How to address apathy?
At the moment, I'm a bee's phallus away from graduating as a veterinarian. The final year of study in my programme is mostly clinical work - ranging from performing bitch spays all the way to sweeping floors. An issue that I've recently started becoming aware of is a growing sense of apathy. This apathy is not aimed towards my patients or clients, nor the staff around me.
The apathy is aimed at the frustrations of other people.
Perhaps the best way to explain is an example - one day, I picked up a consult that was seemingly routine. That consult ended with an empty carrier due to poor prognosis and financial constraints. He was a sweet little guy and it wasn't his fault that he had been given the winning ticket to the shittiest lottery. Later, I had been cooking dinner as my flatmate vented her day's frustrations - Brenda was back on her bullshit, Michelle from finance had fish for frunch - the usual, everyday troubles of your average person.
And I found that I couldn't muster it within myself to care about Brenda or Michelle or how it had been impacting my flatmate. I thought it was silly, even. How could she care about trivial matters like these when I had felt a little heart beat for the last time only two hours earlier?
That's when the realization hit. While I am responsible for choosing this path, I am also responsible for not allowing the stones on my path to flick onto others.
What have you found helpful in terms of either addressing apathy or remaining emotionally present for your loved ones?