OT: so pumped from today!

[3Ms]

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Since I'm about to bust open with excitement I figured I could tell yall about my day. I am an anesthesia tech for a veterinary surgical referral group and today the neurosurgeon was shorthanded and had me scrub in and assist with a craniotomy on a mini schnauzer. SO PUMPED! It was amazing 🙂 although the surgery was complicated and took seven hours....but still...it's like my birthday, Christmas, Easter, and the 4th of July all rolled into one day!

 

[Minnerbelle]

Since I'm about to bust open with excitement I figured I could tell yall about my day. I am an anesthesia tech for a veterinary surgical referral group and today the neurosurgeon was shorthanded and had me scrub in and assist with a craniotomy on a mini schnauzer. SO PUMPED! It was amazing 🙂 although the surgery was complicated and took seven hours....but still...it's like my birthday, Christmas, Easter, and the 4th of July all rolled into one day!

Ooooh that sounds awesome!!! What exactly does an anesthesia tech do?

 

[clouds815]

wow that does sound super amazing!

 

[luplodw]

i'm so jealous! I never understood how surgeons could do that for so long...7 hours is a long time to stand up in one spot

 

[3Ms]

Ooooh that sounds awesome!!! What exactly does an anesthesia tech do?

Minnerbelle, basically it means I induce, monitor, and recover patients (in addition to patient care). All we do all day long are surgeries though--not spays and neuters, but other things, so it definitely keeps me busy at least 10-12 hours a day.

 

[3Ms]

i'm so jealous! I never understood how surgeons could do that for so long...7 hours is a long time to stand up in one spot

Thanks for being excited with me guys! I called my brother to tell him and he said "Gross." Oh yeah it was 7 hours straight through lunch to dinner. I was getting super lightheaded by the end.

 

[clouds815]

i'd also be interested to know a bit more background on the case...?

 

[3Ms]

i'd also be interested to know a bit more background on the case...?

I'll tell you what I know...which might not be enough to satisfy but I'll try!

11y.o. FS Mini Schauzer presented with neurological symptoms (can't tell more detail). Came in for CT, found large tumor (I want to say about 5cm) dorsal to L eye.

As to the actual procedure's difficulties: Patient's sinus cavities were incredibly small (which I was told is breed-specific to Schnauzers) and brain was very far forward. Procedure is more common for German Shepherds, Golden Retrievers (other larger breeds). In addition to that, tumor wouldn't stop bleeding upon removal (and wouldn't come out as a whole, had to dissect entire thing)

 

[Minnerbelle]

Thanks for being excited with me guys! I called my brother to tell him and he said "Gross." Oh yeah it was 7 hours straight through lunch to dinner. I was getting super lightheaded by the end.

dang i bet!

 

[clouds815]

cool! well congrats on your super-duper awesome experience- not everyone gets to see crazy s*** like that!

 

[twelvetigers]

Yeah, I'm jealous. 🙂

 

[Minnerbelle]

Yeah, I'm jealous. 🙂

haha, TT, this is where you're supposed to go:

"anyone else jealous??? then come on the VIDA trip with me and you can do your own surgeries!"

 

[twelvetigers]

Bahaha! That's true, I guess every post I make from now until May 8th should be a sales pitch for the volunteer trip. 😀

 

[VeganSoprano]

Wow, this isn't OT at all! How abasolutely cool!

 

[heylodeb]

ok - so your day was WAY cooler then mine. Like seriously..I'm greenish with envy right now...


BUT since you're bragging, thought I'd jump in. I was on my way out of the clinic to go to lunch and my real job, when one of our veterinarians offered to let me sit in with them and others clinicians from around the area for Radiology Rounds. (for those who aren't familiar with this - once a month there is a meeting with vets from surrounding clinics and a radiologist looks at any "weird" cases they have seen to help answer questions)

So anyway -I felt totally intimidated by my complete lack of knowledge on radiographs. but I just love sitting there and hearing problem solving and discussion even if I can't understand a word of it. 🙂 (at one point my vet leaned over and translated some acronyms for me..that helped )

why is vet med so stinking cool?

 

[clouds815]

ok - so your day was WAY cooler then mine. Like seriously..I'm greenish with envy right now...


BUT since you're bragging, thought I'd jump in. I was on my way out of the clinic to go to lunch and my real job, when one of our veterinarians offered to let me sit in with them and others friends from around the area for Radiology Rounds. (for those who aren't familiar with this - once a month there is a meeting with vets from surrounding clinics and a radiologist looks at any "weird" cases they have seen to help answer questions)

So anyway -I felt totally intimidated by my complete lack of knowledge on radiographs. but I just love sitting there and hearing problem solving and discussion even if I can't understand a word of it. 🙂 (at one point my vet leaned over and translated some acronyms for me..that helped )

why is vet med so stinking cool?

oooo wow that sounds way cool too! jeaalouss

 

[cowgirla]

Hooray for good days!

Sometimes, its the little things that make me happy...I drew blood from an evil corgi, without getting bitten, scratched, urinated on, defecated on, or anal glands on, and hit the vein on the first try. I was shocked! 😍

 

[alliecat44]

Yay, congrats!!! I bet it was a meningioma...will be cool to see what the histopath says. 🙂 Great job and stamina for lasting 7 hours--that's awesome!!

I worked as a surgery tech for a specialist surgical group, too--LOVED anesthesia, especially on critical cases (right adrenalectomies, anyone?)--and believe me, your experience and knowledge will be sooo helpful in vet school. 🙂

Congrats! 🙂

 

[katryn]

That is totaly awesome! and I'm super jealous. My year with a neuro specialist just landed me in a bunch of Hemi-laminectomies. Which are cool....but I was sold on the job with the sales pitch of brain tumors. 😛

 

[lunajett]

I'll tell you what I know...which might not be enough to satisfy but I'll try!

11y.o. FS Mini Schauzer presented with neurological symptoms (can't tell more detail). Came in for CT, found large tumor (I want to say about 5cm) dorsal to L eye.

As to the actual procedure's difficulties: Patient's sinus cavities were incredibly small (which I was told is breed-specific to Schnauzers) and brain was very far forward. Procedure is more common for German Shepherds, Golden Retrievers (other larger breeds). In addition to that, tumor wouldn't stop bleeding upon removal (and wouldn't come out as a whole, had to dissect entire thing)

Was radiation not an option? At the specialty hospital I work at, we radiate brain tumors all the time, and it's got to be much less traumatic than a craniotomy; probably a lot less expensive too. I can't imagine putting a geriatic patient through a surgery like that. Still, I'm sure it was an amazing surgery, and hats off to dedicated owners.