A Tribute To My Staff

I have to say, I really love my job. It is a rare day that someone doesn't tell me they've wanted to be a veterinarian at some point in their life. As an animal-lover, nothing could be better than going to work to help sick pets or keep pets from getting sick. But among veterinarians, I think I am more blessed than most, thanks to the people I work with every day.

I try to be a guy who appreciates all his blessings, but a particular incident last week really made me realize how cool it is to work at Horseshoe Lake Animal Hospital. I was doing a physical exam on a cat, and talking to her owner when we heard a bit of commotion coming from the back of the building. We stopped talking to try to figure out what the noise was.

At first it was difficult to discern, but after a few moments we realized we were listening to female voices singing, and the singing was, well, enthusiastic. As we listened more closely, the client looked at me and said, "You give love a bad name." I was definitely thrown off by her remark and said, "Excuse me?" "You Give Love A Bad Name. The Bon Jovi song. That's what they're singing," she said. Ok, that was a relief; and as I listened to them, I couldn't help but laugh out loud.

I have no idea what prompted the singing, but my client looked at me and said this must be a really fun place to work. My tech and I had to agree that it was. The people who work here are seriously underpaid - they're all here because they love what they do. It is pretty stressful at times, because our standards are high, and we take our responsibility to our patients and their owners very seriously. Not to mention this is a ridiculously busy place. But in spite of it all, we really like each other, and our jobs.

I'm also a drummer in a rock 'n roll cover band, and whenever we play out, about twenty or more people from work show up to socialize and dance. I love the show of support for me, and the fact that after spending a whole week together, these folks want to hang out. They get a little crazy sometimes, but that just makes me all the more impressed by the serious work they do at the hospital. It is the perfect example of knowing when to have fun, and when to bear down. And it makes me one lucky veterinarian.