Wedding pictures

Okay, so I didn't take any pictures of my own wedding (I was obviously otherwise occupied). Thanks to my many friends and relatives who posted photos! If you want to see the professional ones (and you could even order some), please go to their website: www.jolieimages.com and select View Event at the top. Then scroll down the alphabetical list to select Hawker-Heidner wedding as the event. Put in your e-mail address (they don't send you a ton of junk, just save your selected photos in your basket according to your e-mail so you can look as some and then come back later for more) and the password, which is wedding. Be prepared, the photographer worked VERY hard and was quite busy. There are 1079 pictures. Yes, that is a lot. For easiest viewing, you can either have them run as a slideshow (I suggest 2 seconds per photo, be prapared to spend a long time and to wake up your computer with occasional mouse movements to prevent screen-saver takeovers), or select a larger number of photos per page to pick and choose which ones you want a closer look at from the thumbnails. Many of the photos are not in chronological order (I think he had several disks that got put on in a random order) and a few are not properly rotated, but the images are really good for the most part. As they say, the online images are not as high quality of their prints. I can vouch for this, as we did our engagement photos through them as well. I'll be putting some honeymoon photos up soon on FB.

Survey for Guys

Okay, so guys are largely visual (based on what I've seen, read, and been told by many sources). As such, I'm a bit curious about the male opinion on various female hairstyles and which ones they prefer. I always found it funny that Ryan prefers me in a simple ponytail over other, more elaborate looks. Then I saw a comment on FB indicating that another guy was also rather pro-ponytail today. So here's a survey for all you guys out there. Get to work answering!!

Which is your preference, and if you've got time, why?
A) Straight and long
B) Straight and short
C) Curly and long
D) Curly and short
E) Hair all pinned up in curls (i.e. nothing much hanging over the neck, but lots of curly volume over the crown)
F) Modern "messy" - looks like you got out of bed recently and/or are soon to attend and emo concert
G) Sleek and flat against the head, with the back tucked in a French twist (look it up if you don't know what that is)
H) Simple ponytail
I) Partial ponytail (half up, half down)
J) French braid
K) Pigtails
L) Braided pigtails
M) Partial pigtails (part up on each side)
N) Bun
O) Ponytail where the ends aren't pulled through (either over or under with the loose ends)
P) Other, please describe, as I know I didn't cover it all.
Q) for Chad, but the rest can comment, too: Bangs or not?

Okay, I'll be busy, so you have some time to answer this survey. Please don't disappoint!

Appology

On review of my last post, I need to appologize for the tone of the whole thing. I am afraid it was a very destructive post, and therefore I deleted it to try and stop further damage from being done. I felt increasingly stressed and confused about the various sitiations listed, and this resulted in a poor choice to rant about it instead of better behavior.

I assumed that by saying I was letting go of that "no kids" idea that readers would see that I was trying to move on in a positive direction in spite of the changed plans, but then I see that I really removed all chance of that with what followed. I appreciate the efforts people are going to just to be part of our wedding, and I shouldn't lash out like that. My struggle is that our church (rather unexpectedly to me) isn't being very helpful with the whole "infant/child-friendly" wedding. They will not allow us to use the nursery or children's rooms (I'm not sure why, but I imagine security is one big reason), so there aren't many good options for parents of little ones at the wedding, should they need such facilities. I've probably heard/read too many horror stories about potential fiascos with kids at the ceremony (vomiting toddlers, parents who refused to take a crying baby out, etc.) and let them go to my head. Please forgive my worry turning me into a jerk - I feel like such an idiot.

I feel very upset about Grandpa's failing health. I really want him to be at the wedding and share the day with him. I know that Grandma has a tender heart that causes her to worry a lot about him and others. My comments about her were meant to indicate that, but I have been told by Ryan that it didn't come across that way. Again, I feel terrible about the whole thing.

I don't know if this post can un-do any damage, but I hope it does.

The Unexpected

And yet I had a premonition... I hate it when that bad feeling is right, and that was the case with the creepy sensation I woke up with on Monday. Yesterday was pretty rough. I started the day being accused by another vet/client of malpractice. I ended the work shift being told my contract would not be renewed for purely economic reasons. (AKA "You're fired.") He thought he was giving me 2 months notice. Too bad my contract expires July 1st! (And too bad I just signed a 12 month lease with my apartment so I'm not as portable for job hunting as would be ideal.) He says he'll pay me as before through the month of July and write a strong recommendation letter, so here's hoping I find something fast. I then went home and had dinner and spent the next 1.5 hours throwing up dinner... Still not sure if that was from stress or a bug in my leftovers.

