Weekend #2

We had a half day in the clinic Saturday, and I was in Ortho/Optho again. It wasn’t as much fun as the first day, sincr Dr. Ayyappan wasn’t working. I saw some pretty sad cases, and some that were resolved in a manner not necessarily the same way that I may have done them. While it is good to see another perspective on animal care, reconciling the different mindsets between Indian culture and American culture has proved challenging for me.

Dr. Nathan did a good job helping me understand: In America, we do what we can to eliminate pain, resorting to death (a natural part of life) if necessary to end suffering. But Indians (I think mostly a Hindu mindset) believe that pain is the natural entity, and death is unnatural (if taken before naturally it is meant to occur). Thus, I have seen many cases of animals with terminal conditions that were sent home to live out naturally the course of their lives. While it sounds appalling, and like I said I am struggling to understand, Dr. Nathan did help me sort of grasp the concept. Though I can say I will never agree with it. Pain has an emotional response, delays healing, and is not necessarily a natural part of life. Death is always a part of life, whether natural or unnatural. So in the case where pain will eventually end in death, I don’t understand why both must happen.

Sorry this is kind of graphic. Dane with a suspected squamous cell carcinoma of the eye.

Saturday afternoon we took a visit to the American-style mall. It’s HUGE! It was at least 6 stories tall. I didn’t buy anything, but I have my eye on a couple of things, including something really cool for Brad that I will certainly be going back for as long as I don’t see it somewhere else for less or find something even cooler (unlikely). Sorry for the tease, my dear. I guess you’ll have to wait and find out what it is in 6 weeks!

Wedding garb

Man? Woman? Shortage of male wigs?? 

Sunday we had the morning off. I used the time to Skype Brad for a little longer than normal, take a nap trying to fight off this cold (yes, I am officially the first in the group to get sick, but at least it’s just a cold and not something because of the food), and I finished my powerpoint for the presentations on Wed/Thurs. I added a couple of pictures of the vet school, and one of the Hokie Bird just for good measure. 

In the afternoon we went to Universal Kingdom, a theme park. It was pretty cool, though nothing like an American theme park. It was pretty run down in comparison, but a good afternoon out nonetheless.

Aboard the Break Dance

View from the top of the ferris wheel

Our first elephant sighting! I hope we find one soon that's made of elephant instead of plastic!

This morning we stated SA Obstetrics, but only for a couple of hours before a conference on poultry diseases began. We were invited, and during the introductions the media was sure to take lots of videos and pictures of us. If we end up in the local paper, I will be sure to save a copy!

Doing an ultrasound of a pup in heat

Bos indicus!

Oh, and as promised, pictures of my catheterization!

I gathered quite a crowd!

Final product!