A Day at the Emergency Vet: Poem
/If you have a pet, there’s a chance you may at some point end up going to the emergency vet.
Yesterday, this is where I unexpectedly spent my day waiting to hear what was going on with my cat.
(I did end up getting to bring him home and so far he’s doing great, but we’ll be monitoring a few things over the next days/weeks to rule out major issues.)
We arrived around 10:30 am and didn’t end up coming home until 6:30pm, so it gave me lots of time to think and process and practice being with what is.
At some point during the afternoon, I ended up writing this poem.
Doberman in a cone,
old man at the desk.
Everyone’s got something going on,
today at the emergency vet.
“We’ve been here for four hours,
Our appointment was at 9.
I gotta get home before dark
When will it be my time?”
Woman to the left of me
playing a game on her iPad.
Many others on their phone,
Almost everyone in a mask.
I didn’t think I’d be here
so long after lunch,
but glad I packed a snack or two,
so I must have had a hunch
It’s not my first rodeo,
spending a day to care for my pet.
Everyone’s got something going on,
today at the emergency vet.
Natasha’s getting restless,
making circles in front of her mom.
Bijou can’t move at all,
so she can’t be left alone.
Now the Bull Dog’s growling,
while the Shepherd’s got shaky legs.
I wish I had more coffee,
but instead I’ll sip the dregs
“The vet will be with you soon,”
they haven’t called my name yet.
Looks like I’ll be spending
the day at the emergency vet.
And now I’m starting to cry,
writing this poem on my phone,
Because it makes me think of my Dad.
It’s what he would have done.
I can hear him in my head
telling me the words to write,
reminding me that making art,
well, that’s the point of life.
At least I don’t seem weird,
with tears that show that I’m upset.
The mood is always somber
being at the emergency vet.
There’s one thing that I thought,
the only good thing I know.
It’s the gift that our pets give us:
they help us to practice letting go.
