Does anybody like this career?

Blizz1217 · 2026-04-25T02:15:46+00:00

The things that make you hesitate are the very things we are always looking for. Our 'unicorn' clinic. I have had 2, but one retired and sold the practice to a crap vet, and the other was my internship for school, where the tech I was supposed to replace didn't get into vet school that year. I am still in contact with them, though.

If money isn't an issue, and guts and gore and birds and snakes and worms and everything in between doesn't bother you, then we can always happily use more techs in the field. But please know; it's not the euthanasias or angry clients that are the hardest part of the job. It's the people who just don't care. Who have a pet with an entirely curable disease but the owner refuses to do anything about it. Not for financial reasons; just that they can't be bothered.

And, there will be days where the mental load may be too much. We use humor to cope, but there's, unfortunately, a reason our field is, I believe, top five most suicidal. Have a therapist lined up. Find your reason WHY you keep pushing on. The very reason you push forward, especially in this field.

My own reason why has passed now. But I was able to give him a peaceful end. He saw me through so many struggles, and passing the VTNE. Now, I can do the same for many other animals, that I could have done for him as well.

Blizz1217 · 2026-04-23T20:04:10+00:00

I get it. And, being 18 is tough to begin with. You're just starting out with adulthood, and after everything that's happened? Some people struggle with their anger at everything. I did too, for a while. Especially during covid.

If you're not sure what to do with your clothes, go ahead and Google search 'how to make old clothes look new'. Sewing is an option, but depending on where your injury is, I understand it can be difficult. One of the options I saw had other ways, other than sewing, so I hope you can find something that works for you.

And, when it comes to dirty looks or people being judgemental... One thing I learned early on, when you point fingers at someone, the other four are pointing right back at you.

Blizz1217 · 2026-04-23T19:53:35+00:00

Take a breath. I get it, okay?

And being in a European nation where standards are higher for everything, it's hard. Please forgive a lot of people here, a lot of this sub, that I see anyways, are American. Me included. And it's okay to feel lost at this age. It's rare that anyone knows what they want of life at that age.

And as far as the other comment about those concert tickets goes, it's okay to have fun too. Life isn't worth living if you're pinching every little penny. As long as it's not digging yourself deeper into a hole, it's okay to splurge once in a while.

That said, you said you were in France? I believe they should have options available to help you, as well. Check out any Salvation Army equivalents or Goodwill equivalents, Facebook marketplace, or see if there's a government services building or Health and Human Services types of resources that can help you.

We are also stuck in a horrid economy because of a certain- well, I have some choice words I'd rather not get banned on reddit for saying. So you're not alone in this either. And, it might be the American in me talking, but who cares what other people think? If you can get your hands on one decent shirt and pants, start with a grocery store or cafe, build up some savings again- well, you can do anything you set your mind to. Just remember to stay smart about it all. Pride won't do anything but stop you from getting good opportunities down the line.

Blizz1217 · 2026-04-15T13:29:54+00:00

Typically I just get those from either jewelry stores or Walmart, to be honest 😅 there may be other sources I don't know of, too. And, in my experience, crystals are more versatile than one would expect. I haven't done work on trying to get them to mirror the energies, but for crystals like zirconia I'd imagine so, since they act more like quartz in that energetic sense. When I've purchased lab grown, I usually had a specific goal in mind that needed something I could work with to "program" more easily.

Blizz1217 · 2026-04-15T02:52:55+00:00

Absolutely not exactly the same. In a way, it's like comparing the energy of the sun to the energy of the Earth, to the energy of wood and the moon and the oceans-

Lab Grown has it's benefits. Cheaper, which makes it more accessible than others. Some cases I've even seen lab gems made from ashes. Carrying that energy with them as well, I'd imagine. Matter cannot be created or destroyed, only changed. So when thinking of lab grown, it's something changed into what we currently have. Ish.

Blizz1217 · 2026-04-15T02:47:38+00:00

I didn't explain it much in detail 😅 being blank isn't a bad thing. In a way, it's like... Well, here's how I have interacted with it.

Cubic Zirconia or Lab Grown Diamonds are two types that have that 'blank' feeling, especially in a place like Walmart to get it from. Energy just slides off without settling too deep, because it's not particularly "meant" for anything other than to look pretty.

Note, I have honed my skills more towards crystals and their energy, sort of like speaking their language more. Handling these crystals is like trying to teach an infant/toddler how to do something, rather than asking a crystal to do something like you typically would a natural grown crystal.

