June 26, 2011

Finishing Strong, Once Again :)

Hey All -

I am very proud to say that I finished this quarter with A's in all of my classes, continuing my 4.0 GPA :)!!!
I now have three weeks off, and then I head back July 18th for Animal Physiology II, Pharmacology, and Anatomy.  Should be an interesting and very tough quarter...but I plan on keeping up my awesome GPA and my attitude!

Thanks to everyone who reads and follows along with my blog each quarter, and a huge thanks for all the love and support! It keeps me going!!

Peace!

June 20, 2011

How Do I Say This?

As some of you may know, when I started my career here at Globe, I believed it was going to be paid for through a very generous relative that had passed away.  In the six months since I have started, I have fell in love with the school and the career that I am training for.  I earned A's in all five of my classes last quarter, and am on track to continue that 4.0 GPA this quarter as well.  Just today one of my instructors offered me a job as an assistant to the Veterinary Technology department, and I'm only in my second quarter!

This morning I received news that my entire education would not be paid for.  In fact, only about ten percent of it will be.  With Globe being a private institution, my total debt after I complete my dream education will amount to about $40,000.  I have struggled all day with the thought of dropping out because of financial reasons, but after talking with Alex and my family, I have decided that this IS what I need to be doing, and I WILL find a way to do it.  I will be utilizing student loans, but they will need to be repaid.

I have decided to create an Education Fund for myself.  It's extremely difficult to realize that you need help, but I've come to the conclusion that this may be the only way to help me reach my goals.  I will be applying for scholarships as well, but thought I might enlist in the help of my friends and family.

I can absolutely assure you that every penny put into my Education Fund will go directly to paying off the Student Loans that I am acquiring.  All donations will go to my PayPal account, and then to the loan company.  Whether you choose to donate $1 or $100, I promise you that I will finish out my degree and graduate to a bright new future!  Any donation would be SO MUCH appreciated.

I have placed a "Donate" button on the right sidebar under the "About Me" and "Blog Archive" sections.  You do not need a PayPal account to donate, and you can donate any time as long as it is needed.  Again, any donation will be put directly towards my student loans.  If you would like, share my blog and my fund with your friends.

I want to say thanks in advance for even considering a donation!  As always, I will continue to keep you updated on my career through the Vet Tech Program!!

June 15, 2011

Winding Down :)

This past week, we collected urine samples using a very highly skilled technique: following a dog around outside until it decides to do its business, and then attempting to catch it with a soup-ladle looking device.  Very.Highly.Skilled.  And I accomplished it on my first try! :P


With the urine, we ran a few tests.  First, we did a gross examination, which means just looking at it for color, clarity, and any debris.  Next, we used the refractometer (refer to previous posts) to measure specific gravity, or concentration of the urine.  Then, we put several drops on a dipstick with several different chemical pads that change color depending on  the test.  Once the pads change colors, you can compare them to the dipstick bottle and it will tell you several qualities of the urine such as pH level, glucose levels, ketones, if there's any blood, and more.  Here's an example:


Finally, we spun the urine down and examined it under the microscope.
We also did some fecal analysis, but I'll spare you the details :)

The quarter is winding down.  I got the rest of my Essential Skills signed off for this quarter, 100% on the first try for all of them :)  Coming up, I have a Final in Veterinary Office Procedures on Friday, and two Finals next Wednesday.  I better get studying!

Will let you know how it goes :)

June 6, 2011

Small Update

Hey All.
The past couple weeks, we've been working on the Gram Stains, Blood Smears, etc that I explained in the last couple of posts.

Today, I passed all of them on my first attempt for those essential skills :)



We're now in week 10 of 12....meaning I'm almost done with 1/4 of my career here at Globe!
I'm excited to have a few weeks off, and then start a new quarter of learning.

For now, it's time to buckle down and finish out this quarter with hard work and studying for finals!


Will write later :)