A Ford Pick-up & Very Little Gas

My senior year at veterinary college, my husband was on a mid-western tour, and I had my hands full. One particular night I received a call that a ewe we owned had problems, and I needed to come get her. She was still on the farm where we had purchased her. It was around midnight. I telephoned one of the large animal interns that knew about sheep. Lucky for me he was on call that night. He said he would give me a hand if I could get her down to the University so I headed over to Hall County to pick her up. I was driving an old Ford pick-up, and my gas was low. There was no place open at that hour to purchase gasoline so I had to keep driving & hoping for the best. When that old truck registered "empty", believe me it was empty. I was so furious that I was in such a situation, but there was nothing to do except keep driving.

The ewe & I arrived at the Veterinary College around 2:30 AM. The intern was waiting for us. We cleaned the prolapsed tissue, gently pushed it back into proper position and sutured the vagina to prevent another prolapse. I returned home accompanied by the ewe. Unloaded her, and made sure she was comfortable. Then, I had a shower, hoped into my car & headed back to school. I was on Small Animal Medicine rotation and could not be late for duty.

No one had any idea I had been up all night. It was a challenge, but the scariest thing was that gas gauge. No doubt, I was navigating on fumes when I got home that morning.

Veterinary Dentistry

I can remember my first veterinary dental presentation. It was in the 1980's and was presented to the Northeast Georgia Veterinary Medical Association. The UGA College of Veterinary Medicine assisted with my title slides. The slides were a little strange, but I appreciated their help, and there was no charge.

Immediately, I realized the need for professional title slides. I found a company in Atlanta that did a great job, but it was quite expensive. I progressed rapidly from local area veterinary groups to the national veterinary meetings: the First World Veterinary Dental Congress, the World Small Animal Veterinary Congress, the American Association of Animal Hospitals (AAHA), the British Small Animal Medical Association Meeting, the North American Veterinary Medical Conference, the Dental Forum, etc.

The first big presentation, I filled in for Dr. Jean Hawkins at the San Francisco AAHA meeting, and it was exciting. I will always remember that presentation. I must have done well because Dr. Hawkins and I remain really great friends, and that was over 16 years ago.

Title slides and 35mm slides are becoming a thing of the past. They have been replaced by digital pictures and Power Point, and is it easier? Oh, yes, it is far, far easier. Of course, I have to get help, like every 15 minutes, from my IT adviser, my youngest son.

The most recent presentation was a lecture/lab at Lake City Veterinary Hospital in Acworth, Georgia(May 20). The staff there made me feel welcome, and I know they will continue to enjoy all their new IM3 dental equipment.