Well I’m finished with the bulk of hell week, as I have been calling it, at work. Mostly, I’m tired. Too tired for annoyance 
even–and for me, that’s really saying something! I was also relieved that I didn’t get screamed at or reprimanded today, and I didn’t walk off the job. Though I’m certain the week before our receptionist’s vacation, when I’m needed to work extra may have had something to do with that–just my cynical side coming out. Anyway, so a good end to a tedious week.
Today, something happened though, that will go down in the books.
Let me start by saying I wasn’t fully present. Since it was hell week, I was armed with energy drinks. sour candies, jelly beans, etc. . . And I AM hypoglycemic, but it usually doesn’t bother me too much anymore. I just know if I eat sweets in the morning before I’ve eaten something more substantial I’m going to have a problem. This is why donuts do not even appeal to me any more. I had an energy drink this morning–which isn’t too unusual. Then, some fried food for lunch, tacos or some such thing (all microwavable Mexican is the same) along with just the start of a 2nd energy drink. I was super-tired and still had a crazy Friday afternoon to get through. Anyway, I ate a bag of jellybeans throughout the morning and lunch as well.
After lunch people were asking me various questions, and I was getting side-tracked easily. Not too surprising since my low points are always in the afternoon, and I was especially tired today. But when I was taking vitals/history, my head felt weird. Not really a headache, but sort of a preliminary dizzy feeling, that made me notice a difference. But I continued on with my job, gathering info. I got sweaty, then a sudden starry/woozy feeling passed over me, making me grab the counter for stability. I was about to pass out and make a scene. I didn’t want to make a big deal though (especially since I knew it was low blood sugar caused by my own stupidity) so I just finished rooming the cat while holding the counter. I’m tough like that.
I quickly (if not incompletely) summarized the cat’s history to the vet, said I needed to have peanut butter before I passed out, and ran upstairs to do so. Luckily, I keep a protein on hand just for that very reason, and greedily spooned some in my mouth with trembling hands. I didn’t feel normal immediately, but went in the exam room to help restrain, figuring all I had to do was stand against the counter.
The vet was saying the cat had a possibility of ring worm, and asked the owner if she had any ring worm lesions. The lady said she did have a spot on her leg, but didn’t know if it could be the fungus. So my vet agreed to look at the leg so we could better diagnose the cat. The owner said, “Oh my skinny legs” which I took to be a disclaimer of her calves she was about to show off. What the client was actually referring to was her tight-fitting pant legs. She proceeded to quickly un-do the button of her jeans and pull her pants down from the waist.
Normally, I would have been appalled, astounded, embarrassed, entertained. As it was, I was still trying not to pass out and all I could muster was to avert my gaze so my psyche did not have to be scarred by some client’s undercarriage. The vet, must also have been taken by surprise, but she professionally looked at the leg without reacting at all to the disrobing.
It wasn’t until about an hour later that I even remembered to mention the episode to my co-workers or tease my boss about the situation. I will definitely always remember the day a client took her pants off while I was in the room though 🙂 There is never a dull moment in veterinary medicine.
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