Learning new stuff at the vet and everywhere

Other Off topic
1

My cat is sick. She collapses off her feet, wont eat and doesnt pick a fight with the other cats.

So last night I take a duck off work a bit earlier and take her to the vet. He checks her thoroughly, stress out because of her 40.5 degree temperature, her painful kidneys and lack of lustre. So the man in his infinite veterinary wisdom, takes a blood sample and whilst checking it under the microscope almost explodes with glee and excitement. ???

Anyway, he drags me to the instrument (last time I attempted to figure something out under a microscope I was 14 and in Std 7). So there’s this blob of creoling critters and I promptly want to flee and vomit (I’m not good with almost invisible goggas). Whilst I’m attempting to control my horror, he lines up the rest of the veternary staff to come have a look and phones a colleague up the road to tell him about it.

So the fancy name for it is Babesiosis, a tick borne disease, and fortunately, he can treat it, with what looks like mud in a syringe…

The wonder of all this though for me, is that there is not a day that goes by that one has an opportunity to learn of new things, whether its human nature or goggas in a cats blood, every day has meaning to it, an opportunity to learn, to explore new stuff - whether you’re interested or not - whether its relevant or irrellevant to your daily life.

Its THIS that gives me meaning to my life, to learn, to gather knowledge, however dumb or boring it may seem to others. I love knowing a little bit about anything and everything - a Jack of all trades if you must - I’ll never be great at any given thing, my mind is too curious about everything to want to make a study of any one given subject, and of course, I’m so grateful for encyclopedias (when i was young) and now in the era we find ourselves for the allmighty Google.

and as an afterthought, because I’m such a cat lover and tend to anthropomorphism all the time - I’m sitting with my sick cat giving her rubs last night, and when I turned to get up, my other three kitties are sitting about a metre away from me, neatly lined up in a row, little ears pitched forward and just staring at their fallen friend…

2

That’s a wonderful take on things, Faerie. We hope your kitty makes a speedy and full recovery. :slight_smile:

'Luthon64

3

Yes to all of the above.

4

Well said! So … are you getting a family microscope? It is guaranteed to turn the most humdrum fridge or bird bath into an almost limitless source of entertainment!

All the best to your kitty.

Mintaka

5

I know exactly what you mean Faerie. I seem to have an insatiable hunger for knowledge. I am constantly reading, asking questions, doing some research project etc. In fact, it is this curious nature that started all the trouble regarding religion. Closer investigation into Christianity turned me into an atheist, and THIS all started because I did research into neurology and the human brain/nervous system. Amazing how one set of knowledge opens doors to another - and how building one mental skill triggers the development of another.

Curiosity is addictive :slight_smile:

6

I hope your kitty gets better soonest.

7

i was allways the kid with frogs in her pocket. nothing has changed really, now its seeds, rocks, and business cards. when i go hiking or fishing, i come back with plants, seeds, bones, eggs, fuck knows what. im a kid at heart, and allways will be.
i keep on thinking, if i had had the opportunity to study more, i would do anthropoly, geogology or something equally cool.

8

yes, I want to know STUFF, and as you learn, you generally come upon something else that looks interesting and off you go chasing something else. Its (to me) huge fun. Go on Google when you’re bored and just click links, damn, its amazing where you eventually land up.

As for the kitty, thanks for the well wishes everybody, she is on her feet again, being her misreable self and growling at the kittens. She’s going back for another blood test tomorrow evening, but she is obviously getting better.