I am a Mensch*

I Am a Mensch

When I was five years old, I declared myself a vegetarian. Most likely, I actually said I

would no longer eat meat, which means the same thing in child speak.  One day I just

realized that burgers were cows and hot dogs were pigs and knew I could not stand

the thought of eating animals. By the age of seven, I had eliminated all known meat

from my diet.  My three siblings followed in my footsteps. One being vegetarian, one

pescatarain, and one vegan.  Oddly enough, our parents both eat meat, fish, and eggs.  

By birth, I am Jewish.  My dietary choices have nothing to do with keeping Kosher. My

Judaism is central in my life only to my heritage and love of family tradition.

I became a volunteer when I was thirteen years old.  I have worked with the North

Carolina School for the Deaf, Western Carolina Center, Carolinas Medical Center

Rehabilitation Unit, Habitat for Humanity, Hands on Charlotte, and Carolina Breast

Friends.  Now I have the honor of being the “Rescue and Volunteer Coordinator” for

the Save a Paw Foundation. If I was financially able, I would dedicate one hundred

percent of my time to charity.  I love networking, especially for good causes.

My dogs are my whole world.  Mostly everything I do revolves around them and their

care. Many a friend has said, if reincarnation exists, they would love to come back as

one of my pets. For the past seventeen years, I have owned Bulldogs.  After I got my

first Bulldog, I whelped three litters. Now I strictly rescue them. Sampson is my Bulldog

 

and Blu is my American Eskimo Spitz mix.  Whatever their needs, they come before

 

my own.  For the love of dogs, I have inspired my family to love them as I do and all of

my siblings own at least one.  I am proud to say that they have rescued all of their

“furbabies” and have carried on my standard of care for their pets.

Over the last eleven years, I have dedicated myself to being a veterinary technician. I have

had the honor of working for some of the best veterinarians in the state of North Carolina.  My

favorite thing about my job is that I help heal and and help guide clients beloved pets from

birth to their time to cross the “Rainbow Bridge”. I am thankful that I can offer peace, comfort,

and assurance to the clients and be there to comfort all patients during their lifetimes. My

second favorite part would have to be all of the interesting cases that I get to assist with and

all the hands on time I get to spend with the animals.  I have been blessed to be able to assist

in advanced procedures such as splenectomies, cystotomies, eye enucleations, and

amputations. Even more interesting, I was able to assist in a necropsy on an alligator from the

Schiele Museum, helped spay a skunk from the Nature Museum and get to handle exotics,

such as Bearded Dragons.  As a technician, I also get to perform dental prophies on animals.

Which basically means I am a animal dental hygienist to the cats and the dogs of the practice.

My friends refer to me as a “hippie”. Where I do appeal to the era, I think it comes more

from my liberalism. Wanting to make difference and not being afraid to express my

opinionated side. Interestingly enough, from learning about Native American culture

and how geared towards nature they are, this makes me feel most like my peers are

right because I strongly identify with their beliefs.  Coming full circle, from my five year

old decision to stop eating meat, they too have a strong affinity towards animals. In full

 

disclosure, they eat animals, but make certain to thank the animals and use all of their

“parts”.

In order to get a sense of this paper, I reached out to Facebook as a place to begin.

Out of about forty comments, soulful is my favorite word. My friend, a journalist, came

up with it. There were a lot of other flattering adjectives. Their kind descriptions of me

are some of the very traits that not only draw me to a care giving profession, but make

me feel as though I will be a truly successful nurse.

I believe that my early onset of consciousness about being vegetarian, helping others

through my volunteer endeavors, my deep caring for all living things, and making these

choices a way of life, led me to who I am today, who I hope I will always be.