5th Semester so far...

Wow, I can't believe we've been in class for 8 weeks.  We just had our one day off, our mid-semester break.  It was glorious!  I got some studying, cleaning, quality time with the rabbits and the ever elusive beach time (which hasn't happened in the middle of a semester since October o_O).

5th Semester classes:

It's not really as bad as it looks.  Class 8a-12p then labs in the afternoons.  Most weeks I have 2-3 labs but there are a couple of weeks where there are FOUR!  These labs are different from in lower semesters, in that you have to prepare the lab completely prior to going.  This is when it gets real!  It's starting to switch now from attending to labs to learn to attending labs to show what you have learned.  Here is what my semester looks like:

This is the semester we receive our "Rossie".  It is our spay model made from PVC piping, different layers of cushioning (to reflect the different layers: muscle, subcutaneous, fat and skin) with a fake uterus and uterine horns.  We use it to practice our subQ and skin sutures this semester, but next semester in Small Animal Surgery we perform our "Rossie" Surgery (Spay).  Everything must be done aseptically and with proper technique.  I'll letcha know about it when it happens (hopefully I pass this semester). 

So here is a picture of the Rossie - her name is Jezebel (courtesy of my AWANAs kids):

Speaking of AWANAs, this is a kid's program that our pastor Brandon Grayson helped to start here in St Kitts.  It's where they get to learn Bible verses and play games while earning "AWANA dollars" that can be spent on prizes every so often.  I'm not gonna lie, my kid skills have atrophied!  I haven't gotten to be around children on a daily basis in a while, but I've wanted to help for over a year now.  It's taking adjusting, both for the kids and for me to reach an understanding; we all continually test our boundaries.  I'm always a work in progress (like the song, "He's still workin' on me, to make me what I ought to be..."), my life story :-)  I've been volunteering with Brandon and a few other Ross Students at AWANAs on Saturdays from 4p-7p. 

We also were able to start a chapter of Christian Veterinary Fellowship (the student version of Christian Veterinary Missions) here on campus.  When I have a chance I will write all about it.  We've been extremely busy trying to establish a presence on campus and within the community.  We've hosted RLRI (see this post about RLRI ), have begun a 3-part series on:

"Feeling Overwhelmed??? Vet School is NOT impossible!!!" 
Part 1 - Ways to Overcome Stress
Part 2 - How to Help Others Overcome Stress
Part 3 - Surprise! Stress still exists AFTER Vet School - Reaching the Community

Plus we have a Movie Night/Date Night planned for this semester, a prayer box to put up, and a food/clothing donation drive; so this semester I find it impossible to focus on my studies!

For the first 6 weeks I was also teaching a gymnastics class to the children in the afterschool program at the prep school.  This came with its own challenges but I wouldn't trade it for the world.  It combines two of my great loves: children and gymnastics!  Everyone who came had the opportunity to learn a forward roll, a handstand, and the three basic jumps: tuck, pike and straddle.  We also learned how to properly warm up and stretch, then came the favorite: the obstacle course!  Each week I tried to mix it up so that they didn't get bored (or maybe I was the one bored ;-) ).

I also am attending a Bible study on Cults and Religions that is on Wednesday nights and is only a 6 week study as well.

Whew!  This has been almost as busy as last semester!  I made it through my first set of exams relatively unscathed.  Overall, I have to say this is probably my favorite semester so far, which is crazy because I loved 3rd semester.  I think because we get so much hands on experience with clinically applicable topics, it's exhilarating!  I'll write more about the labs another time.

Ok I really do have to go get some studying done!

I'm going to HAITI!!!