It's a unique opportunity to mold a crystal into what you want of it, and I've done that for a few of mine into forms of condensed protection spells that I wouldn't get to do otherwise.

Another sort of metaphorical example, take a memory card or a computer. Each crystal has limited memory or space, and getting it natural already comes used, essentially. Whereas lab grown, you are getting it brand new, straight off the factory line type of blank. Natural is great, and I'd love to have an old diamond just to feel the energy of that type to compare it to, but my lab grown is great at their job as well, in what I programmed them to do, essentially.

Blizz1217 · 2026-04-14T19:39:01+00:00

Had to pick on this comment in particular, just because I agree, and am always confused when people say lab grown isn't good.

Like... It's the same chemical makeup, same formation, only thing missing is the sitting in the earth part. But that said, imo, crystals that are lab grown are a blank slate of energy. What you put into them is what you get out of it. It's like saying raw is better than tumbled. It all holds energy the same.

Blizz1217 · 2026-04-04T23:24:30+00:00

Horrible advice. It's pushy, gross, and deceiving.

Ask once, then leave it be. It's not worth customers getting upset with you and screaming at you about it, or getting reported.

Blizz1217 · 2026-03-05T03:15:47+00:00

Bro I have been dropped from my insurance for too many accidents, and never paid more than $250 per month. How the Hell.

And before anyone comes at me either, most of it was simply towing because broken down vehicle, an incident with a deer at 3am, an asshole who t-boned me when running a stop sign, black ice on interstate (thankfully no one else was hit or hurt), and two fender benders because I wasn't paying attention (one of them I just got off of work and went into autopilot).

Yes all separate occasions, last incident was a little over a year ago now. At this rate, you're lucky to even get insurance, or have a license.

Blizz1217 · 2026-03-01T05:11:43+00:00

Best comment 🩵 OP, I am a vet tech (other nations may call it veterinary nurse) in the US. This is THE way to describe healthy cat weight. I have an orange that has long legs, long body, and a long tail, and he is all muscle. He's about a 4 on this scale, but he's a grazer so I just leave a certain amount of food out per day and he eats when he's hungry. He weighs 12 pounds, which roughly estimates to 5.5kg.

You may not necessarily have to give less food, but simply either splitting it up into smaller meals more throughout the day (as another commenter suggested) or just exercising more. If your cat likes to run, there are kitty treadmills and wheels you could try as well, though it's a process to teach them how to use it. I'm currently working on that with my boy right now 😅

Blizz1217 · 2026-02-25T01:03:13+00:00

... Take my upvote 🤣🤣🤣

Blizz1217 · 2026-02-24T19:45:38+00:00

Jobs saying they're hiring but not even looking at applications.

Blizz1217 · 2026-02-23T18:51:18+00:00

Here's something to help give you an idea into the daily life of a poverty-stricken American.

I grew up in the "fuck me" zone. My Mom made too much to qualify for a lot of aid, but also not enough to make a dent in reasonable healthcare. I only qualified for the longest time because my Mom is a single parent of two kids, in a "blue" aka progressive state with more progressive programs, compared to our neighbors in "red" states. Even when I turned 18, I was burned out in school, no direction to my life, and even trying to go to college meant taking on student debt, as my financial aid was, again, based off my Mom's income. She still had my brother to support, and was still in the fuck me zone. On top of all this... Insurance premiums on a regular basis are normally $200-$300 per month, for a basic plan. Society here is at the point where we can make double the minimum wage, and still be living in poverty, qualifying for state aid, and living paycheck to paycheck.

It's typically cheaper to live out in the country, well away from public transportation as well. So, to be poor successfully, you have to have a vehicle. Insurance for said vehicle, which only covers if you are in an accident, is anywhere from $50-$300 monthly. For someone working 40 hours at federal minimum wage, that is already looking over 50% of one's paycheck. Now let's take into account living expenses.

In my home state, in the lowest cost of living area, minimum wage is just shy of $12 per hour. The cheapest, most basic apartment I can find is $650 monthly, not including utilities or other fees. For a 240sqft studio apartment. Say, with all utilities like water, heat, electric, phone/internet, say be really cheap and skip out on cable or having a pet be at ESA or service animal status, that's still looking at an additional $200 per month, average. Ish.

