Home, home on the rangeeeeee!

So I've made it home! Many many hours later.....

Yesterday was NUTS! Started the day off with doing floats. What was supposed to be 14 ended up only being 7. It still took 4 hours though.

The afternoon was pretty tame. I helpped in Small animal, and did random things around the clinic. That was until 5pm... That's when my supervisor came in and said " Oh ASHLEYYY, guess what we have coming innnn!" The only thing that I have been wishing for every day for the past 6 weeks!! A COLIC SURGERY!!

Well, the horse went on fluids, was given some of the new drug that we had a meeting about, and then he got better, then worse, and then better, and then worse again....so they called in the surgery team, and then they came, and then they left, because yet again, the horse got better. Short of the long, I left and the horse hadn't gone on the table. I called the clinic this afternoon when I got home, and asked if it had gone to surgery, and it hadn't, so that made me feel better! :)

Once I got to the airport, I realized that I had forgotten my Bernie Brown prints at the clinic! I was TRAUMATIZED, and embarrassed at the same time. I say embarrassed because....oh my....because I couldnt hold onto the beer that I was holding....so I had to set down the prints in order to reposition the beer...and I forgot to pick the prints back up and bring them to the truck. So this afternoon I called the clinic to get them brought to the front, because on Monday my wonderful cousin is going to go and pick them up, and bring them to her wonderful husband who is going to pack them and ship them to me!

I thought that I was going to have a problem sleeping on the plane, despite the fact that it was a red-eye, however I was asleep even before the pulled us away from the gates! I woke up, only to realize that we were in the air, and that was a scary feeling. Very " how did I get here" kind of feeling. We flew from Calgary to Toronto on a 767. That was the biggest plane that I have ever been on. 2 window seats, 3 middle seats, followed by 2 more window seats. I always ask for a window seat, but because it was an airmiles flight, I often get stuck looking down at the wing. And where this was a 767...it had a VERY large wing. So even if I wanted to see anything, I couldnt have.

The layover in Toronto wasnt too bad. I kicked my bags under my seat and fell asleep for a couple of hours. Once I was on the jet to Charlottetown I fell asleep again! I didnt have anyone sitting beside me, so I was able to stretch out and sleep a little more comfortably.

When I got home, I immediately went and inspected my truck. She's a beauty! Very dirty on the inside, so I spent close to 2 hours inside cleaning her up. My dad jumped in with me and we drove up and down the street a few times. Only stalled it once, and that's because I didn't have the clutch in nearly as much as it was supposed to be. :)

Mom even had a cake made for me!!! It was very good!! A butter pecan cake minus the pecans!! hahah

Anyway, now I'm going to go to bed. Believe it or not, I'm still tired, so when I wake up tomorrow, maybe I can unpack more than just my PJ's!!

Countdown to the Red eye. T- minus 31 hours!!

Yesterday was my day off!! I did a little bit of packing in the morning, but the rest of the day was spent with my cousin Leanne. She took me to Calgary tower!!! I got a lot of great pictures. ( Ill put them up when I get home and have highspeed and dont have to worry about it taking forever.) We also went to Lammles where I bought a new western chiseled leather with concho cell phone case. I also bought a new shirt. Wrangler shirts were 10$ off :) ( Thats my justification for buying)! haha.

We also went to IKEA. Oh my. You always see those commercials " START THE CAR....START THE CARRRRRR...START THE CAR!!!!" heheheh Well Leanne took me there too. IT's HUGE. GIGANTIC! and it has so many beautiful things! Rooms "set up" to provide you with an idea of how to use a space etc. Well I was going through saying " I want this bedroom with that kitchen and this here bathroom, and I want this living room." hahah IT WAS AWESOME! I bought these 2 little dog bums! You place them on a hook, like you were to hang a picture. It holds things! :) One is pink and the other lime green! Ill take a picture. You cant appreciate them until you see what they look like!

So, tonight my evening consists of packing, doing laundry, packing the laundry, and...then thats it. Tomorrow being my last day, I've been tasked with assisting on FOURTEEN floats!!! HO-LY DYNA. That is pretty much the whole day right there! Should see something interesting, unless its all routine.

This morning was pretty low key. A couple of appointments. At lunch, the entire clinic went down to a chineese food buffet for the small animal tech's going away party. Afterwards, her and I went across to the "boot hill gallery". A beautiful western everything store. The owner, is a fantastic western pencil artist. So I bought 3 of his prints. You can check them out at http://berniebrown.com/web/desktopdefault.aspx

I bought: Achievement day, boys will be boys ( both on the mini reproductions page) and cream of the crop ( farm/ranch prints).

