Summer Rain...Happy Birthday BONO!!

The purpose of this post is to hopefully show a great comeback from rock bottom, because that's where I am right now. The low point in my 35 years is now. I've survived an abusive marriage and a ton of money problems, and I gotta believe I'll survive this too. But MAN am I tired of being strong! Give me weak and easy, I'd be cool with that for now!

Bono's Birthday is today! My favorite band. This is my favorite song from them; if I had to pick a song that accurately represents me, this is it.
It's called Summer Rain.

It's not this bad, I just really really love this blog and she's just gone through some bad times: MAKE SURE you read at least one other thing besides the "Adventures in Depression" posts! I like the Dog one. Hyperbole and a Half

This has been a crazy week. Lots of good, one really bad. In that I lost my job. I don't really get the details, basically they waited until I was no longer on FMLA even though I tried to get back to work before it was out, and then said since I was no longer on FMLA they were letting me go. My therapists and doctors filled out a lot of paperwork for them, all saying I can go back. HR kept coming up with weird next steps that I had to do, which I now see were probably stalling tactics. YES I'm confident I can do the job now, I honestly don't know what the problem is. I'm healed enough that I'm confident that I could even do surgery. I wish I had the opportunity to show them I'm okay now, I miss it. But I don't know where to go from here.

SO what to do?? Honestly, I'm scared, and hurt, and incredibly sad. It's the icing on the cake for me, everything I built has come crashing down. I wanted to be a vet all my life - since I was seven years old - and I can't even afford working in private practice because of my mega student loans. Can't leave the state easily because I have a kid with aforementioned ex-husband, and of course I'm still healing from this broken neck business.
I read something on Facebook recently that said something to the effect of if you don't believe it will be okay, you don't trust life enough. It's true, I don't, and I have a hard time trusting it will be okay.
Nic said if it's not working to trust God right now, trust in how strong I am. That helps.
My awesomest friend Jess said there are 2 type of people, those that are good at adapting and blending in and going along with things, and those that are determined to get what they want. The world needs both types. Her analogy was that if we were stranded on a desert island she would be the type that blends in with the natives and became part of their culture, and I would be the type to build a boat and find a way to get back where I wanted to be. That's how she knows I'm going to be okay. I think Nic is the 1st type too, along with her. It works. My life is still together because of him.

Jess & Me

So I need a job. For reals this time. Even if it's a new profession. I want to work.

ON to the good things!!!

I'm 99% walking with a cane now! It doesn't help me walk correctly but it does help with my balance. And is sooo much more easy to carry around! And hug people! And shoo away pets and children and things! Hooray!
500y swimming this week! If ya think that's tough, try doing it as a paraplegic! Gogglesss! ;) (I forgot them)
Follow my progress! NOLA RnR 2014 Training Log

I attended the 1st time trial of the season by Precision Bikes. I sucked at cycling when I started racing, but this was always a fun time even though I came in last! It Was Great; I met quite a few people there. The awesome chiropractor Keith Terro, Ruud Vuijsters the PT, badass Jamie Scott whom came to visit me in the hospital (I don't really remember!,) and equally badass Aimee Copeland that had done my x-rays (I also don't remember). Also there was Stanley Lerille (vote for him HERE to go to Kona!) and Scott Coco that I met when I was still in a wheelchair, and Amanda Cole whom I just bought some cycling stuff from the day before, my first since getting mashed up, Mark Miller of course,and a TON of other people.You should come out next time - the Corner Bar ya'll!

Nic's sister Laura Zaunbrecher & her boyfriend Charles Garabedian went to see Frank Shorter talk. They got him to sign this great picture of us at the finish line! Frank Shorter had cheered us on and handed me my walker. SO stoked about it!!

BikeLafayette's Jen Steele and I were on KATC promoting  the "Ride of Silence,"  a world-wide event that honors cyclists that were hit or killed on roadways. I'm one of the honorees this year, along with other really great people. May 15th 7PM at the Mickey Shunick Ghost Bike memorial!!

Have a happy weekend! Go listen to some U2!

How to Be a Veterinarian, Part 2: Make sure it's what you want!