So I had planned for over 2 years (since before I even found out I was accepted to Ross) that while I was in vet school I would  go on a short term mission trip.  Let me back up and give you some background information on my thought process.  It started out as an interest in joining the military because of the tremendous humanitarian missions that they do.  I was hesitant because there's never any guarantee that you get to choose where or how long you get to go and it what ways you are able to help.  My passion truly lies in being able to use my degree as a veterinarian to help the animals' human :-)

Most students going into vet school think, "I don't want to work with people, that's why I'm going to vet school!"  Well, that's kind of backwards because without the owner the animal would probably never make it in to see you and animals can't pay the bills (for those wanting to go into clinical practice).  After going through Veterinary Public Health and Epidemiology last semester, the topics discussed in the class are definitely the direction that I want to go.  My heart hurts for those that cannot provide quality protein sources and clean water.  I feel I can have the most impact and hope to help those that want help and allow them to sustain any changes implemented that improve their quality of life through long term missions.  I say this with some hesitation because of the connotations and negative experiences that some may have had.  Someone once said that "being a Christian missionary is just another form of cultural imperialism".  While this may have been their perspective and this person's experience, I pray that this is not how any work I do would be perceived.  I don't want to force people to be like me in culture, practice, or even religion - I just want to use my knowledge to work with them to improve their health.

Well this semester has been a roller coaster, I was planning on going to India to work with Christian Veterinary Missions on a rural project of spays/neuters and vaccination/de-worming of cattle.  My aunt and uncle were missionaries for 30 years, 12 of which were in the same province I was hoping to go, Tamil Nadu.  I signed up for the trip but due to lack of interest, the trip was canceled.  I was heartbroken to say the least, as this semester break is likely my last opportunity to get experience outside of school before I start my clinical year in April (hopefully). 

I say all of this to share some exciting news, I will be embarking on a short term mission trip to Haiti for this semester break! This trip fits perfectly into what I envisioned and exceeds many of the items I wished for in an experience.  I will be joining CVM long-term fieldworker, Dr. Kelly Crowdis who facilitates a sustainability project called "Give a Kid to a Kid".  Here is a video that tells more about her program:

This project is used to help the children gain confidence, instill a sense of responsibility, and educate them on how to care for and profit from their livestock.  The children are able to provide for their families through the products of the goats.  The people of Haiti use the animals as a bank account, so having healthy productive animals ensures they have a better quality of life.  The goal of this program is to be sustainable, so the second kid their goat produces goes back to the program and is given to another child.

Here is my video requesting support:

The total cost for the trip is $2000 which includes transportation, lodging, meals, and project expenses.  I am hoping to raise the money before August 1st. 

You can donate either via:

-Christian Veterinary Missions
 https://www.cvmusa.org/sslpage.aspx?pid=3161 
(if you would like to claim your donation as a tax deduction)

-Google Drive document
https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B3Haw4FHdzJEMll3SXpsYWFMQmc/edit?usp=sharing
(to mail a payment to CVM)

-You Caring Donation Site
https://www.youcaring.com/mission-trip-fundraiser/destination-haiti-sustaining-kids-with-kids/64563
(for credit card donations or smaller amounts)

Any contribution, large, small or through prayer is appreciated!  If you have any questions, please ask!  I may not know the answer but I can ask Dr. Crowdis or my folks at CVM and we'll learn together.  I am so excited!!!

4th Semester in a Nutshell

So I finally let loose...4th Semester was the semester I finally got a little (ok A LOT) crazy, joined some clubs and decided to enjoy school and island life.  Terrified that I would fail out of vet school, I limited my participation in clubs and other extracurricular activities in semesters 1-3 (translation: I didn't do anything but study for my first year here).  I went a little overboard though, this was just a glimpse of what I was able to be a part of last semester:

Pathology Club

•  Weekly club meetings
• 2 necropsies
• Cake off

Rabbit Pathology - Uterine Adenocarcinoma

 - 1st Place!!!

ZEW (Zoo, Exotics, and Wildlife) Club

• Zoo Clean up (Fecal/Mite sample collection)
• Fecal Exam Reading (from samples collected) - My Valentine's present to myself :-)
• Dirt Cup Fundraiser Sale (vanilla/chocolate pudding with oreos and whipped cream with gummy worms on top, ohhhhh yeah!!!)