ACTUALLY, just as a point of interest, remember how two weekends ago I went processing cattle? well THAT rancher and Mr Bernie Brown own cattle together, so I was working on some of his cows that day!

After lunch I went on the road with one of the practice owners. We went out to do reproductive work on a bunch of mares at this HUUUGE thoroughbred farm. AND! This farm and Meridian farms are on the same property. Meridian is a standardbred farm owned by two brothers. One brother runs half the show on PEI, while the other brother runs the show out here! Back at christmas when I was on the road with one of the vets from charlottetown, we stopped off at Meridian, and one of the guys there said that if I got a chance while I was out here, to go out and say hello to a guy by the name of Terry. So, that's exactly what I did. Walked into the barn, introduced myself and we chatted for about 15-20 mins before I went back to help with the Thoroughbreds. AMAZING place.

The repro work that was being done on these mares involed ultrasounding their ovaries to detect follicle size. This information helps the farm manager determine when to breed these females.
We also placed two transmitters!! VERY COOL! Its sewn onto the skin adjacent to the mares vulva so that when she starts foaling, the magnet of the transmitter " breaks" and sets off an alarm ( the farm managers phone). So if she were to foal in the middle of the night, he can go out and help her to foal. This farm manager in particular swears by them, and rightfully so if you have as much money put into a horse like some of the ranches down here do.

Anyway, laundry just finished getting washed. Once it's dry, ill get to pack them! In the mean time, I'm going to go and make some dinner.

See you all ( or some of you) on Saturday :)

Done like dinner.

Well, it's official.

This morning I told my supervisor that I'm going to decline the job offer.

I hadn't gotten the official offer in writing thursday or Friday, so that gave me the week and weekend to think about things.

Things that are going through my head include the logistics behind writing my national exam, learning how to drive my car, wanting to attend my graduation etc. These and a few other things were really weighing on my mind, and made me stress. Most of the stress came from the major logistics of getting myself situated here in such a short time.

Like I said to my supervisor, I wasn't expecting an offer, so I made plans this spring and summer, and to just up and expect to relocate without a whole lot of time to do so was hard.

So I decided that I'll come home. Study for my national exam ( which I need to pass in order to work out here, so VERY IMPORTANT), attend the APVC ( a big vet conference in Halifax in April.), glide this spring ( money that I forgot about), fly this summer ( money that I was factoring in ), see keith urban live in concert..., attend my graduation ( Isabelle will be extremely happy...), learn to drive my car ( because I can't), spend easter with my family, go to the 60 sqn ACR ( big parade in which my dad is stepping down and my sister is taking over). During this time, over the summer to be exact, Im going to look at job postings for the locality in Alberta, and plan on returning in September. ( oh yes, and I need to sign income tax papers and tend to my drivers licence, because it's expired...)

Before I was able to actually tell my supervisor that I was declining, she began to tell me about how the partners were okay with me going away for the summer. I was hoping to avoid knowing this and other details because I didnt want to have more stress from rethinking my decision.

So after I told her, she asked if returning to this clinic in september is something that interests me if I were to have a gauranteed job. I said most definately. I love this clinic. I love working on the horses. I love being a tech. But if I am stressing about all of this as much as I am, then maybe that's a sign that I shouldn't be here RIGHT now.

So yes. That's my situation. Took a lot of effort, but what's done is done. No regrets...yet.

An update is neccessary

Well, I believe I last wrote on Wednesday? So I've got lots to write about. ( And explain why I haven't been writing).

Wednesday I got birthday presents !! From my mom and sister. It was great! I also forgot to mention that the practice manager was having a meeting with the 3 partners the next morning and wanted to be able to understand it and come up with a plan. I was told that I'd likely receive the offer on Thursday or Friday. I didn't get one on either. I did however go to one of the girls house that ngiht for pizza, and spent the night. So I couldnt write.

Thursday was just another day at work. We had a horse come in with Purpura!! So I got to set up the isolation stall for him. After work, I went over to one of the tech's house. Her boyfriend had made a pot roast, WITH LOTS OF GARLIC!!!!! I love garlic.... and we had potatoes and brocolli with cheese!! It was really fantastic! And then we watch TV till close to 11pm before she took me back here. ( Again, I couldnt write.)