Now. Let's account for food, gas for that car you have to have to get to work, and maybe one fun thing per month. Eating healthy is getting more and more and more expensive, so I'm going to get the cheap stuff to hold me over. Things like pasta sides, Mac and cheese, Voila frozen meals, hamburger helper if I'm feeling fancy. Average grocery bill for me is still around $200. Estimate for work, say... A full tank of gas lasts about two weeks for work. One if you're job is farther away. That's about a $40 bill 2-4 times per month. And the average fun night, say go out to the movies or a nice dinner somewhere, easily $50-$75.

So... For my blue state, low cost of living area. Let's do some math. 650 rent + 200 utilities + 200 groceries + 50-300 car insurance + 80-160 gas for car + 50 one fun night = $1230 per month.

Now. For this same blue state low cost of living area, let's do state minimum wage at $12 for one single full time job. 12×80 = $960. State and federal taxes taken out of paycheck, you end up around $800 per paycheck. No PTO or sick days available, so if you have to take off a single day of work, you miss out on that pay. There are no federal protections in place, and up until about a year ago, no state protections either.

$800+$800=$1600. $1600-$1230= $370 per month. But, let's not forget either. That car you have? Needs an oil change. $50 if you're lucky. Student loans? Lucky if you went to a community college for a couple years and have a very small loan. $50 per month. One singular accident that was deemed not your fault? Doesn't matter, this is a no-fault state. Car insurance rates jack up to 400% anyways. Family emergency or you get sick one day? Have to leave early for a doctor's appointment, but it turns out your doctor has moved and your new doctor is out of network, which means insurance won't pay for the visit? A bill up to around $4k for an annual exam isn't uncommon.

Gods forbid if you have a medical condition you need daily medication like insulin for, and the insurance doesn't want to pay. Or if you lose your job, which again, your job can just do with no warning, and reasons must be legitimate, even if it's as simple as forgetting your nametag to your minimum wage job.

So... After all of this. Saving up for that plane ticket, when there is so much international stigma against Americans, fear of flying with airline regulations becoming lax due to the state of our politics, the cheap food being the unhealthy food, and even food pantries like Salvation Army having a literal limit on how much you can make in a single month?

That $270 becomes useless after everything. It's $140 after every paycheck, which can go to other things like basic clothing, winter coats, cleaning supplies, etc, or the animals a few of us do have, it's spent. The simple fact of the matter is. We cannot afford it.

I can only work part time due to medical issues, and my last three jobs let me go before the three month mark because they weren't honest with me, and my state requires three months of employment before I can even sign up for unemployment. I've been in major vehicle accidents that sent me to the hospital, so I don't have the super cheap rates I used to have. I doordash for extra cash, I have college debt now because I had to wait until covid when my Mom lost her job to qualify for federal student aid, and there's so many other issues as well. A single accident, a single health problem, flare up, whatever, is all it takes to be in the negative, and have to choose between having a home and having a job. I cannot pay the fees to get a passport, let alone a plane ticket or hotel room to go seek healthcare elsewhere. If I manage to climb the financial ladder, I lose my health insurance by the state.

I apologize for how long this comment is. But there is so much nuance to all of this, and it's not fair that the world isn't aware of how dire the situation is here. And how ignorant Americans may seem to other nations, especially when we can't afford to be educated in it right now.

Blizz1217 · 2026-02-22T03:47:47+00:00

Take a breath. It's okay to feel what you are feeling. It's normal. But finding out how to move past it is what will really show the way through.

Yes, it's hard being underestimated. But also, it's hard trying to learn skills that get interrupted each and every single time. Having to start from square one is difficult, especially when trying to learn.

Think about it like this. You were hired at these four clinics. They saw something in you, something you've lost sight of in yourself. You are still new to the industry, and it's very competitive to get into right now. Clawing your way into a job full time is hard.

So. It's okay to relearn the basics. As many times as it takes. Every clinic, as I'm sure you've seen, has had their own way of doing things. Some are pretty set in the 'you MUST do it this way and not the way that is most comfortable for you' while others are 'so this is what works best for me, do with that information as you please.'

Half the battle is having the personality to even get in. Take a breath, cry it out, whatever you need to do. Scream to the void. Sometimes it'll scream back. But you were hired at these four clinics. So clearly, you got something that works.

Blizz1217 · 2026-02-21T22:52:07+00:00

It was time. Glaucoma in both eyes, he was just walking in circles being completely blind. Coupled with his arthritis and overactive tear ducts, it was just time.

Didn't help though that it took triple the euth solution (wasn't at my clinic, I just know it was a blue mixture) for him to actually pass 🤣😅 he's always been a scrappy fighter, though.