Small Ruminant Club

• Sheep Processing
• Administering Coccidiostats
• De-worming
• BCS Scoring
• FAMACHA Scoring
• Hoof Trimming
• Horn Trimming

We can't take pictures on campus, but these are the sheep

• Women's Bible Study (weekly on Sunday nights)

• Discipleship (Theology/Apologetics) Bible Study (weekly on Thursday nights)

• Short term Mission Trip preparedness meetings (with a group that was preparing for their April trip to Nicaragua) and to prepare for my trip in August :-D (weekly on Monday nights)

• Good Friday Beach Church Service

• Children's Church Teacher (just for one Sunday)

• Planning for Real Life Real Impact (see this post: http://justanotherrossvetschoolstudentblog.blogspot.com/2013/05/its-been-while.html )

• SCAVMA Meeting to get approval for Christian Veterinary Fellowship (see this post: )

Research Assistant for “Does pain perception and response to pain relieving drugs differ between horses and donkeys?” research project (25 hours for the semester)

• administered dosages of phenylbutazone/placebo (molasses)
• tested their nociceptive responses

I got to wake up to 20 of these faces!!!  I would treat at least one morning/week, treat a few afternoons/week and test one morning/week last semester:

Donkeys!!! (I wish I could take a picture of the actual donkeys, they were so adorable!

Abbatoir visit with the Public Health Club - so much fun!!!  Learning about Meat Inspection

As a part of our semesterly duties we were required to:

• bathe 2 of the kennel dogs (one Saturday morning of the semester)
• clean the aviary (one day of the semester)

Clinic Volunteer day (at the VTH) - As 4th Semesters we get to work one morning in the hospital with our professors/clinicians.

Clinical Skills I learned this past semester:

• Square knots (hand ties and with instruments)
• Surgeon's knots (hand ties and with instruments)
• Miller's knots (hand ties and with instruments)
• Ligatures of large and small vessels/structures
• Simple Interrupted Suture Patterns

This semester was FULL of exams.  Don't get me wrong, I love having lots of opportunities to do well in a class but in a period of 14 weeks we had 14 EXAMS!!!

Not only do that leave less time in my schedule to stay caught up in classes, but each exam also comes with a review session that takes at least 30 minutes.  These are good because you get to determine where you went wrong with the concepts, just do the math 14 exams, 30 minute exam review = 7 hours of just learning from my mistakes!









For my Veterinary Public Health and Epidemiology course I got the first step of my USDA Accreditation (about 10 hours of modules with quizzes).


To top this wonderful and challenging semester off, I was able to visit South Africa for a trip with WildlifeVets to learn about Wildlife Conservation Medicine (see this post:  ).  Such a great experience I had to make a whole separate post about it!

Such a busy semester, but I wouldn't trade all of the practical experience for better grades.  I finally feel like I'm able to connect some concepts with clinical applications and it feels GREAT!

It's been a while...

So for various reasons I have not been able to update my blog, and I apologize.  A huge pet peeve of mine is people that don't follow through with a commitment.  So I will try to do better...

In light of this new commitment I have a whole new post, so here goes:

If you would have told me a year ago that I would spend an entire weekend at an event, without an ounce of studying I would have laughed.  For my whole first year here at Ross University I did nothing but study, rarely went to any social events and only saw the beach from campus or my apartment window.  I would have had an anxiety attack at the thought of spending an ENTIRE day not doing school work.  However, this weekend was a life changing experience.  But let's backup for a second.

Throughout my time here at Ross I have become increasingly involved with "extracurricular activities".  For my second and third semesters I was a part of the Women's Bible Study and last semester I finally joined some of the clubs, did 2 Bible Studies, and worked as a research assistant with the on campus donkeys.  The clubs here are so active with events going on every week; students are so involved!  I have definitely become one of those types of students.  Thankfully, I (at least at this moment in time) have somewhat gotten over my fear of failure and started to enjoy island life, being a student again, and investing in relationships.

This weekend's event was called Real Life Real Impact, sponsored by Christian Veterinary Missions and Nutramax, and brought by Christian Veterinary Fellowship.  This weekend seminar is a spiritual retreat geared toward veterinary students.  During these weekends, students have an opportunity to meet other Christian veterinarians in private practice, talk with some of CVM's long-term missionaries and find out about short-term mission trips.  I got the pleasure of helping to plan this event and have been working hard along with a faculty advisor to plan  It has been such a great learning experience; working through frustrations and changes of plans is NOT my forte, so learning to "let it go" was a skill to be honed.