Friday, my birthday, was just another day. Busy. Lots of b-day wishes. IN FACT! Thanks to facebook, I got 44 happy birthdays at lunch on friday, 22 after work, and 6 more when I got back from the party. THATS A LOT OF BIRTHDAY WISHES!!

After having gone out after the staff party on Friday night, visiting the porcelain throne, sleeping on the bathroom floor....and dragging myself to bed at 5am...Yesterday was brutal. I had intentions to sleep during my lunch, because I definately wasn't planning on eating anything....but that didn't happen. It was crazy yesterday. CRAZY. Worked all through lunch.

Saturday started off with 2 calls on the road. ( Last week we had a federal vet come in and talk to us about CEM testing), so one of our calls was not the testing, but the cleaning part. CEM testing needs to be done on any mare that comes from the EU. So, .....there we were, cleaning the vulva of this miniature shetland pony that came from holland... too funny.

When we came back to the clinic, the vet tended to a Colic and a severed digital artery....while I got to cold hose our Purpura friend.

The case vet and one of the partners came to check on him while I was there, and you wouldn't believe what they found....He had a LOT of edema. Hard pitting edema too, that you could leave imprints of your fingers in it! So the partner was touching it, and tapping it as if he was playing the bongos or something, and his pectorals and just over his lungs behind his front leg was making this RIDICULOUS SPLASHING NOISE!! Everytime you touched it, you could move the fluid! So they made a few incisions, and because there was so much pressure inside, the fluid just GUSHED out!!! It was a TWO FOOT LONG ABSCESS!!! basically running the length of his scapula! So that fluid....was actually pus!! OMG it smelled SO bad! I wish we had of put a bucket under it to catch the pus because I bet there was...a good 5L of pus in there that came out! hahaha SO COOL! The partner said that in his 35 years of practicing he had NEVER seen an abscess that big!! Anyway, I got to stick a hose in one hole, and let it fill with water until it drained out the other. Pretty neat actually.

After that, we had a few more appointments before the day was actually over. I got invited over to the house of the vet that I was on call with for SUSHI!! It was so good!

Woke up this morning to do treatments on our no longer a purpura case horse, and now am going to go and do a few loads of laundry, study, shower, sleep, and then go and tend to my isolation friend! ( Maybe not all in that order...)

And that has been all that has happened over the past few days. I'll try to keep you all well informed over the next few days, seems as how a lot is likely going to take place ( re: the offer).

Thank You.

Just wanted to say thanks to everyone who has either sent me a message on facebook, MSN, or on the blog re: my decision making process.

I had a meeting with the practice manager and my supervisor today. They both just wanted me to fill them in or give them more details with respect to this whole Military business. I told them that I didnt want to do anything to jeopardize the job, and that I would only want to do it if it were at all feasible.

I was told that there is a 3 month probation period for all employees, so that it may work out very well that Ill be trained and probation done come the time that I want to take time off ( 2 1/2 mo) So, I MAY be able to have that March 7th birthday cake AND eat it too!!

Ps. I havent received any birthday presents yet...are they coming by purolator the day OF ??haha

wee bit of a pickle...

GUESS WHAT!!!

Today, I, Ashley Gaudet, was offered a job!!!! AND, clinic needs someone immediately, so I can start work right after my OJT!

Yes this is all very exciting, but it involves a great deal planning and the such. I say this because I have my VTNE and my graduation to consider as well as expenses for cars, cell phone, rent, food etc. Also, I'll need to go east to get my jeep.

Now, obviously I don't want to do anything that's going to jeopardize my full time job, however I am fairly confident that I can get aprrox 62 days of work with the military at 126$ a day. That is room and board included, which essentially equates to close to 8000$. By not going to work for the military this summer I will not only miss out on a lot of money, but my graduation also ( should I decide to attend).

As it is right now, I know of 2 places that I can live at ( in order to get out of the basement), and until I am situated here in Alberta. I just don't like the thought of being so dependant on someone. As I said to my dad, I would love nothing more than to have my cake and get to eat it too!

I know it may appear as though I'm being selfish and all I'm thinking about is the money, but seriously, I'm planning on moving all the way across the country with not even a bed or a couch to my name. I need to look at my finances, and try to do what's best for me while also thinking out a plan that is feasible for my employer.

Does that make sense? I know that it's easy to justify it to myself, but to some RGS people, you're thinking "GET AWAY FROM THE GLIDING SCHOOL!" But again, seriously, that's close to 8000$ that I'm going to do minimal effort to make, while also having room and board paid for. That money will help me to get situated here. Like my dad said, "you make lots of money in the west, but you spend a lot too". Rent around here is like 1400$!!!! No joke.

