BMA Clinic Report – December 14, 2019

Published w. translation & pictures on the FB page. 

BMA Clinic Report – December 14, 2019

December's clinic was a day of many blessings - some hidden.

The BMA team is in preparation a week before the clinic. We have to replenish supplies and confirm who will be volunteering and reminding our clients of their appointments. Despite the best laid plans, things change. Feeling pretty confident of what was ahead, I forgot to bring the appointment sheets....so much effort to be efficienct only to be humbled by forgetting the crux of our clinic. No problem, I was 10 minutes late but Nena, Ana and Jenny greeted me with laughter and hugs. 

By 11 am we only had 14 animals. Nine of our appointments didn't show so we announced the availability over the loudspeaker in town and in a few minutes we were up to 21!

The benefits of working as a team is that we share the big jobs.  Many hands make light work.

Yesterday, some people brought in a most pitiful, neglected dog hoping that someone would adopt her and then left her on our doorstep, abandoned by the people who brought her in. 

There was a poodle under there somewhere under an impenetrable mat, an armor of filth, fleas and ticks. She also had an injured leg and paw. It seemed impossible to liberate her but a little army of caregivers hovered over her with scissors, razors and comfort - what a combination!  It took a couple of hours and was a bit of trauma that we all shouldered but we slowly whittled her out of that horrible shell. We found a feather imbedded in the mat as if a bird mistook her for a nest! And there was a nursery of ticks and fleas, flora and fauna. Her ears, legs and tail were so heavy-laden she could move freely. Finally, underneath was a white poodle-dog with trusting eyes and yielding disposition. Who knew? We all loved her and we loved each other too because we saved her together. Katherine took her home to bathe and continue the good care.

And so, we created our own little Christmas story of peace and goodwill. Thank you, each and everyone of you for all that you do for the sake of animals. When we care for the most neglected we do ourselves and the world a favor. Persistence, patience and love can turn the tide. 

BMA Clinic Report - November 9, 2019

This was one of the hottest clinics I can remember...and it's November!

The night before the clinic, our latest rescue, a wolf-dog, began looking for a cave and by 8 pm she was birthing. I had to go to bed early to be ready for the clinic so Wally camped out and helped her with the births. I woke up at 4 am to 2 little wolf cubs and to give Papa Wally some relief and there were chores to be done before heading for the clinic.

Nena, Chemo, Kenny and Ana had a beautiful full setup by the time I got there and there were two early clients checked in. I love starting the clinic that way. How wonderful to have a capable, dependable team that early in the day.

I worried that I had overbooked the day. Now I fully understand how Anne rarely said "no" to anyone who needed an appointment. Before I left my driveway this morning, my neighbor was asking for 3 appointments for 3 female cats. I already had 24 confirmed appointments but how could I say no when I did the numbers...so I said yes. As it often goes, the ones I think are coming for sure, didn't show. In the end, as always, it all worked out. We treated 9 female cats, 6 female dogs and 4 male dogs. 19 plus 2 consultations was a full enough day.

We had a most wonderful surprise mid-morning. We received something we have been longing for for a long, long time: a pet scale! A wonderful, pet scale! Steve and Michelle donated the new scale, a large dog crate, a box of dog diapers and box of tick and flea treatment. What can I say - it was like Christmas! This makes our work much easier. Try picking up a 30 kilo dog that you don't know to stand on a 12" x 15" platform. Not fun... No more. The dog stands on the scale alone and it's weight is measured even as it moves all-squiggly on a super large platform - easy-peasy.

Another wonderful thing happened...Kate is back with lunch!  When I told the volunteers they started a hallelujah choral - that's the truth, I kid you not!

After practically abusing our new volunteer, Leslie, last month, she was back for the full day with great loving care for our recovering dogs. She came in with a pitiful pup, belly swollen with parasites and carrying more ticks than a buffalo...not a way for a baby to start a life. She gave the pobrecita a bath and afterwards we had to pick ticks off Leslie! For all her tender heart she's also tough when it comes to caring for animals. We are so happy to welcome her to our community.