SO, do you really want to become a veterinarian? A vet is in charge of the decision making for the animal's health, and often it's the techs that do most of the hands-on (though, if the animal is particularly hard to handle, the dangerous work is usually up to you!) The health and well-being of your patients is YOUR responsibility, and you will be held accountable if something detrimental happens to the animal if you or your staff make wrong decisions. There is a lot of paperwork involved, and you have to be able to make a living even though people often don't/won't have the means to pay for the services they need.

School is rigorous and not cheap. About a 3.8 average GPA will get you in, and then you will spend years of your life consumed is study. Starting out pay for vets is between $40K-&60K, but school can cost $150K to upwards of $250K. I graduated in 2005 owing $230K, and my first job paid $57K. This means I owe close to $1900 a month just in student loans. I am incredibly limited by my job choices due to the amount of money I owe! Here's a very pertinent article from the New York Times in 2013:

High Debt and Falling Demand Trap New Vets

I Love My Job!!! But I had the wrong Idea about what my life was going to be like, make sure you don't make that mistake! There are many ways to work with animals that may be just as, if not more, satisfying than being a veterinarian depending on what you want to do!

Monday's How To Be A Veterinarian, Part 1: Careers in Veterinary Medcine

There are many types of veterinarians; the field is much more versatile than a lot of people know! Some depend on if you get board certification, which usually requires a residency; more on that later. There are also military positions available, private industry, and many others. Here's a list of some of the fields you can enter.

DVM

Small animal veterinarians
Equine veterinarians
Food animal veterinarians
Food safety and inspection veterinarians
Research veterinarians
Professors, etc
DVM with Board Certification (for specialization)

Alternative medicine
Anesthesiology
Animal behavior
Animal welfare
Birds (pet and ornamental)
Bovine
Canine
Cardiology
Chiropractic
Clinical pathology
Clinical pharmacology
Dentistry
Dermatology
Diagnostic imaging
Equine
Emergency and critical care
Exotics
Feline
Internal medicine
Laboratory animal medicine
Microbiology
Neurology
Nutrition
Oncology
Ophthalmology
Parasitology
Pathology
Poultry
Preventive medicine
Radiology
Reptile and amphibian
Shelter medicine
State veterinary medicine
Sports medicine
Surgery
Theriogenology
Toxicology
Zoo animals and wildlife
You can make a veterinary career as rewarding as you like! There are so many ways to be a vet that just about any personality type would fit in. My colleagues are all very different but we mesh so well.

Monday's How to Be a Veterinarian: Intro & Symbol Explanation!

I get a lot of questions about this, and I think the better question is should I be a veterinarian! I'll answer the how to be a vet question first, and then we can discuss! I think every Monday I'm going to continue this section of the blog. Please let me know if you have any questions or comments, or if you're a vet, if you have anything to add!

I'll start with the explanation of the veterinary symbol. The "Rod of Aesculapius" is known as the more "correct" and traditional symbol of medicine, and has a single snake entwined around a staff. Aesculapius was a Greek deity associated with healing and medicinal arts. He was the son of Apollo and a student of Chiron, the centaur. Aesculapius carried a cypress staff with a single snake wrapped around it when he was in his human form. He was given the divine rank of the god of medicine. Hippocrates, the "father of medicine," is thought to begin his career in one of Aesculapius's temples.



The Caduceus, which is more often used as the symbol of medicine, has its roots in Hermes. Hermes was a diplomat and ambassador, and known to be a bringer of peace. Wings are associated with him because he was a swift messenger. The caduceus seems to have arisen by Hermes' links in alchemy. The myth is that Hermes threw his staff between two fighting snakes and stopped their quarrel. Therefore RD's ("Real Doctors," my term for MD's ;) use a rod with 2 snakes wrapped around it with wings, the "caduceus."

Where I graduated from! This is the veterinary symbol. The snake always looks to the left.

So again, any questions, answers, comments, etc you can message me!Talk to ya next Monday!!! Have a great week!

Thanks to the following for the info:

http://www.vet.k-state.edu/handbook/general/aesculapius.html

http://drblayney.com/Asclepius.html