Viva Las Vegas!

There are times when Sam gets really frustrated with the big corporate company he works for. All I can say is they sure know how to treat their doctors! I remember before Sam graduated some big wig from Banfield headquarters took us to dinner along with the others who were going to start at Banfield after graduating. We went to the nicest restaurant I have ever been to and the big wig knew my name when he stood up to greet me. I was really impressed. This past weekend they paid for us to take a family trip to Vegas!





Banfield has an Education Symposium a couple of times a year so that all doctors can attend. This one was in Vegas so Sam asked Sammy and I to come along. They set them up in a super nice hotel and feed them catered meals three times a day. They have lectures, town hall meetings, prizes, free products, and even have labs set up to practice surgeries. Sam did the optometry and dentistry ones.





They had all kinds of activities for the families to do. They took a Hoover Dam tour. Toured the chocolate factory. (Banfield is owned by Mars Candy) They also had a tour of the Botanical Gardens and Mandalay Bay Shark exhibit. I really wanted to go but I was nervous to do something like that alone with Sammy so we just hung out at the hotel while Sam was busy and enjoyed the cable tv.




We met up for lunch and dinner. There was always so much food! Lucky for me and my diet there wasn't much I would actually eat. However...there was usually a pretty good dessert and because Mars Candy owns Banfield there was free candy. I didn't go overboard but I definitely ate more than I wanted to.

Sam saw several of his classmates and they were really nice. The conversations were always flowing even though I would get a little lost when they'd start geeking out about the labs. One girl asked me if I was getting grossed out after someone said, "Make sure you get one that is pretty warm. So and so could barely cut hers it was still so frozen." They were talking about practicing surgeries on cadavers during dinner. I was enjoying my potato too much to let it bother me.

When Sam is at home he is goofy and playful. Sometimes I forget how smart he is, how hard he studied to become a doctor, and how much he loves to learn. When I hear him talk to other doctors I quickly remember. There was usually a general session at the end of breakfast and lunch that the families were welcome to stay for. There were words up on that screen that I couldn't even sound out! It was crazy but when I would see Sam listening so intently I was really proud of him. He cares about animals and wants them to have the best quality of life possible. There were times when the "at home" Sam would pop back up. During the town hall meeting the microphone was in front of our table. When someone came to ask a question our table was put on the big screen. Sam put bunny ears on the speaker, made faces, and even pretended he was discussing something very seriously. LOL He looked like a muppet!!

I am really glad we got to go because I would have really missed him. He said he enjoyed it more with us there because he doesn't go out to drink like his colleagues do. We survived our first trip with Sammy. It was tough! I packed all his toys but we didn't bring a stroller...we should have but it wouldn't have fit in the car. I hated changing him in gas stations because they are so filthy! It was fun being together and seeing Sam so excited to learn. Good times!

Dr. Rivera

This week was Sam's second week at work. His new sparkling white doctor coat came in. They put his name on the door. He is seeing his own patients. He can even treat pets outside of the hospital but "not for free" as he told his parents. We have those school loans to pay for. :)

It was amazing to see him graduate. It was wonderful to see him get dress for his first day at work. I love hearing all his stories when he comes home. I know I have a couple friends who have husbands in grad school or about to start grad school. I just want to say, hang in there!

Silly Super Sam is a doctor?!?!

This weekend was Sam's big day! The day he's been waiting for as long as he can remember. He has been in school for 25 years and he is finally finished. Friday he graduated as a doctor of veterinarian medicine. It was a very emotional day for me. He has sacrificed so much to get himself to this point and I am so very proud of him. The ceremony was so beautiful! They told the history of the school and what it stands for. "The discipline of learning. The art of caring." The speakers were all very moving and I was amazed that I didn't burst into tears. They talked about the humane treatment of animals and the affect animal life has on the world. Sometimes I would think to myself that Sam was too humane! :) The way he lets our bird fly around the house so she can get exercise or the time he told me he prayed for the health of his fish. I used to think it was silly but when I see Sam study or interact with animals I know I have never met anyone with such compassion.

We talk a lot about the differences between animal and human medicine. He once joked that he would love to have a patient that could tell him where it hurts. I can't imagine having to know how to fix even one species of animal let alone the number that he has learned about. The alumni speaker talked about a few of the things that happened her first day including two patients that were hit by cars and a three pound Chihuahua needing a c-section. The school is set up so that the students spend their last two years working in different labs, clinics, and hospitals working side by side with doctors. Sam had a few experiences where he knew something that some of the young doctors he worked with didn't. They are prepared but I am sure it is still very scary.

Anyway, the time arrived and I heard them say his name, "Doctor Samuel Rivera." I was trying to hold back tears, cheer, and take pictures. I watched him kneel so his parents could put his hood on. He was smiling so big and I just wanted to hug him! Here he is, a doctor! The boy who dances around my house when the Lakers win. The guy who makes up songs and watches The Simpsons everyday. Silly Super Sam is a doctor!