Today was another great day, another great clinic.

Thank you everyone. The generous impulse of our community is humbling. It is how we are able to function. We could not begin to do what we do without what you do. This is the wonder of giving. It feels good to give and it makes others want to reciprocate. It is an honor to be in this cycle of giving and receiving. These are lasting and meaningful connections.

Here's a heads up! Next clinic, December 14th, we are having an open house at our BMA clinic site, which is also the Museum. We will be doing what we always do, spaying and neutering, but we will also be having a mini flea market with food! Talk about full-service! We invite our neighbors and friends to come see us at work and gain some deals as a teaser for our upcoming Silent Auction in January. Please lend your support for raising funds for another year's worth of monthly clinics. 

See you next month!

Kenny - worth his weight in gold

BMA Clinic Report - October 12, 2019

This past summer BMA and the Culture Center  sponsored a summer school program on what it is to  be from this community. It was called, Yo Soy de Nayarit - I am from Nayarit. A secondary theme evolved: what is it to be a hero/heroine in your everyday life. Well, yesterday's clinic was a manifestation of what happens when everyone brings their particular gifts of heroism to a cause.

After a harrowing night of hurricane-force winds we ventured predawn to open the clinic. Wally was prepared with flashlights and a chainsaw. He had to remove two places in the road blocked by fallen trees. The museum courtyard had a thick covering of mud and there were large limbs covering the cat recovery area. I held the flashlight while he cut. Despite a fever and deep cough, Nena came to help she and brought another BMA friend, Chemo to help. He brought a blower. Kenny carried many buckets of water to move the mud out and we each took a broom. Soon it was light and people began to arrive with animals.

Everyone who came to the clinic left home without power or water, with debris and mud awaiting them, but they came to volunteer and they came to keep their appointments.  We took in 25 - 3 female cats, 18 female dogs and 3 male dogs, plus 2 consultations.

No one complained. When Ana arrived to set up surgery she acted as if it were nothing to start with a floor covered in mud and no running water. By the time Dr. B. arrived it looked like another clinic day in paradise - the sun was up, the sky was blue and the courtyard was cleaner than usual.

Randy, Jani and Ryan came at 9 and set to work with Minerva, spraying chloro and hard-brushing the courtyard which was slick with green slime.

By the time Jenny arrived the first dog was coming into recovery and the sun was drying up the courtyard.

Minerva invited someone she had met on the beach to visit our clinic. Her name is Leslie and she is looking to make Santa Cruz her new home. She stayed for the whole day helping Jenny in recovery. She had zero experience in this kind of work but her willingness to help was over-the-top, truly an angel sent from doggy heaven.

Kenny hauled water all day long in addition to picking up and carrying every animal to and from surgery and to the owner's car.

We had 4 pit bulls, 2 were pregnant - when it rains, it pours pit bulls! At least it seemed that way yesterday.

I knew I should have stayed home...

Can you feel it?  Everyone was drawn into a whirling dervish dance. From chaos, evolved a choreography that transformed us into heroes, a community of heroes really! We had every excuse for canceling and going home to take care of our own messes and I don't know why we didn't. But we kept facing one tree-in-the-road at a time and in a few hours we went from SOS to "All is fine and well."

At the end of the day, as the church was ringing the bells for mass and I was locking the gate of the clinic, the last thing I saw as I locked the gate of the clinic was Ana on her motor scooter with a knocked-out pit bull pup in a bag between her feet, Baltazar behind and Kenny in the rear... I was too tired to find my camera for a photo but please try to conjure up that image...it says it all and it will warm your heart and make you grin.

OMG, I love this community! I hope none of you feel abused by yesterday's difficult day... I hope when you got home the refrigerator hadn't defrosted and you could take a shower.  I'm humbled by your heart and stamina. You ARE heroes.

Thank you Wally for forging the way in the dark. Thank you, Amaranth for holding the light.

Thank you, Nena for showing up when sick. And Chemo for coming armed with blower.

Thank you, Kenny - you're always our MVP.

