Self portrait in front of the new door!

I stopped by the space today and...guess what?..the storefront door is on! Yay! I couldn't get to the back to check out that door (the building was locked) but we did have a potential scare that the back door was going to be relocated. That would have entirely messed up our treatment room plans which would have been bad considering our casework and counters are already on order! For now, that hiccup appears to be averted. They have cut and dug out the concrete for our scale and drain pipe for the toilet but it doesn't look like the pipe is in yet. They still have to put in the HVAC connection and electric panel before they deliver the space but we have a front door now which gets us that much closer to keys! Sad to say with it being February tomorrow - Leap Day does not look like a realistic goal for opening. Instead we have chosen April Fool's Day as our "working" opening date. Fitting, isn't it?

Dr. Edens examines Bellybutton - cool sweater!

In other news, Katie (our veterinary nurse) and I volunteered for Portland Animal Welfare Team yesterday. We were joined by another vet/nurse team and did exams and treatments for homeless and low income people's pets. Everyone that came through was very appreciative and very concerned about their pets.  Many of the pets came in wearing coats - even the cats. One woman brought her kitties in a stroller and had made them each little homemade sweaters out of her own sweater sleeves so they wouldn't get cold! We had a good time and were really presented with some interesting challenges - like examining cats outside - that really got my heart pumping! We examined one cat named Garfield with impacted anal sacs. Now if you don't know, anal sacs are the scent glands in cats and dogs and are located right inside the anus. They are supposed to empty normally with each defecation (that scent is why dogs smell each other's stool - they don't like the smell of poop, they want to know who left it there.) The two tiny anal sac ducts exit at about 4 and 8 o'clock inside the anus

The stroller Bellybutton and his sister arrived in

and they can easily get plugged with any inflammation in that area. Well I can tell you from experience that no pet likes to have their anal sacs expressed but cats really don't like it. So here we are outside with a leash around Garfield in case he tries to leave, Katie has a hold of him, dad is kind enough to hold his tail and I need to insert a lubricated, gloved finger into his rear end and empty the sacs which are impacted. Things went really well considering and Garfield was SO good. After a nice clean up and vaccines, we sent him home with instructions for warm compressing to keep the ducts open and a change in food. 

Earlier in the week I also attended my going away party from Murrayhill. Laird and Pam with their front office coordinator, Teresa organized a fun party at Uptown Billiards. There was pool and darts and beer and a vegetarian spread (hand picked by Teresa). So many people came and it was fun to hang out with everyone. Laird, of course, gave a heartfelt speech and a special departing gift. Whenever anyone leaves they get the same gift and I was looking forward to mine - an autographed picture of Laird, 007 style in a suit! It's priceless and I will definitely make a special place on my desk for it. (Although truth be told I did tell him the cautery unit that's sitting in storage would have made a nice new clinic gift as well.)

So things are moving forward. We have heard rumor that we could get the keys late next week! Believe me...you guys will be the first to know! 

Me with my lovely parting gift - A signed photo of Dr. Goodman