So, that's my situation. I'm not really going to know much more or be able to make any further decisions until I get the official offer in writing. ( Salary also). So until then, comments are allowed until you all start being mean and telling me what I don't want to hear....only kidding, all comments will be taken with a grain of salt. :)

On a more exciting note: I got my marks the other day. Honours!!!! Woo hoo!!! ALSO! Mom spilled the beans and said that there's a birthday card on its way!! woo hoo!! ALSO ALSO, the clinic is having a billiards night with free steak and salad or fries...ON MY BIRTHDAY!! WOO HOO!!!

OKay, I think that's all the woo hoo-ing I can think of. Now it time for cough medicine and bed!! WOO HOO!!!!!

The past 4 days....

WELL, I have had a very eventful past 4 days. So eventful, that I haven't been able to add an entry to my blog! Here's what happened:

Thursday night, I was watching a movie, and said to myself, " In 5 mins, ( at 10:30), I'm shutting off my movie and going to bed!"
About 1 minute later, the head tech comes into the clinic, and down to my room to say that there is a dummy foal coming in!! I thought that it would be a couple of hours kind of thing, help the foal and then going back to bed. Little did I know that these kind of situations make for an all night affair! This foal couldnt stand up on its own so we had to milk the mare out and then bottle feed the foal all night long. The vet also called it " dismature", where she was to term, however has pre term characteristics. One thing that was pretty cool, in a not cool at all kind of way, was that this foal had hernias, and its intestines were coming through! Very weird to get to feel! Also, while trying to help the foal stand, we noticed that she was walking on her pasterns. I've only ever seen those kind of things in text books. So also very interesting!

This little foal had spunk too! It clocked me TWICE in the throat when we were trying to help it stand! And when trying to restrain it on the ground, getting kicked (from it flailing) was a little inevitable. So I now have bruises all up my leg.....

Policy at the clinic is that if you work through the night, you get hour for hour off the next day. So at close to 9 am on friday I head off to my room for some well deserved shut eye! I slept all the following day. I only woke up at 3pm to get a glass of water for some tylenol, and then went back to bed. I woke up again around 1 am, only to wonder if it was 1 pm the next day, or if it was in fact 1 am.... When I got that all sorted out, I forced myself to sleep again! Woke up a few more times, but finally dragged myself out of bed at 9 am the following day! So I pretty much had 24 hours of sleep!! That's the most I've ever slept in my entire life I'm sure!

During the night the tech told me that the last time she spent all night in the barn, she woke up the next day feeling as though she just ran a marathon. Her whole body ached. Every muscle. Muscles you didn't even know existed! Well, that is EXACTLY how my body felt on saturday! Kneeling and standing and then kneeling again. Bent over the foal keeping it down, or trying to keep it up. Getting beat up.... It's all very exausting!

On Saturday after I made myself look presentable again, I was about to start my blog entry, when the tech came running in ( to grab her rubber boots) and saw me sitting here at the computer. She said " are you doing anything? do you want to help process cattle? " And, like all of my other responses, I said " HECK YES!"

When we got out there, it was more than just processing cattle! They had a little over 100 head to go through and so we did a cattle drive!!!!!! It was very cool! They had two horses were out chasing down cows, and I was in the truck coaxing with hay. They were separating bulls and calves, from the cows, ivomec-ing, tagging, and BRANDING!!!! All of which I've done before, except the branding. Noone really does that in the East, but out here it's law.

I think apart from the rancher, I was the only one COMFORTABLE around the cows. So I got the job of herding them and getting them through the stocks. HO-LY COW this pen was soupy as Ill get out!!I swear I was up to my calves in manure and mud. And of course the cows would kick at me each time I poked them with the electric cattle prod!! hahah So I was COVERED from seriously, head to toe in...maunre and mud. It was all over my face and through my hair. omg.... OMG....hahah COVERED!

So then, that went from about 1130am to just before dark( 650ish). We drank beer while doing it too. Very funny. At the end of it we were all famished, so the rancher said " lets go to Longview". So in the truck we go, still covered in...manure and mud, up to some cowboy bar in the middle of nowhere that was packed with people, just so that we could eat food....the rancher paid for all 8 of us! By the time I got back to the clinic it was about 10. So a really fun day all in all.

12 hours later....when I decided to pull myself out of bed again, I made my second attempt at producing a blog entry, and thins is how it turned out!! :)

Hope you enjoyed hearing about my past 4 days!