A Veterinarian's New Year's Eve Day

Disclaimer: The following medical references may not all be entirely accurate. Also I believe the song title is made up, as I wasn't sure of using a popular song title.

Kaylee sang, “letting me sing,” in the operating room, while she finished stitching up an older labrador after a routine appendix operation.

Gina, her assistant and best friend poked her head in, “Is that the song you’re going to sing tonight at Karaoke.

“Yes, it’s my last chance, just fourteen more hours to go before New Year’s.”

“Ha, I’ll bet you’ll chicken out, just like you always do.”

“You know chickens take offence at being mocked and misrepresented in that way. Chickens can be fierce conteenders.”

“Yes, Dr. McArthur.” Gina laughed, and pointed at the labrador. “To think old Sally here missed out on your wailing, I mean singing.” 

Kaylee smirked back, but underneath she was quaking and trying not to and think about her unpaid bills. “Don’t think you’re going to pysch me out. There’s two hundred dollars riding on this, and this year I’m not going to lose it.” 

Gina rolled her eyes and repositioned the lab’s legs that were tending to flop in the way of the surgical field. Kaylee palpated the labrador’s stomach. Some swelling after the operation was to be expected, but this time more than she would’ve liked. The dog was an older rescue dog, and the operation would be hard on him. She imagined the mother, Lillian Dale taking the boy, Adam out for a walk perhaps in the nearby park and reassuring the boy. 

 “Her heart rate is on the high side, and she’s running a temp,” Gina said.

Kaylee glanced at the monitor. “She’s an old girl, but I believe she’ll pull through, if nothing else, for the sake of the boy.” 

Gina nodded and removed the surgical tray. 

“I’d like her vitals stabilized, before we release her. In an hour the anathesia would wear off, and later in the afternoon, when the dog was recovered she’d reassess.  

During her lunch break she went for a run, and practiced singing. She’d accomplished everything else on her list of resolutions; running three times a week, morning half-hour mindfulness practices and she’d even switched to a vegetarian diet. The singing at a Karaoke bar was a little silly, but it was part of her resolution to do things that terrifed her, one each month. She shouldn’t have saved this for the last day. Gina thought it was a joke, but wasn’t aware how much she needed the money just to keep her loan going.

 In the park across the road, she looked for Adam and his mom, but didn’t see them. The unsettledness in her abdomen could be due to the dull ache in her lower back, that had started up after her office renovations had gone fifty percent over the intital estimate. The winter sun had brought out many families with children, keyed up with Christmas sugar and their excited dogs to the park. She recognized several and returned their greetings and waves. 

She stopped running. Charlie, a cocker spaniel she’d treated, was veering to the left. A moment later, she knelt down by the dog. The dog’s eyes were not coordinating and its mouth hung open. She suspected a stroke and picked up the dog, who only mewled in her arms, “Mr. Steadman, I’m taking Charlie for treatment.” 

“Dr. McArthur, I don’t have the money,” Mr. Steaman said in a loud voice, looking around for his audience. 

In the past, Kaylee hadn’t minded providing free care, but now she wished he didn’t have to advertise it. “We’ll talk about it later,” she said.

“Charlie is just tired. He didn’t sleep too well. We both didn’t. My rent’s gone up.” He pulled Charlie away from her.

She didn’t want a tug-of-war, but it was important to treat the pet immediately. Mr. Steadman held onto Charlie, his jaw stuck out and his eyes staring under his bulging forehead. “Look, you know I won’t charge you,” she said under her breath. 

“Do you promise. I can’t pay the rent and pay you at the same time.” His voice boomed. 

Kaylee cringed. Suddenly all the dog’s owners were standing still with their ears perked. Damn it, now she’d be even further behind in payments for the renovations. 

 “Yes, I’ll waive my fees,” she said, keeping her voice low.

Mr. Steadman put his hand to his ear.

“You heard me. I’ll treat Charlie free of charge, this time,” she raised her voice.

A slow smile came onto the corner of his mouth. He’d heard her. “I’ll take Charlie in the car.” 

 She sprinted back, glad the running route was quicker than driving, and flew into the office. Gina’s usual bright expression was gone. 

 “What’s up?” 

“Sally’s gone.” Gina nodded to the operation room. “I tried to calll you and I did everything I know to revive her.” Tears flooded her eyes. 

Kaylee gave her a hug. “I trust you.” Gina had the skill set of a veteriarian and she could run any local test and give any medication, but she couldn’t operate. They’d gone to veterinarian school, but she’d quit for that reason. 

“We’ve got Charlie, the cocker spaniel coming in with Mr. Steadman.” 

“Oh, him,” Gina said, wiping her eyes.

“Yeah, him. But it’s urgent. Poor Charlie wasn’t himself at the park.”

Outside a car door slammed, and Mr. Steadman burst through carrying his limp dog. 

“I’ll get the table ready,” Gina said and disappeared into the surgery.

Kaylee turned to Mr. Steadman. “I think Charlie may have suffered a stroke.” I’m going to give him an anti-inflammatory injection and hook him up to an IV.” 

