Week 8 and counting….

I’m running a bit late this week after a hectic time with…. well everything I suppose.

For the next few weeks I will be writing my Blog on Monday morning’s -  undisturbed.  As a beekeeper I have in recent years become more sensitive to bee stings, which are an inevitable consequence of the hobby.  In an attempt to avoid a full blown anaphylactic reaction I am receiving a course of desensitising injections on a weekly basis.  Occasionally beekeepers will be found dead next to their hives, which is not to be recommended.  After the injection I have to remain in the hospital for an hour in case of an adverse reaction – only 52 minutes to go.  I suppose I could give up beekeeping but that would be too easy! 

On Tuesday I was invited to attend the British Veterinary Association (BVA) Parliamentary Tea Party (PTP) in the House of Commons (HoC), which didn’t, to my disappointment, include cucumber sandwiches with the crusts removed.  Unusually for me I arrived early, which gave me the opportunity to visit the public gallery to witness part of a debate on Slavery before the PTP started – interestingly there was no mention of Three Counties Equine Hospital.! 

The gathering, an annual event funded by the BVA, was held in one of the HoC common rooms located off a corridor on the ground- floor, which accommodated approximately 20 of us.  I really was in the “corridors of power”!  There was a welcoming address delivered by Angela Smith MP for Penistone and Stocksbridge who was until recently the Shadow Deputy Leader of the House of Commons and is currently the Shadow Minister for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.  John Blackwell, President of the BVA, responded and introduced some current veterinary issues, namely Bovine TB, Welfare at Slaughter (an issue dear to my heart), Antibiotic Resistance (a problem for all of us to address), Pet Travel and Dog Welfare.  The meeting was an opportunity to lobby parliamentarians, which is an important way of raising awareness to effect change.  Amongst the parliamentarians in attendance were Professor Lord Sandy Trees a real ambassador and figurehead for the profession.  Also in attendance was the Rt. Hon. Lord Higgins KBE DL, the father of Maddy Campbell, a past president of BEVA.  He informed me that he had recently celebrated 50 years as a familiar face in the Houses of Parliament, firstly in the House of Commons as MP for Worthing 1964 – 1997 and was then given a life peerage in the House of Lords. 

After the PTP I shared a quick pint and some “chewing of the fat” with the BVA team in the pub opposite the HoC and then flew from London City Airport to Edinburgh to assist with another TVEC with Lesley, Karin & John on Wednesday – see Blog 3 - http://bevapresident14-15.blogspot.co.uk/2014/10/week-3-and-counting.html.  It was a whistle-stop tour to Edinburgh, which was disappointing as the weather was fabulous (not a cloud in the sky), with a return flight to London City that afternoon to attend the President’s reception at the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS).  It was only my second visit to the 5^th floor of the RCVS, where disciplinary hearings are held, neither of which has been in anger…. long may it continue.

By Thursday, my practice diary was filling up so it was “foot to the boards” from the outset.  This wasn’t ideal preparation for the practice Client Evening held a Worcester Rowing Club, with a start time of 7.30 for 8.00pm.  Yours truly, who was the compere and first speaker arrived at 7.50pm with all the audio-visual equipment – no pressure Harrison.  The theme was “Keeping your Horse Healthy” in collaboration with the MSD Keeping Britain’s Horses Healthy (KBHH) campaign - http://www.healthyhorses.co.uk/.  The key message was encouraging disease prevention through management, biosecurity and vaccination.  I think an outbreak of a disease like Hendra, which they have to contend with in Australia, would sharpen everybody’s focus on disease prevention through movement restrictions, biosecurity and vaccinations - http://www.ava.com.au/hendra-virus.   Not to mention the zoonotic aspect of the disease…whatever the vets out there are getting paid to treat those horses, it’s not enough!

Friday was back to the day-job again and included a surgical colic in the lead up to a weekend on first call – an epiploic foramen entrapment with 47’ of strangulated small intestine; I don’t think I’ve seen as much black SI as that before in a live horse; albeit very sick horse.

Then the w/e on call…. I’ve had busier weekends on call but I’ve also had quieter.

Now I suppose I should enjoy not being disturbed at Worcester Royal Infirmary…. only 4 minutes to go.