Planes and automobiles
Trip Start
Dec 26, 2006
1
17
19
Trip End
Jan 20, 2007
Hannover, Germany
Friday, January 19, 2007
time I flew, I had that grand little adventure. (Yet I still love
flying, there's just something about airports and take-offs and
landings). The winds here are actually still strong, but I think not
strong enough to de-rail any travel plans, so that's good. Last night
they actually stopped all plane and rail travel throughout Germany.
There were trees down everywhere (on the news, not too much damage
here). It's getting cold here finally, back to where it is supposed to
be in January, it's supposed to start hovering around 0C this weekend.
I'm also not looking foreward to leaving because I've started to feel
at home here. I miss people from home, of course (and my dog!), but I'd
live here in a heartbeat. (Hannover, or Germany in general) The people
are incredibly friendly and it's an easy place to settle in. My last
day working was great. I was again in Orthopaedics, (the catch all),
where most treatments are joint issues, but we also put cows on the
tilt table for udder issues and we do the ultrasounding that needs to
get done that day. The first cow was a field C-section that came here
because of resulting peritonitits. We ultrasounded, to confirm the
diagnosis, and it ended up being a HUGE abcess within the muscle
layers. We cut the abcess open, and at first I thought we had cut
all the way into the abdomen. Nope, the abcess was just that big. Since
it was such a poor prognosis, we euthanized. (Today was a day for
death, so if you're not in the mood, stop reading).
Another super cool case (that ends up dying) was a case of tetanus that
we were treating with tetanus toxoid anti-serum for one day. Yesterday
she was kind of ok, we couldn't pry her mouth open and her ears were
flexed to her head, but she could stand and move about. Overnight she
got really bad and this morning she was recumbant (partial
opisthotonus, if you know what that is) and had distressed breathing
(from the diaphragm becoming affected). We euthanized her also (but not
before I got video!)
Another case ( who doesn't die!) was a huge hematoma turned abcess in
the leg that I got to drain, clean and suture. Lastly, one more, (she
dies) a peritonitis from a ruptured uterus which someone had attempted
to suture closed again. We did a necropsy (contraband as it was, all
are supposed to go to pathology) to check out the suture job and degree
of peritonitis.
There were other cases thrown in, but those were the highlights. So, as
you can see, busy day! But great because I got to do alot on my
own. I think the plan for the evening it to attempt a packing job
before heading out tonight. I've got dinner with the doctors first, and
then if I get back in time, going out with some of my fellow students.
So, this is not the end, because I have pictures to post, so keep
checking back in the next few days (probable early next week). And with
that, I will say auf wiedersehen, and I'll see you all soon!
Love,
Beth