Not sure where God is taking me or teaching me with all this, but I guess I'll find out eventually. Now that I've had another frustrating shift, I'm not even that upset about a change in employment, just not excited about the timing and reasons and prospects and such. Here's hoping all the open positions I'd want aren't already filled with new grads... Prayers are appreciated, as always.

Satan sucks

I feel lately like he has asked God to "sift me like wheat". I guess that means you all need to pray for me that my faith will be strengthened so I can rebound and encourage the brethren... I haven't been sleeping well, nor feeling the greatest thanks to my allergies.

Work has been very stressful again lately, but my attitude has been better, so it hasn't seemed so bad. But I really reached the breaking point several times the last week or two... I know getting angry doesn't help my witness to my co-workers, so I feel even worse about the whole thing. It's just very hard to keep my cool when preventable issues keep making things way too complicated or intense. It's also difficult to take a break from it all when my boss takes the half day of intended vacation hours I took and makes me work them on another day...

Then comes the whole diet/exercise plan to get in shape for the wedding... It's never really gotten off the gound, and there seem to be no end to the dirty tricks to sabotage it. Now that I have fairly completely removed the temptations from my apartment, we went from rarely having junk food around at work except during holidays to almost daily batches of cookies, brownies, rice krispie treats... I have zero willpower. I also have very little time or energy to work out with how work drains time and strength. Then I went to the doctor and got the depressing news that I'm supposed to be working out 45 minutes 5 times per week. Tonight I finally decided to go work on that, and I couldn't even get into the clubhouse to use the fitness room. I used every code I've ever been given on the keypad, and none of them worked. GRRR!! I feel doomed to be a fat, sloppy bride...

On the bright side, I still have 3 months (minus one day) to make a difference. Hopefully I can get into the clubhouse at some point before then... Mom is supposedly sending me a workout video, too, so that should help. I should call her and make sure she actually sent it. And I need to go buy groceries. Here's hoping the store isn't stuffed full of late Easter meal shoppers.

Spring Break

I have a new level of displeasure towards Spring Break. Why, do you ask? There are several reasons.
1. I don't get one. I would love a week away from the real world.
2. Everyone who gets one brings their pets in to see us at work. This creates mayhem.
3. The mayhem is spread over several weeks, as the nation didn't agree on a single week for all to be on break.
4. Being used to having Spring Break in the past did not prepare me for #1. After dental month combined with Cook County discount spay/neuter month in February, I feel I've EARNED a Spring Break...
5. Many people use Spring Break for debauchery. This is not a news flash, I know, but it's still is a reason to dislike it.

Anyway, things are busy at work.

Also, Ryan continues to surprise me. He's not like other guys in many ways. He actually cares about things like the wording of the wedding invitations. Sometimes this makes things more complicated than I had anticipated... Is it July yet?

Why other nations dislike Americans

Okay, so this is probably just one of many reasons, but it's one that I think is well-founded. In America, we've created a monster. We have taught the average American to be pushy and unpleasant. I think we did it through spoiling our children, promoting selfishness, bending over backwards to please irrationally upset people, and generally not being strong enough to stand up for what is right. The number of clients I deal with on a daily basis who are like this is increasing. They don't like their bill (not the service that they recieved that day), which is a 100% fair charge, so they complain. We explain the logic of the bill (as if I should even have to justify my hard work...), and they continue to object, generally going to stage 2 of insulting people and/or their actions. We try to diplomatically re-iterate that we expect payment. They start to make a scene. Dr. Roberts is recruited, as its his business, so financial matters must pass his approval. He inevitably caves in some way. They got their way - the rude behavior paid off! Bad behavior is reinforced. This atrocity will most likely continue to be the person's mode of operation. I think the wrong people are being punished here.

