VNJ Volume 39 (4) August 2024 | Page 15

Align-ju FEATURE

Finding hope through support

I received multiple rounds of cognitive behavioural therapy ( CBT ) but it didn ' t seem to work for me – I just became more aware of how I felt . Eventually , I reached out to the ‘ Vet Mums ’ group on Facebook , a social network that became like parents and who understood the pain I was in . They mentioned Vetlife , the charity that supports people in the veterinary profession and their families , and I reached out for help .

The team at Vetlife were fantastic ! I wasn ' t pressured to call or show my face , which was such a relief as , frankly , I was tired of explaining my situation . From the moment I made the first move , by messaging the Vetlife online chat service , I could breathe again and I felt some hope .

I exchanged messages with the Vetlife team for several days , and they offered advice on things like financial aid as well as providing a safe space to talk . They continued to offer me support and a person to talk to , and assured me they will be there if I ever need them again .

I would like to reassure readers going through difficult times that we are more resilient than we realise and that it is possible that sources of pain can also be sources of inspiration , reformed by our love for our patients . Learn more about the topics you enjoy , dedicate plenty of time to yourself and just keep going .

Further information

Vetlife is a charity that provides emotional , financial and mental health support to the veterinary community and their families .

https :// www . vetlife . org . uk

MSD ' s diabetes advisor course is an online training course with self-directed modules developed to enhance knowledge of pet diabetes .

https

:// www . msd-animal-health-hub . co . uk / PDA

A source of inspiration

One of the reasons I became a veterinary nurse is because my dog was born with a heart murmur and I wanted to know why , so I became interested in the physiology of the heart . As my career in veterinary nursing progressed , I became increasingly passionate about furthering my knowledge of cardiac care and medications , and about learning how nutrition – for example , a low-sodium diet – can prevent the heart from deteriorating . I ' m always eager to prepare patients for an electrocardiogram , as I ' m keen to be involved and to understand their diagnosis .

In a similar way , wanting to better understand my parents ' health conditions drove my desire to learn more about diabetes . I became a diabetes advisor for my veterinary practice and encouraged the use of FreeStyle Libre continuous glucose monitoring ( CGM ) systems to monitor patients . I ' ve developed my knowledge of osteoarthritis and weight clinics too .

Although my life still isn ' t sunshine and roses , I know I have people I can lean on and I now live to make a difference to my patients and clients . I continue to survive , to love animals and to be passionate about their care – qualities that my parents and grandparents saw in me while I was growing up .

My journey isn ' t anywhere near finished . I am currently looking into palliative care support , emergency and critical care , and volunteering with StreetVet so I can help others .

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It has been a fabulous experience , and I would recommend it to anyone .

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Volume 39 ( 4 ) • August 2024

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