On A Positive Note

It just occurred to me that I haven't said this enough lately, between the back injuries and head colds and househunting and various illnesses of family and friends....

I love my job.

I love being a veterinarian. Not just being a relief vet, though I do love that; I love being a doctor and taking care of animals. I love talking to people about their pets, and I love puzzle-solving, and I love making things better.

I love surgery - I never cease to be fascinated by the fact that I can cut a living thing open, stick my hands inside it, and then sew it back together as if nothing ever happened.

I love working with exotic species. I have a job where geckos squirm around to wave at me as malevolently as a six-inch-long creature can, and ferrets run up my sleeves and birds perch on my shoulder.

I love getting puppy-kisses, and seeing old chubby dogs with no tails wag their entire backsides, and having cats try to hide their heads in my arm. I love kitten season, and pregnant stray cats that wind up giving birth in the clinic so that when you're having a bad day, you can take a two-minute kitten break before going back to your depressing case or cranky owner.

Even with vicious animals and difficult cases and anxiety over various real and imagined problems, I love what I'm doing enough that, even having to work when I'm sick or injured, by the time I get out of my car in the office parking lot, I'm looking forward to the day ahead of me.

Sometimes I can't believe I'm really lucky enough to be doing this.