Specifically, today, I was punished for the client's rudeness. Her dog was seen for routine vaccines about a month ago. A different doctor saw her. She claims she was concerned about the dog's eye at that time, but that doctor "ignored" the issue. Considering that eyes are always examined at every appointment, this is already a less-than-true complaint. She noticed something recently on the dog's eye and called about it, mainly to complain that the doctor was negligent a month ago. She reluctantly committed to an appointment (although she didn't commit to arriving at that time...), but demanded that she see a different doctor. That doctor was me. The dog does have a bump on its eye, and the owner says it has grown and changed color since the last visit, (so is it really the same issue?) but doesn't appear to be causing any discomfort. I don't know what the bump is, so I get Dr. Roberts to take a peek before I send them to an eye specialist. He has a few ideas, but also can't tell which it is and suggests referral. I decide to charge the visit as a re-check (which is cheaper than the usual illness exam), since she continues to claim it was there last time they were in. (The notes from the doctor don't say anything about it, which makes me suspicious that this is really a newer problem.) She instantly starts to jump down the receptionist's throat that she shouldn't have to pay ANYTHING since she wanted this issue addressed last time. We point out that since a different doctor saw her this time (and actually, she saw TWO doctors), as she had requested, that they need to be compensated for their time, as they did nothing wrong. We also note that she already got the discounted re-check rate. She calls all the doctors at our facility failures and continues to refuse payment. The receptionist tries to interject a few more times, but the client continues bashing us, claiming that her friend just had to euthanize her dog because we "screwed up." (This is all in the very public front desk area where other clients can hear/see.) No idea what case that is referring to (or if it's even real), but I only know of one that fits that description, and that's the one we're being sued over. Dr. Roberts tries to talk to her, but she leaves without paying. This has been a client of his for 10 years, so it's not like she really dislikes us that much. Something had to keep her coming back all those years! My bonus takes a hit because the client is mad at another doctor and my boss won't stand his ground. What a waste.

America, my challenge to you is this: if you want something addressed, bring it up BEFORE you leave your vet's office. They are humans, so the fact that you mentioned it once (half the time when we have our stethoscope in our ears ausculting the pet's heart and aren't listening to you!) doesn't mean they know/remember to do it. Make a point of saying it to them again if need be! They're going to be happy to help you if they can. (Unlike a doctor I once saw at McKillMe, who refused to address one of two issues I wrote on my check-in form AND asked about in the room. He very abruptly told me to schedule a separate appointment for it. What if it had been skin cancer??!) Then, you won't have to make a second trip and a total jerk of yourself in public and end up lashing out at the wrong people. Also, remember that you're paying US, not an insurance company. Our prices aren't inflated and unfair like theirs in the first place. When you refuse to pay, you impact our ability to offer a high standard of care, because we need to pay rent on some very nice equipment and other bills.

And with that, I hope to have no more irrational/grumpy clients this week.

Standard of Care

Major beef with work yet again. It just keeps getting more ridiculous! Now the receptionists are going to be fired if they tell any client who calls that we can't take them for an appointment. So if the appointments are all full, we're already behind, and someone calls in wanting anything done (from an emergency that we would refer elsewhere anyway due to lack of proper equipment to care for them to an exam/vaccines that could safely wait to be seen) it gets piled on us. HOW ON EARTH IS THAT ETHICAL??! I got into this profession because I wanted to provide a high quality of veterinary medical care. How am I supposed to do that when I'm rushing around with my head spinning? Mistakes are being made. The more over-booked we are, the more frequent the mistakes. Some mistakes are small (I forgot to hand them their dental report card), but some mistakes are a big deal (this patient is being told the wrong instructions for their medication, or this boarding exam/vaccines patient had another health concern that wasn't addressed due to oversight and now the kennel staff don't know what to do about it). All of these mistakes make us lose money and/or look bad to the clients. Nevermind the running horribly behind upsetting everyone and leaving a bad taste in new clients' mouths. The fact of the matter is, no matter how many appointments you squeeze in, you're not going to have a good reputation, a good standard of care, and in the end, a good financial base, if your staff is overly rushed. It's also begging for a lawsuit. We already have one of those, so why risk another when you can take preventive measures? Plus, you have to pay staff to work those extra hours when we run late. Also, if you're trying to build up a quality client base, catering to the "rude/late/didn't become an emergency until mid-day on Saturday when it's been going on for quite awhile/expect to be seen whenever it pleases me instead of having some sense and foresight and scheduling in advance" type of people is NOT how to go about things. I don't know how much sense that makes to most of you, but I really needed to vent. Here's hoping we can have a Doctor meeting soon and get some of this out in the open and reach some resolutions. In the mean time, pray for some relief and/or sanity.