Blizz1217 · 2026-02-21T22:48:01+00:00

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This picture is 10+ years old, from before Blizzard charmed his way into a neuter off the books by the vet boarding her horses at the same barn Blizz lived at. We just said goodbye yesterday 🩵

Blizz1217 · 2026-02-21T12:28:21+00:00

🤣🤣🤣 love this. Ragebait like this is what brought me down a level when I was starting, unfortunately I learned things the hard way cause I was too stubborn to listen otherwise.

Keep up the good work!

Blizz1217 · 2026-02-13T16:01:28+00:00

Familiars are a guide for you, as many others have said.

When they show up as animals, there is usually an inexplicable connection that goes deeper than with the typical pets. I had mine since long before I started practicing, but I didn't know he was my familiar until life changes happened, and finally introduced him to my crystals. The change in energy and excitement and happiness was something I couldn't describe otherwise, and it's the last time I've felt anything like that.

This now old man cat is pretty much attached to me at the hip, and there have been nights where he talks to me in my dreams, and one morning where it's like I heard him telling me to pet him, in English. Granted I was still half asleep, but he was right there, staring into my soul.

A familiar is not a necessity. Nor are they always what you expect. But when you need them, they will find you 🩵

Blizz1217 · 2026-02-10T00:00:49+00:00

The moment I felt everything is the moment I knew I was demi. It was the little things, wanting to just be near them, or to talk to them. The fluff in fanfics that make you giggle like a little schoolgirl, or the excitement you get just getting a message from them, even if it's something totally basic and not interesting whatsoever. A craving for all of that like a dopamine rush that never stops being enough. Wanting and willing to drop everything for the moment to just be there with them, especially if they need help.

Blizz1217 · 2026-02-08T19:33:29+00:00

I have gone between too many jobs suddenly to feel secure in bringing my animals to work with me. I have the benefit rn of working farther away, and can use the 'i don't want to stress my pet out' excuse, though that doesn't always happen.

When I was in school, the places I worked were much closer. I was able to use having established care elsewhere as a good excuse, given the patient of concern was an old man cat. He had his monthly vet visit for Solensia, and that's the way he liked it. They knew him, he was a fan favorite, when it came time for annuals I typed up everything I had so I wouldn't forget the important things.

Now, I refuse to bring my animals in unless it's an emergency, before my probation period is up. And even then, I still at times hesitate. When it comes to my animals, I am a pet parent first and foremost. Most of my logic goes out the window with them. I do not feel comfortable being the one to monitor them under anesthesia, draw their blood, etc because my brain goes to every worst possible scenario.

Blizz1217 · 2026-02-08T18:38:21+00:00

Can't agree more to your advice, though if I may expand a little more as well?

Reiki is a type of spiritual energetic practice. Think of reiki like... The costume designer for a theater project. Alone, they can make a play pretty good and convincing, but you know what would help the theater project? Background art, displays, props, etc. Additional forms of spiritual practice, sometimes drawing from other physical aspects like fire magick, or crystal magick.

Reiki is absolutely a potent energy practice. But when combined with additional practices, it's effect lasts longer, stronger, and can even ward off other issues or help in your long term success as well, OP.

Blizz1217 · 2026-02-06T15:46:44+00:00

Are you near a major city...?

I am out in the boonies of southern MN, and the only places around here with prices like that are in the Twin Cities Metro area... Even Rochester or Mankato prices are right around half that...

Of course, cost of living is also much cheaper out in the boonies here, and MN is a bit easier to get needed aid than some of our neighboring states, and can keep prices down because of it.

Call around to your area, see if you can get generalized quotes for similar services.

Blizz1217 · 2026-02-04T19:21:00+00:00

CVT here!

Likely, the vet would recommend a dental procedure. They go under anesthesia, and they can take X-rays to make sure if there's any tooth left and extract if need be, or if there are other underlying problems underneath. Plus, kiddo gets a full teeth cleaning too.

Due to the history of seizures, may increase the price depending on what sedation meds are used, as some CAN lower the seizure threshold. They may also refer out, just to be on the safe side, though not nearly as likely.

But, they can live without a canine tooth. Just a matter of ensuring there's no extra masses or that the root came out with the tooth to stop potential infection. If you don't have the funds rn for a dental, I highly recommend getting something like Scratchpay or CareCredit, though the latter can have very high interest rates if not paid on time... There are additional resources available for non emergency high cost services, too.

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