Busy day at the clinic

[cjsmith]

I showed up to the vet clinic around 2:30 to drop off some extra goodies from a recent party. Cookies, sodas, some fudge, fruit jellies... I won't eat them, so I need them out of the house.

Three people were clustered around an anesthetized dog, masked, doing dental work. One more was carrying stuff through the hallway. Another loaded laundry. Workmen swarmed the place, doing construction on what will eventually be the treatment room. The owner of the clinic squeezed into the room, still gowned from surgery, but with his gloves off and holding a clipboard. There was no place to so much as set down any food.

"Oh, thank you!" L said, seeing my hands full. "None of us have had lunch."

I poked a ginger cookie around A's mask while she took a breather. No lunch for anybody by 2:30 in the afternoon, eh? It gets just as intense there as it does in the software world. No surprise, really.

I found myself thinking that at least with the animals, there's a point to it all. In the software world, nine out of ten all-nighters are on code that will be thrown away before it ever goes anywhere. That dog getting his teeth cleaned probably has a nine out of ten chance of NOT getting thrown away.

Comments

[ashiegrrrl.livejournal.com]

That dog getting his teeth cleaned probably has a nine out of ten chance of NOT getting thrown away.

Goodness I'd hope he doesn't get thrown away! *grin*

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

Me too. :-) Animals that get into a veterinary clinic at all have pretty good chances by comparison to strays and ferals.

[cme]

The way my job has been lately this really resonates- both the "no lunch" and "what's the point?"

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

Indeed. I've been realizing, over the past few months, what a cushy life I've had for the last (mumble) years. But it's hard to face the whole "what's the point?" thing day in and day out for so long.

[dangerpudding.livejournal.com]

So, I'm bringing home another (famous!) kitty, and am not thrilled with the vet I last used for my current kitty... what clinic are you working at? Seems like they're good people. (e-mail is lovely for this, btw)

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

Sunnyvale Veterinary Clinic, by the corner of Mary and El Camino (be southbound on El Camino to reach it). Very good folk.

[ed: dur. html.]

[hitchhiker.livejournal.com]

and oh, 'tis true, 'tis true :)

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

I've been realizing over the past few months what a cushy life I had, and constantly I marvel at my willingness to throw it away for the chance to do something that will make the tiniest smidgen of difference to anyone anywhere.