There was a “free dress day” at pre-school and apparently there was also a petting zoo. This was a dream come true for my baby doll who has repeatedly said she wants to be a veterinarian. She has been reared among multiple animals and has inherited a familial love of all creatures. She also seems to have what I lacked, the ability to steel herself against death, and she seems to have a more scientific mind. I believe there is every chance she could stick with her desire of becoming a veterinarian. I have personally always felt it takes a smarter doctor to diagnose animals, as they cannot communicate the way humans can. As a child everyone said I should be a vet, but I always knew I did not have the guts. Our sensitive child seems to possess a steely side required for medicine which I lacked and frankly, which I envy. She has my way with animals but appears to have a scientific bent which I never really had. My poor husband literally almost passed out upon just HEARING the word “cervix” when I was trying to get pregnant. In fact they kicked him out of the room. But recently we watched our five year old witness a blood draw on one of our wolf hybrids with deep interest. My husband, who could not even see, looked a horrid greenish yellow and as if he could drop at any second. Because I went through two rounds of in vitro, I have a personal (and sickening) experience with “fishing” — which is what I call when the aid cannot find the vein in which to draw blood. Normally vet techs take animals “in the back” but they know that is NOT possible with our wolfies. Once they were separated and their howling literally shut down the entire practice. So they brought it all in the room and our little one was front and center — watching everything up close with rapt attention. I am not particularly squeamish but they were fishing in our girl’s jugular to draw her blood and the memories made me physically ill. Finally they found her vein and were able to draw several large vials of blood. Our little one pronounced the whole thing “fascinating” and our wonderful vet said she also knew at an early age what she wanted to be. She told our little girl that when she turns fourteen she will have an internship at her practice! Once we got in the car my little one said, “Mama, I WANT that internship!” And I said, “OK!” I will say I knew I wanted to write as early as the second grade, but that was when I was about seven. I guess we will just wait and see. The American actress and former model AnnaLynne McCord said:
“Before I was going to be an actress, I was going to be a veterinarian! I thought I was one as a child. I was the kid who was like, ‘Daddy! I want a kitty! It needs a mommy!’ And my dad was such a sucker. Every time I would beg, with tears flying down my face, about how this animal needs love, needs a home. He would cave.”
For now, I’m content that our little one simply wants to pat the bunny.
