Call Me Shak Nightingale
I had to get up at 6:30 am again but for an excellent reason. As I've written, CM volunteers at PAAWs and today was surgery day. As she had taken pre-vet courses in college and had worked as a medtech, CM was a valued volunteer on surgery days. She asked me if I wanted to come along and perhaps turn the patients over to their other sides as they recovered from their surgery and I said I'd be glad to come and help any way I could.
We got there and not other human was about. I refilled the resident cats' water dishes and kept them company for awhile. Slowly other people arrived including the vet and eventually the first patients and their owners came in. The first patient was a cat who was to be spayed and the vet asked if I wanted to watch. I was a bit hesitant as I didn't want to make a fool of myself and faint but it was rather interesting (and not too bloody) and apparently I impressed him with my questions and demeanor for when the next patient was on the table he asked if I wanted to assist!!! With visions of Radar O'Reilly helping the doctors of M*A*S*H 4077, I donned a surgical glove and with one hand I held the cat's leg and with my gloved hand I held the removed testicle as the vet tied off the blood vessel that had connected it to the body. The other testicle followed and I later I assisted with a couple of other operations always under the careful supervision of the vet. Everything went smoothly. I carried a few to the heating pad to recover and did get to turn them (this to prevent their blood from pooling and to aid their breathing). I washed dishes, changed pads and generally helped where I was needed. We left about 4 and I was exhausted - so exhausted that I forgot that it was ![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
lit_gal's birthday so happy belated birthday. What a truly unforgetable day I had.
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Well I didn't want to let my friend down when I agreed to work at PAAWs and when the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity came to assist and I found, having viewed the prior operation, that I could tolerate it, how could I say no?
Shakatany