I know how to treat a urinary tract infection in a cat, but I don’t know what colors to pick for the new kennels. I know how to make a vomiting dog to feel better in no time but I have no clue when Keith, the contractor, asks “Where do you want the sockets in the exam rooms, Doctor McLahan?’ Yet these are the questions at hand.
Turns out that retrofitting a veterinary hospital into a 100-year-old bank building isn’t an easy task. Especially when trying to juggle a full-time job, order the right equipment, find the best employees and not overspend the budget.
It feels great though. I get to choose how things will be done. My fifteen years of experience at other animal hospitals has come in handy: I know exactly what I want (and, just as important, what I don’t want!). Sometimes I just don’t know exactly how I want it. With help from friends, family and professionals, everything tends to get sorted out in the end.
Every day after work I drive to Bridgeport and marvel at this amazing building on the corner of West 4th and Dekalb Streets that is now mine. I talk to the contractor and we discuss the progress and all of the decisions that I have to make. At times it is still hard for me to believe that this is it. This is the real deal! Soon clients and their pets will walk through this door and we will be able to provide their pets with the best possible care. I may still be undecided about the color of the kennels but I can’t wait to serve this wonderful community!