgow thats a short train ride away. I admit that every day I wake up at 6 I regret booking this, however it has been amazing! They let me do tons of stuff and actually speak to me like I'm a real vet! I think it's one of the best placements I've had and I think I'll try to come back for sure! Its been really busy and long days (typical) but seriously great so far. Today I got to suture up a wound on my own, as in the vet just left me there. I've been drawing blood, attempted to put in a catheter, and failed, but to be fair the vet had a hard time with that vein too. They leave me to do consults and its really great! I think I'll be in surgery a bit tomorrow so that should be good!