So the other day, my father in law called. There was this crow with an obvious broken wing. He couldn't catch him, but said if he could he would bring it to me. Now, I am a bird freak! I also wanted sooooo much to be a vet. But still...I felt bad but knew it was so very illegal to harbor a native species, and hoped it wouldn't come to me. Plus I had signed up for 5-6 days a week for a month so I wouldn't be home.
Guess what..he was caught, yep...came to me!
This bird (I call him a he, with american crows sex is determined by bloodwork), had a compound fracture of his radius and the bone was sticking out! Sadly the bone was beyond dry, and the wound looked a week or two old. Not much hope in saving a good portion of the bone. However, this bird was acting like a normal crow, eating/drinking...no signs of infection....what a trooper!
I tended the wound and did some passive ROM to get the bone back into place....I wound up, under advisement of ...get this..a surgeon I worked with...to clip the tip of the bone and reinsert. It worked...I stablized and dressed the area. Meanwhile this bird was free to roam in a room, with a huge cage to go into at bedtime or when I was at work.
I live in a very rural area, and the day the bird came my car died! I even had to cancle work. So I could't take him to the Audubon society 40 miles away. So I guess I got the bird till hubby was off work for the week (paramedic 12 hour days..too late for their open hours).
So after a few days....and lots of treatment...the bird is doing awesome, and I guess I sucessfully meshed the bone up! He is using the wing and nicely!!!!! Of course he is still healing...
I called the audubon society, and they understand my transportation and work probelms in getting him in...and come sunday...this little crow, known as Orian, will have a surgical team and x-ray ready for him if needed. I talked to their vet for about an hour...sounds like what I did exceeded their expectations, and with the rom I described sounds like a good chance of recovery..including how I set the bone! AWESOME!
So, I guess our jobs don't just go with work, it comes into our lives in other ways..and I must admit...I was very happy to have that experience under my belt. Yes, I have shed a few tears on giving up my dreams of being a vet....but, I still got it...and for some odd reason...was shown to me again in this bird!
Be it a bird or human...we nurses have so much to give!
(btw..it is highly illegal to harbor a native animal...don't do it! It can be one heck of a fine! I got permission for three days only!).
