I'm just gonna blame the virus

Ugh. So I'm sick. I guess its better to be sick on the radiology rotation than medicine or surgery. Sucky part is we have an interpretation exam tomorrow. We are going to have to interpret 10 radiographs on our own. I'm a little freaked out. No one knows how to study for it. Hopefully we've learned enough the past two weeks to fudge our way through it.

I'm too tired to study anymore tonight.

James is "not interested in pursuing anyone right now." Whatever, his loss. I told him we could still be friends but my real plan is to snub him at every chance and give him the cold shoulder. Good plan.

Its been one tumor after another the past few days. Although radiology is rather interesting its also pretty depressing. You just find a lot of tumors. Sometimes you find a fixable problem but once you find the problem you never hear from the case again and, therefore, never find out any good news. No one ever comes to radiology to find good things.

My sister is in France for the summer. Apparently she's being crazy there too.

When did I learn how to hold a conversation?

So I finally talked to James about all this confusion he was putting me through. He's interested, but apparently hesitant. So I told him what every self-confident should be able to say. I'm awesome and I'll wait for a bit, but eventually I'll lose interest and its going to be your loss. I was never able to say that before and mean it. My mom actually told me that I handled the situation well. I'm not sure she's ever said that before. Could this be the beginning of an adult relationship with communication and understanding? It would be a first.

We went on a date yesterday out to the local state park. I wanted to see the wild horses and buffalo but we just saw a deer. Then we had lunch and walked around the nearby town. It was nice to get out of town for a bit. Vet school can be so confining sometimes. We both had a really good time. Its nice to have someone around that likes to do off-the-wall things like that.

Today is Memorial Day and I have the day off from clinics. I can't really complain but it would be nice to have patients to take care of like my friends. I know I'll regret that statement at the end of the year. I guess I should enjoy the radiation vacation while I can.

I need a beer

Today just started on the wrong foot. I had an appointment at 8, my doctor was late and I was almost late for my radiology exam at 9. The exam sucked. We were told it was going to be almost all multiple choice and instead we were handed an exam that was almost all short answer and that asked completely off the wall questions. I don't know why the beam is angled dorsodistally to take a fetlock shot. I wasn't even sure what dorsodistally meant. Dr. Blane handed us the exam and said, "I don't think you guys can answer question 9." A great way to begin an exam.

Following that atrocity we were bombarded by radiographs needed for the orthopedic department. As nice as Dr. Piza is its nothing but a bitch to take pictures for him.

The boy. James. Nothing but confused. Outside of school he is flirty and seems interested. But when I see him during the day he totally ignores me and acts distant. I know we're not supposed to flirt in the clinic but he can talk to me like a human being right? I guess we're meeting up at a bar tonight with some of the other offshore students and Haley. I just want to know if he's interested or not. I don't want to get married or anything just yet but I don't have time for these games.

Willie left the hospital today to go home and die. Poor Willie. He needs to be put to rest sooner than his owners want.

At least the radiology techs keep us entertained. Darth Maul is pretty cool too. He ate some more fish today.

I have to present at the senior awards banquet tonight. It'll be my 2nd banquet in 2 years. I'll have to present again next year as class president. When I graduate I will have been to the banquet all 4 years. Crazy.

I should be sleeping

We have a test tomorrow on the physics of x-rays. I'm more concerned with getting this guy to ask me out.

Too many dogs came in with tumors in their lungs today. Willie the giant German Shorthaired Pointer has a tumor on his spine. Things are not looking good for Willie.

Alone in the viewing room

I'm the late student today. I get to sit in the radiology department until 8 on the outside chance an emergency case comes in. In the meantime I get to sit and contemplate the meaning of life. Or at least try and figure out why the wildlife department is always taking radiographs of squirrels and pigeons. Don't ask.

Tonight is especially lonely though. See, there's this guy. And this guy and I have sort of been flirting. I guess. Maybe. Really, I don't know. We met, we hung out, we watched a movie at his place, we watched a movie at my place, and in between we've sent extremely flirty text messages. Very mature I know. But in any case, I hinted to him that he should come and visit me tonight while I'm bored out of my mind alone in the dark radiology room. Not very romantic but for a vet student it'll do. But I don't think he's coming. Not that I should expect him to. It just would be nice to have someone interested, that's all.

I did my first cystocentesis today. Urine is always exciting to a vet student.

Money wasted

I consider myself to be a horse person, but even I find this ridiculous. What do you do when you buy a horse that cost you $150,000 and has been lame in 3 legs since you bought it? Apparently the answer to that question is: bring it to the vet school, have every diagnostic work-up done to it, torture the vet students who have to do all the grunt work for the diagnostics, and then decide to just let it rest for a few weeks to see if that makes things better. $150,000 for a lame horse. I would be livid if I was the fool that spent that. Although, I would never be that fool because I will never have that much money to fritter away on a horse.

In other news, we radiographed an Ewok today. Okay, maybe it wasn't an Ewok but it sure did look like one. It was a Pomeranian with a collapsing trachea that made the most unbelievable snorting sound ever. I wish I had a tape recorder.

The begining of the end starts tomorrow

I've never done this before. Blog, I mean. So why start now? I'm not sure I have an answer to that question except that now seemed like as good a time as any. You see, two years ago I started veterinary school. These two years were spent sitting in a classroom learning about everything from molecular biology to why horses can sleep standing up. Most of it seemed relatively useless. But now, as we begin our third year we are entering the clinics. The long awaited journey to the unknown abyss known as the Veterinary Medical Center. The VMC. Here we will be expected to act like doctors. Treat patients. Talk to clients. Interpret lab results. Sounds simple enough. Truth is, we're all terrified.

I hope to chronicle my journey through this sometimes romanticized and fabled portion of school. Tomorrow I officially begin. I will don the coveted white coat and try to trick everyone into thinking I know what I'm doing. This is when we find out if the past two years of torture sitting in the same classroom with the same people has paid off. Here's hoping.

The next two weeks I will be on the radiology rotation. Large machines, dark rooms, and a staff with a ridiculous sense of humor. This one should be interesting.