Countdown

My departure date for my upcoming field job is rapidly approaching. In just a few short days, I'll be on my way toward winter fieldwork, and away from the real world. This will be some of the most intensive fieldwork I've ever done. I'm both excited and nervous. It's a fantastic opportunity, and I think it will also be an interesting test of both my mental and physical fortitude.

I have just about everything on my "to do" list completed, save for officially submitting my applications and stocking up on food. I want to wait as long as possible before I pay application fees and venture past the point of no return, as I'm still waiting to hear back on the status of the manuscript I submitted at the end of August. It's currently in review, but I'm holding out hope that I'll hear some sort of positive response that I can slap on my CV and into my essays before I hit the 'submit' buttons online.

For the most part, I feel prepared. But I am worried about leaving the boys for such a long period of time. Were they in good health, this wouldn't be much of a problem. The person who offered to watch them is very responsible and caring. But all three boys have chronic, long-term Mycoplasma pulmonis, and lately Rizzo's infection has been acting up, to the point that his breathing is audible-- an awful, stuffy, coffee-percolator-type noise that makes me feel like he can't be getting a lot of oxygen, even if he doesn't seem particularly bothered by it.

With my remaining time at home quickly dwindling, I've become increasingly nervous over the last few days about the three of them. I would hate for something to happen while I'm gone, not only for their sake, but for the sake of their caretaker. Not to mention the fact that it would be rough for me to know something had happened and not be able to do anything to help, and to wonder if things may have been different had I been around.

I've been desperately searching the internet these last few days to see if there's something else I can do to help ease their congestion-- anything from switching up their antibiotics to trying homeopathic remedies for respiratory illnesses. I plan on calling their vet first-thing Monday morning as a last-ditch effort to get something effective in place before I have to take off, but in the scope of things there's no way for me to know if it will work, and it will be impossible for me to monitor their health while in the field.

I know I'll worry less once I get there and get started working, and I know that their caretaker will do the best she can, but right now it's really hard to think about leaving them.