"Could Be Worse"

 ...as I peruse some of my colleagues' anguish in our FB group:

"One of the worst decisions of my life was to open my own clinic. The second worst decision was to expand it in 2018. I've been crawling out of a hole ever since. The expansion was supposed to include a second vet, which has been impossible to find due to corporate bonuses. I haven't paid myself for 9 months out of the last year. I am physically and mentally exhausted. I have invested 18 years of my life into this place:. 8ut it has caused my depression, isolation, financial worry, and loads more. I'm in debt over $700,000 and ready to walk away and declare bankruptcy. If I do I'll be destitute. If I don't, I'll probably go crazy and be on the obit page. I have been fighting for so long to keep this place open but I'm so tired and I'm ready to give up. Not to mention I'm out of savings. This f**king place has literally sucked the life out of me."

"I went into the same hole due to a stalker that was a municipal employee. I ended up becoming an on-call ACO** to both gather my evidence to clear my name and prove he was the one doing the things I was being accused of doing. I went into the hole very deeply having just bought my practice a few years before and my home still had a large mortgage. I also had no staff since he scared them away and ended up with inexperienced people that really don’t want to work and still am in that employee hole 15 years after this stalking/harassment/ptsd started. I ended up depressed and thought of ending it too , mind you I was also recovering from meningitis at the time. I have had no time to raise prices due to working so hard with inexperience staff and very demanding clients. After the last two carbon monoxide scares, I bit the bullet she am treating myself to a kitchen renovation on top of the repairwork needed to fix what caused the carbon monoxide leaks. I am finally getting out of the hole and that is me as a solo practitioner. I thought I would get an associate as well but know that no one would want to work at my practice with the staff I have but I have to start somewhere and build up. I have one decent receptionist that I can train to do more but right now, she is also doing assistant work since she knows more than the people I hired to be assistants. Once the assistants get better or I get better assistances, I can train the receptionist better and hopefully move forward at a better pace. Money comes and goes. Don’t give up on your dream. If you need to talk, contact me. Trust me, I have been there."

** Animal Control Officer

I periodically harangue myself to get off of social media, I know I waste too much time - but I take a peculiar comfort in realizing that I am not alone in my struggles. I still haven't found the words to write my short notes of condolence to Gail's widow and daughter, I also need to touch base with my niece to see how she's holding up. If nothing else I can get her an Easter card in the mail.