Inch by Inch

[ladysprite]

It almost feels like that first client opened the door for things to start flowing in.  I'm not flooded with cases yet, but I've had three more appointments this week.  It's more than I had expected all at once, and it's reassuring to me that there is a call for what I do.

Mostly the cases I've seen have been euthanasias, but today's visit was for actual hospice care, and it looks like the approach I planned seems to work well.  We'll see what the client thinks, and how the patient responds, but.... I think this is a good fit.

Things I've learned so far:
-I will not get the easy euthanasias.  While I'm good at this, I'm also going to have to get used to bad or rough deaths, and people and animals that can be challenging to work with.

-Damn, but I was insulated from a lot of fiddly details as an associate.  There's a metric ton of paperwork and grunt work associated with practice that I just let other people do for me.  Drugs no longer magically show up in my cabinet, bodies don't get transported to the freezer by helpful elves, the crematory doesn't just intuit that I need a pickup, and records don't scan themselves into my computer.

-There will always be another piece of equipment that I need, no matter how well-supplied I feel like I am at any given moment.

-I am going to spend a lot of time looking at people's pictures of their pets.  (NB: I do not mind this at all.)

-Staples is the most awesome store on the planet.

I've hit a bit of a lull after the rush - though by 'lull' I mean 'I haven't had a call that resulted in someone scheduling an appointment since Tuesday' - but that just means I have a little time now to get back to spreading the word again.  I have more flyers to hand out at other clinics, soon I'll have a blog on my professional website to educate folks more about hospice, and at least now I have a little bit of a buffer to hold me until the next visit comes in.

And in the meantime.... it's nice to know I make a difference, and that my clients appreciate what I do.  My first client wrote this amazing memorial after my visit, and if I ever doubt my impact.... I'll just go and read it again.

http://autumnvet.com/memorials/

Comments

[matildalucet.livejournal.com]

Will you be seeing animals other than cats and dogs? None of my piggies is ready for hospice yet, but I can see the possibility in Stewie's future.

[janetmiles.livejournal.com]

I feel very odd saying, "I hope your practice grows quickly," because it feels as though I'm wishing ill on people and their pets. But I want you to be happy and successful, and I think your work is a blessing, so I hope that the people who need you find you. Ah! That's a comfortable way for me to think of it: I hope that the people who need you, find you.

[dagibbs.livejournal.com]

I am glad there is signs of growth, and I hope you continue to do well with this business, and the learning from it. Maybe you will, at some time, be successful enough to hire an elf to make the magic things happen again.

[evcelt.livejournal.com]

Those are some amazing memorials.

You rock so hard. I'm so glad you're doing what you're doing.