Writing
The media are very good at selling papers or getting viewers using sensationalist stories. Hired: Six Months Undercover in Low-Wage Britain is not a sensationalist story. It is the account of James Bloodworth as he attempts to live on the breadline. Initially the intro put me off, rambling politics and injustices just are not my…
This last week has been an absolute whirlwind. I started it seeing my first ever brain surgery, finished it seeing several abdominal organs removed from a chest. And topped it all over with the launch of BVDA Talking Teeth (virtual) Tour 2021. Brain surgery Even being within a neurology specialist centre the brain though imaged…
“Is it safe for me to cuddle my pet when we get home?” I had to stop and think. The pet had been with us for less than an hour. We had used full PPE. Client knew we were working in a covid secure way. Yet they were scared of cuddling their pet when they…
The Highs and Lows of an Air Ambulance Doctor Something that fascinates me is how human medicine and surgery compares with that of veterinary medicine so occasionally I will grab an interesting looking book. This Christmas Day I ended up with this, purely as the title conjured images of my head of road rage with…
The joy of learning and developing is one of the greatest benefits of the veterinary profession. Now I’ve hopefully finished my CertAVP I am moving onto my postgraduate diploma (PgDip) and shortly hopefully my masters. I’ve decided to continue with the University of Liverpool for this as I like the online format that allows me…
As I write this I’ve just finished my week of nights through the Christmas period. More importantly though my final module (of six) composing the learning for the CertAVP has been graded. Looking at it the small green tick on my case log, and the grade above 50% means that I have passed this module.…
I found myself in a constant state of panic this week. Dreading going in to work. Having a headache develop in the 2 hours between waking and getting to work. Once in dreading the phone ringing. Counting down the hours until I could escape back to bed. And praying nothing bad happened in that time.…
Lockdown 2 This past week I have been on days. We entered lockdown again on Thursday. With lockdown we are still working as we have been, though the specialist departments have been separated into their own teams. This showed benefit yesterday as one of the teams has to now isolate as a team member tested…
A doctor’s inspiring encounters with mortality and miracles Brain surgery is something that has fascinated me since I read Do No Harm by Henry Marsh. I read this book over Boxing Day, it is one of those that when I picked it up I had to keep reading, turning page after page entrapped. Starting with…
This week is special. Quite a few months ago I made the decision to start a budget… I’ve always had credit card debt (some days this was the only way I could eat during vet school) ever since I was 18 and got that promotional mailing offering a card. I’d also had an overdraft which…