It is now 51 years since I graduated from Veterinary School. Covid put it off from last year, which would have been the 50th Year Celebration. But on Friday lunch at the Royal Exchange Hotel, then Saturday Dinner at MOFOS Restaurant at the top of the Flight Centre Building (as Skroo Turner, from the Flight centre fame, was in our year), and then Sunday lunch at the Regatta Hotel. Yes, the old drinking holes of UQ students were being remembered.
Meeting people from so far back in time is a very memorable moment. So often, as in our case, so many of the Vets went so far afield, so for many of us, there was no ongoing communication or meeting up once we left Vet School. It is a real shame. However, the number of Vets we will not see is more disturbing. The breakdown from our year and from other years is that 30% of our mates are no longer with us (a number committing suicide), 30% for whatever reason will not attend due to health and other issues, and 30% attended. Of a class of 68 students, this is very disturbing. For me, to hear that one of my close friends at University, both started at Townsville together, and who was a fascinating fellow, and a talented student committed suicide very early in the piece. This same guy, whilst still at Uni, brought buffalos down from Northern Australia and was assisting to do research on these animals. I always wanted him to come to my farms for a visit and never had his contact details, nor tried to find him. What a shame! It is a real lesson to all of us, that we should reach out to old friends, they just may need your concern.
There were some great talks from some very interesting people who have had some very exciting lives. I will mention one, The Red Dog Vet, Rick Fenny, only because I have the material to share. But hearing some of the stories from other fellow Vets was fantastic and I wish I could share them all. Below is some very interesting reading and listening.
Click on the picture below to watch the video
You may be interested in purchasing his book to read more about his life.
The book is also available at all Pets and Vets Group practices, Ocean Park Aquarium in Shark Bay and various bookstores. $39.95 soft cover and $49.95 hard cover.
Email rick@rickfennygroup.com for more information
Well, it was great to hear all these amazing stories from the lives of these talented people. But now it was my turn, so I wanted to change the discussion to something else, to turn our thinking not so much about our past, but to have a talk about Life is not behind us, there is still life to be lived in front of us. So I talked about the great things that we are doing in the Active Aging Hub
The response was wonderful with many saying how important it is to be living Active Lives but also to be socially connected. Our friend base is constantly reducing so there is a need to meet new people and make new friends. But let us not forget our old friends and acquaintances who may just need your contact and a friendly how are you? They may disappear and as I have found, you will never see them again and that is a real shame.
Pick your tennis mate from the lineup
Comments