Andrea Honigmann, DVM

When I was veterinary school, summer meant RAGBRAI, the Register's Annual Great Bicycle Ride Across Iowa. While I never participated, I was in awe as legions of bicyclists made their way through Ames en route to a finish line on the state's eastern edge. There's even a veterinarian version of the famed race, which takes place during fall semester.

Yesterday was Cinco de Mayo, celebrating the end of the French occupation of Mexico in 1862. It also was a special day for my husband and me. We reached one year of wedded bliss.

At this time last year, shortly before I married, I could not imagine doing full-time emergency medicine. Even now, it seems like a daunting task. Last year, our local emergency clinic was looking for two full-time veterinarians and recruited heavily for local DVMs. At the time, I was new to the area. I had no intention of switching jobs so soon, despite the monetary benefits.

After arriving at the hospital and getting ready for the day, I noticed that my afternoon schedule was nearly blank. I had one appointment at the beginning and the end of the appointment block. I did not worry much; it was bound to get busier by mid-day with clients calling in requesting same-day appointments or emergencies.

Today is day 12 of a cold I cannot kick. I have fondly renamed it the Smoketown Crud. When one staff member gets it, it seems to go around until the majority are affected.

4/2/08 - I found myself privileged to stay in bed, watching Matt Lauer and Meredith Viera. There was no alarm; this was my day off. Still, I had plenty to do, most of which required phone calls. I made my first call to the hospital, checking on my patients Pugsley and Elsa (the "misunderstood" dog from the previous night).