Hullabaloo...

So if you've been in touch with me much, you know there's been a lot of wacky things going on of late. You also know that at least 90% of this has been related to work. For those of you out of the loop, here's the recap.
1. About 2 months into the "we all agree this schedule is awesome" routine, they decided to change my schedule. Again. Now I'm on the "I hate working 12 hours shifts that turn into 14 hour shifts on Mondays but I get a short Friday" schedule.
2. Oh, and then they decided to not give me a lunch break on Friday, so I was working an hour longer each week. I tried to point that out, but failed, because now I'll get a lunch hour on the February calendar (I think) but have to stay an hour longer on Fridays.
3. My boss' wife appointed herself as manager of the whole clinic. She is the WORST kind of control freak. The kind that uses threats and passive-aggressive measures to try and modify behavior. Example: she decided the doctors all need to handle estimate-making the way Dr. Roberts does. Why this topic matters I'll never know. Instead of talking to the doctors and saying "I'd like you to do it this way" she told the technicians (who generally make the estimates for us) they're only permitted to do it Dr. Roberts' way and if we ask them to do it our way to say it's not allowed. There was an altercation over this between Joan, a tech, and another vet. The issue still remains unresolved.
4. As I was about to breach the estimate issue with Dr. Roberts, he informed me that he's being sued. Back in the summer, I saw an apparently healthy dog for yearly vaccines. As she was a senior, I did routine bloodwork. I was not in the next day when the results came back, so Dr. Roberts reviewed them and called the owners to say it looked normal. A few months later, this same dog came back in acting very tired. Her gums were white. I looked back at the former bloodwork and saw the platelets were markedly decreased. Platelets that low cause spontaneous bleeding, which causes anemia, which causes pale gums... I informed the owners, sent them to the e-clinic with documentation of the problem. She didn't respond to treatment and was euthanized. We all felt awful. The owners are now suing Dr. Roberts for missing the low platelets in the summer which may have led to her premature demise in November. I got "talked to" because I didn't word things in a way that made it sound like anything other than negligence occured. I was just in a hurry to get her somewhere that could give her a blood transfusion. Not thinking about "delicate wording" at the time. Now I feel awful again. Just what we didn't need with the slow economy. This case is pending with the Liability Insurance people.
5. We have started a point system for technicians to "motivate" them to promote dental health items. (As if we don't have enough crap to do.) Joan questioned the fact that the vets sign off on a checklist for each case that a tech discusses dental things with because "what if the doctors just lie to make their techs happy?!" IS SHE FOR REAL?! Yeah, like I became a vet to deliberately NOT promote dental health... Wierdness. I think she is probably one of the most unhappy people on earth, to be so worked up over all these little things and be so unpleasant to employees.
6. I had possibly the most paranoid and challenging client EVER this week. It literally took me 5 minutes to convince her of the documented age of her puppy. We gave her a handout on that breed's particular common health problems, and she was instantly convinced he had all of them, or soon would, and was practically hyperventilating. Of course, she also expected me to tell her if he was the runt. Having never seen any of his litter mates...
7. I found out yesterday by reading the notes from a receptionist meeting that our schedule will be changing again. They intend to add 2 hours to the Saturday schedule for one vet, tech, and receptionist each week. Those three would be there until 4pm at a minimum. None of the new vets or technicians (save one) knew about this until reading the note. How is it that these things get decided on without ever talking to 2/3 of the people it's going to effect? This type of thing is why I've recently stated many times that communication is dead.

So there's the scoop on my messy job. And yet it's not a bad job. At least not compared to some of my classmates' situations... Prayers are always appreciated.

On a brighter note, room reservations have been confirmed for Ryan and I's Honeymoon in Door County. Is it July yet?!

Six Years!!

Yes, I know it's been a long time. I've been very busy. And overwhelmed. And tired. Maybe sometime soon I'll elaborate. No promises!

However, I decided that today I should take a quick moment to tell the world that I've been dating my perfect match for SIX YEARS today! That's right, 1/25/09 is Ryan and I's six year anniversary. I think he said it best when he noted that 2008 was full of excitement and big, obvious blessings for us. 2009 certainly looks exciting, with wedding plans in full swing, but we also have a feeling it will probably be a lot more challenging and full of trials. Thanks for your continued prayers for us individually and as a couple!