Open Days

Well, dear, beloved, treasured etc readers, as mentioned before, when I'm all big and grown up, I'm going to be a vet. This means University. Which is scary.
Just so you know.
In March I went to an open day type thing in Edinburgh, which wasn't a proper open day. It was Edinburgh just showing off their snazzy, very,very shiny new vet school.
It was REALLY Shiny. So needless to say, I was impressed, so much so that it confirmed the passionate  ambition of my 10 year old self, that was to attend this esteemed institution.

Yesterday I went to Nottingham, where I did an ultrasound on a rather hairy dog. Yes, me, an ultrasound. I saw it's heart move and it's aorta (or the vena cava?)  because I put the gel covered sticky thing in the right place. I felt AWESOME. I have power. Fear it.
They also let us loose with curvy needles and fishing twine. As implied, it did not go well. All in all, it as an epic day, and I really liked the campus and the course, not just because they let us play with the toys.Nottingham is renowned  for having a highly practical course; in which students are handling animals and famliarising themselves with basic procedures from the start. This is a major selling point, and most definitely the reason for Nottingham's popularity, despite the relative newness of the vet school.

And then, today, there was Liverpool.
Which, despite having a reputation as one of the best Vet schools in the country, didn't thrill me. At all.
The hospitals out at the Leahurst campus were nice and all that, but they just lacked the 'wow' factor. Then there was the faculty buildings in the middle of Liverpool, where you spend, pretty much, the entire first three years. It is not only grimy and in desperate need of refurbishment, but they admit that there are now too many vet students for it to contain. While they are trying to introduce a new curriculum, it's entirely possible they will not be able to by the time I start, meaning that I'd have to go through an antiquated course with little 'hands-on' experience until the fourth year.
It wasn't only the vet school that looked like it needed a bit of a scrub and update, but all the student union buildings and several others as well.
In fact, even though Liverpool was always going to be a fall back, I'm so un-awed by it, I'm doubting whether I'll apply at all.

Next week is Bristol! Really looking forward to it :)

Now I do promise I will finish the series of posts on my pets. Really.

I also promise to (at some point) do a post on Schistosomus Refluxus calves. Like my Penrose Drain post it will contain lots of highly scientific diagrams.

I love the smell of leather

Especially when it's just been polished. Sat on the stoep and polished my riding boots until I forgot how many times I'd done it. I'd forgotten how much I enjoy doing it.

My other favourite smells are wood smoke, cigarette smoke, the smell after the first summer rain, where everything is all fresh and clean as well as the smell of my dad's workshop. Although I imagine most autoelectricians'/mechanic's workshops smell the same, his is special.

This blog doesn't actually have a point, but I forgot to do one on friday.
Taxis cost a lot, just so you know.

*thinks of something to say*

OH! I ordered a Poets of the Fall hoodie and it should be here sometime this week, can't take that long to ship things from Finland right? I love this band so much it isn't funny, my best friend and I were planning to drive up there, to Finland to go and see them at some point. Considering relationship with said friend, that is no longer a plan. Although I have other friends, so it's okay.

I WILL see them live :)
One day.

That smilie face looks a bit odd, to me anyway.
Ermmm....
The week after next I'm getting my Marine Mammal Medic qualification, so will go be able to rescue whales from the Thames and things. They'll actually ring me and ask for help. How snazzy is that? Really amped for it. The idea of mucking about in the sea this far North doesn't thrill me on the other hand, but I suppose I'll survive, won't I?

Running out of general rambles here, or at least interesting ones.

EDIT: Will people please tell me when I make spelling mistakes? This has sat out there on the internet for however long and no one mentioned that this wasn't 100% correct. Rather annoying to tell you the truth.

Penrose Drains (with diagram)

A lot  has happened since my last post, well, I think it has.
When was my last post?
What was it about?
O.o

Well Saturday I did my volunteer work with the kitties at a RSPCA  cattery :) Which was great, as always. I LOVE cats, really. They're so fluffeh and sweet! Will do a blog on all 5 of mine soon - with illustrations!
The next day there was a fete type thing at the cattery, were I was nominated to sell the dog food >.<
Yes, dog food, at a cattery. No cat food. At all.
Maybe a couple boxes.

So, in summary, I spent my weekend cuddling unwanted felines and eyeing up the St John's Ambulance.

Now, onto the main feature of today's blog:
Blog day will normally be friday, but not this friday as I'm at a party. YAYYYYY!
*dances*

That wasn't the main feature.
This is:
When I'm all grown up, I want to be a vet. Due to how competitive getting into vet school is, and all the requirements you need to get in, I am currently doing work experience at a rather cute, small, country practice.

Today a lop came in with a large  lump. This lump was actually a pus filled abscess, which had already been lanced once. The vet re-opened the first cut, and made a second. This made sense, more really, really smelly pinky fluid could drain out of two holes, than could drain out of one.
Then, it got weird.
The Vet took a piece of (sterilised) rubber tube, and threaded it through the holes, before tying both ends together in a knot. At this point, I will admit, I was like WTF?!
Apparently this is called a Penrose Drain.
Now, for the promised diagram:

and finally after all of that, it's tied in a pretty knot.
It's not really pretty. Looks a bit gross to be honest. The drain (from what I gathered) gives the fluid something to run down, aiding drainage, as well as inhibiting healing, so the wounds will stay open for longer.
It's something I found rather awesome, so thought I'd share.


Now, sensitive audience, it doesn't look as gruesome in real life as my diagram makes it appear. Seriously.

Also, apologies for the lack of a lump in the illustration, I felt it would make my bunny less aesthetically pleasing.

I also sat my AS level unit 2 Physics exam on monday. Just in case you were wondering how I found it, it was pure, unadulterated evil. It was put together by some manic, sadistic demon.

I'm off, to go find fodder.
Wishing you many felicitations :)

My Babies, part I

Think it's time to tell you about all my children, there are a lot of them at the moment with makes me happy. I was originally going to have a loooong post about all of them, but not only do i want to keep you in suspense, but also think you'd get bored.
 I'd also, more importantly, get bored writing it.

Firstly, there are the chickens. They're newest and there are four of them, they all came from a yucky battery farm and looked a bit worse for wear at first. We only meant to get three, but they had some at the adoptiony place that didn't have home, so we got extra!
This caused an issue though, as I, using my immense powers of intellect, had decided to name the birdies after the PowerPuff girls, but the extra one presented a dilemma. In the end it was christened Henri. Just because.