He held on, and looked confused. “Charlie’s not badly arthritic. How’ll anti-inflammatory meds help him. 

“If there’s a stroke it’ll take down the swelling.” She should’ve kept her mouth shut. Nothing was easy with Mr. Steaman. She felt like screaming. This is all free for you.

“Here, give him to me. We don’t have a lot of time.” Slowly, he handed his dog over to her. Seven free visits this year and he still didn’t trust her.

“I’ll call you,” she said. 

“I’m not going anywhere,” Mr. Steadman said.

Kaylee nodded. She didn’t have time. She hadn’t processed what had happeneed to Sally. How would she tell Adam and his mom? She’d started this morning singing and planned to end the day singing.

How had the day gotten so shitty. Focus on Charlie, its not his fault that his owner is a cheapskate. She hummed her song, as she worked. Charlie seemed to be responding well, so it looked like it had been a small transient stroke, but she’d have to somehow get through to Mr. Steadman the dog’s care needs. She had her suspicions about the dog’s diet. 

The day felt like it had been sixteen hours already, as she delivered Charlie ambling with a wagging tail back to Mr. Steadman. Gina typed in the invoice and waited to put the cost in.

“You’re not charging me are you, Dr. McArthur?” Mr. Cannon said, his face defiant. 

“No, not this time?” 

Gina covered a sigh and a moment later printed the invoice, and passed it to him.

“Your signature, please Mr. Steadman.”

He scrawled his name. “What do you mean by; this time?” He frowned at Kaylee.

Three other people, waiting with their pets looked at them. Anything she did would backfire. She felt like screaming, if I keep providing a free service I won’t be around to provide any service. She should set limits, but she didn’t have it in her today. A New Year’s resolution for the coming year?

“I’m not charging you today Mr Steadman, and I will always provide service for Charlie at whatever you can afford,” she said, aware of her teeth clenching.

“But I’ll never be able to afford care.” he said, looking around at the other customers. 

Gina shook her head, and filed the copy. 

What will happen, when she finds out, I can’t afford to pay her, Kaylee thought. 

“I know,” she said, and turned to the next client, Marian Thompsen, an older woman, in a mauve sweat suit with wide set blue eyes, holding onto Jessie, her white poodle. She led them into the examination room.

“The nerve of that man clamouring for free service. I saw him come out in his car. I’ll bet he’s not getting his car insurance for free.” 

Kaylee couldn’t help a small smile. “I wouldn’t be surprised.” 

The next hour went well. Kaylee appreciated focusing on her job. Animals were always grounding for her; they didn’t hold grudges and have agendas like some of their owners. Concentrating on the care and treatment procedures, she distracted her mind from her larger concerns. Mrs. Thompsen had a good point, she wasn’t the only available vet service for Mr. Steadman.

At the end of the day, she readied herself to meet Adam and his mother. She called ahead, “I’m so sorry. Sally didn’t make it through the operation. I removed his appendix without any apparent complications. We’ve run tests to find the cause, but I know that won’t bring her back.” This was what the surgery disclaimer was for, no surgery is ever guaranteed. Still the customer could pursue legal action against her.

“Oh dear. Poor Sally,… Dr. McArthur, I don’t know what to say. I’m sure you did your best…What do we do now?” 

“I’ll need you to come in and sign some papers, and decide if you want additonal investigations. At that time you can view the corpse.” She didn’t like saying that, the corpse, the body, Sally, none of them fit. 

“Oh, yes….Oh Adam, I don’t know how to tell him.”

Neither do I. I never do, Kaylee thought. “I’ll help,” she said .”

Adam cried, but was more stoic than expected. He stood by Sally’s corspse in a solemn pose for several minutes and then nodded to signal he was finished.

Gina covered the corpse and wheeled it away. 

Adam seemed to attune to their distress. “I’m sad but I don’t blame you, Dr. McArthur. My pet fish died last month. I know you did your best.”

Kaylee’s mouth crumpled. “Thank you Adam. Those are the kindest words.” 

His mom signed off on the death and the cremation services, and looked up. “Where are the charges for… after the operation,… and surely the operation must have cost more than this?”

“It’s the least I could do, being New Year’s Eve and all.” Kaylee couldn’t bring herself to say Happy New Year. 

“That’s nonsense. My husband, Adam’s father is a surgeon. He gets paid even if…it doesn’t work out.” She wrote at the bottom of the invoice, ‘One thousand and eighty nine dollars.’and insisted the charge go on her credit card. 

Kaylee put her hand over her chest. “Thank you, Mrs. Dale and Adam, and Happy New Year.” 

Later, Gina came out from the back room, and looked at the paid invoice and whistled. “That’s enough to pad your pillow for an early night’s sleep.”

“Not til this girl sings on stage. ”

“You’ll freak out and not do it, so why bother trying?”

“Are you kidding? If I can get through this day… even if I stink at Karaoke, it’ll be nothing compared to what I’ve just been through.” 

“And I have to listen to you,” Gina said, putting her hands to her ears as Kaylee practiced her song.