Here was the brochure that
my marketing team made:

The flier to post on campus***
(more on this a little later):

This was the schedule of events for the weekend:

It was a great weekend for me to learn about the Short-term mission trip that I have planned for August (more on this later) and also a great opportunity to hear about Long-term missions (stay tuned for more on this).  It was amazing to hear that close to 4,000 veterinarians from the US are a part of Christian Veterinary Missions in some capacity.  This is truly where I feel my passion lies; how or if it works out the way I want is yet to be determined.  But just as Kathy Shoenborn mentioned in her talk, God shows us one step at a time where our life is leading.  If we could see the end result - the result 20 steps down the road - we would not learn nearly as much; learning about ourselves and, more importantly, about our relationship with God is what this journey is all about!

Since I have done such a horrible job of keeping this updated, I would like to retroactively update so everyone can fill in the time gap.  It will be a process, but I am committed!  Hopefully I'll have another update before the end of the week.

Class, Study, Eat, Study, Sleep...wash, rinse, repeat

Well, it has been my biggest fear, that I would not be able to update my blog, and it came true. I’ll have to back fill as I have time...So I can’t remember everything in detail but not too many “interesting” things have really happened. I go to class, study, eat, study, go to sleep, wash, rinse, repeat. So far I haven’t even been able to sneak a workout in. Just finished my first round of exams and have grades for the first 2. I’m pleased with how I have done so far but there is always room for improvement. Over the last 16 days we have had 4 exams, Microanatomy first, then Physiology, Gross Anatomy, and Nutrition today. So I have been studying like mad to make sure I do well. Everything is interesting and applicable so its relatively easy to do the assignments but as I was forewarned there is just so much material being thrown at you all at once. I love it though! I have wanted to be a student again for so long and I am trying to soak up every minute of it.
Highlight of last week: I found the path to the beach from campus!!! It goes on a steep decline through the woods (which remind me of the woods at home) and there’s even a swing hanging from one of the trees. It opens up to a gorgeous view of the Caribbean Sea and a rocky beach. After closer inspection we found some cute little crabs that hang out on the rocks and there are some beautiful shells. This will definitely be added to one of my study spots!
Another highlight of last week was that I finally broke down and bought a kindle fire. My big sister gave me a huge collection of ebooks and it is helpful to use during prosections (although I have to try to keep it as clean as possible). So I have a new toy and I love it!
I had my first experience with the infamous St Kitts centipede this evening. As I was taking a nap I felt a pinch on my pinky toe. Immediately I knew it couldn’t be the rabbits, so that meant the lil bugar snuck into my bed. I jumped out of my bed (because these guys also can sting and are venemous) rounded up the rabbits, put on a pair of shoes, grabbed my can of BOP and slowly took off the covers. I went for it, I unloaded the can of BOP as he literally jumped off the bed I continued spraying...I couldn’t let him get away. It was either him or me and I was holding the can of BOP (highly potent pesticide/insecticide). Next I had to call all of my neighbors to come for the viewing of the body...too much fun for one sleepy student! Good night!

Study study study

Studying for my first vet school exam...self explanatory. I will update everyone with the happenings of the last 4 weeks as soon as I finish this first exam...promise :-)

Packing!!! Ahhhhhh!!!

I just want to transplant everything from here to there, can I just do that??? I love packing and moving, but this trip I can’t take everything, so the hardest part for me is figuring out what to bring, what is the most cost effective, what will be good comfort items, what will I need the most, and what will fit. I spent a good 4 hours packing my bags rearranging and trying to fit in some last minute snacks :-) The remainder of my Christmas Eve was spent putting up [even more] Christmas lights on the house and climbing up a 15’ ladder to decorate our outside Christmas Tree. Then we fixed dinner and opened our traditional one gift for Christmas Eve. Now I must go to sleep so Santa brings me lots of packable items! MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

Gratuitous pictures of my Caribbean Christmas Bunnies...



Fred tryin to look gangster in his Santa hat...



Betcha didn't know there were two bunnies present at the birth of Jesus...


(or that baby Jesus can be depicted by a cabbage patch doll :-) )