The ones left behind

It's 8 am and I am dropping my daughter off at daycare. I give her a big hug and say 'see you later' but the truth is it will be tomorrow morning before I see her again. As many other veterinary hospitals have realized, the traditional 9-5 hours just don't suit most of our clients anymore. More often than not veterinary clinics are extending hours or offering measures of convenience, such as drop offs or tele-medicine, to cater to the needs of today's busy clients. The truth is most people don't have the ability to drop everything and take their pet to the vet at 9 am on a Tuesday. And as veterinarians we get that....we are busy too. My days are full....even my days off are busy with appointments, housework, social visits, etc.  Honestly, veterinarians are people-pleasers. We want to be there when our clients need us, whether that be at 8 am or 8 pm. That in turn means we work longer hours than most people realize. Today, for example, I will work until 9 pm so that our clinic is available during those busy evening hours. We are available when our clients get home from work and discover that Fluffy has vomited several times, Squeakers has come home from his adventures and is limping or Max has started seizing for the first time. We are there to provide care with a  friendly face and a smile so that our clients don't have to go to a clinic where they don't know anyone. We are there. And at home we leave behind our families and our pets to be seen by us another day. I don't often give my husband and daughter enough credit. My husband was with me when I worked as an  emergency vet and was gone for 14 hours at a time. He stayed with  me when he didn't see me for 5 days in a row...when we were merely ships passing in the night. I sacrificed being at home during the first years of our marriage and over holidays because I truly love what I do and the people I do it for. I want to be there when you need me the most. It pulls at my heart strings to not see my daughter for 24 hours but I know my clients appreciate my sacrifice to be there for them and their four legged children. And I want to set a good example for my daughter - that being dedicated to your career is a good thing. That hard work pays off. That if you do good for others, good things will happen to you. So the next time you bring your pet in at 8 pm for an appointment remember to thank your veterinarian for their sacrifice. Those left behind at home  hope you appreciate what we do.