Thank you, Ana for never flinching.

And Dr. B - man, 25 surgeries, STOP! - no don't stop!

Thank you, Minerva and Nataly for kitty kare.

Thank you, Jenny and Leslie for hours of up and down, checking and re-checking, keeping the dogs as the center of your attentions.

Thanks Randy, Jani and Ryan - you kept us from falling on our pompis, literally!

Thanks Trilby for funding lunch at Lucy's and  Wally for surprising us with pizza!

Thank you, Rosa for 4 new chairs so we could all take a seat and eat together like one, big family.

Now, get some rest!

BMA Clinic - September 14, 2019

One thing you can count on - you can't predict a clinic. Just like no two dogs are alike, no two clinics are. It's the surprises that often make the clinics so special.

Like having Anne back.  What a boon for us! She will be returning to Canada soon. We will sorely miss her until she and Gilles can return.

It's no small feat to check in an animal. It can be chaotic among dogs and cats that are strangers to one another. It's a little stressful for the animals and their owners. There is a form to fill out. We check gums for anemia and weigh each animal  - and their owner. The owner has to hold their pet like a baby while standing on a scale. It can get a little wonky especially with heavy animals and light owners. It's not the best way but it's what we have to work with.

Imagine that and multiply by 8! 

Our newest volunteer, Sandra, came with 8 dogs and cats from San Blas. I believe that surpasses Katherine's record!  Most of the dogs were big - extra BIG - a total of 134 kilos of dogs and cats combined! She is awesome with animals and wowed us with her stamina and excellent care.  

In total we had 4 female cats, 5 male dogs and 11 females.

Jorge surprised us with a very special lunch - handmade spinach ravioli and lasagna, salad vinaigrette and chocolate cake decorated in the colors of Mexico's Independence Day - Viva Mexico! It was lovely to have him join us as we relaxed over lunch in the lush and gorgeous tropical courtyard. Not only did Jorge make lunch but he made the garden that we operate from! Thank you for all, Jorge - man, are we lucky!

A lot of friends came by: Minerva's young niece came with Gabrielle and stayed for much of the day watching surgeries, cleaning cat ears and picking ticks off the dogs. Sandra's sister-in-law helped in dog recovery. Len and Margit came to have their kitten checked. Barb dropped by too. 

So much tender care comes together for our clinics. When people work together well for something worthy everybody feels good. Each member of our team is dedicated and contributes something special. We accomplish a lot. We surprise ourselves! 

Thanks to Nena and Kenny for staging our clinic so professionally from beginning to end.

Thank you Anne for helping to manage a little bit of everything - like always!

Thank you Minerva for cat care - please bring your niece back to see us!

Thanks to Jenny, Sandra and Amaranth for dog recovery. 

Thank you Wally for kennel and muzzle repairs, garbage disposal, etc...

And hats off to Dr Beltran and Ana - well done, once again - what a team!

The best part - Take me home!

BMA Clinic Report - August 10, 2019

Our clinic is across the street from the Pacific Ocean. Ocean breezes are always welcome especially in the summer. We are fortunate to have one of the lovliest locations to work: an air-conditioned surgery and tropical courtyard. Still, we directed all three of our electric fans on dogs as we moved them from intake to recovery. Yesterday, we were short on help but everyone compensated by keeping a good focus on each task. The BMA team can go with the flow, like the waves and the wind of the Pacific.

Nena and Kenny had the courtyard looking ready for a photo shoot by 7. Our first client was sitting patiently: an abuelita with two cats in a bag. Now that's a picture! She watched as the courtyard was transformed. By 8, we had 17 animals checked in -  a clear indication of how the community values this service. We are always booked 2 months in advance. See how we are growing!

Twenty three animals and 2 consultations later - it was all good. Busy - too busy to remember to take photos. If anyone has some, please share and post.

We started with 9 cats - 2 males and 7 females (one pregnant) and 14 dogs - 2 males and 12 females (4 were in heat - there were several males hanging out at the gate) .

A young man, one of my summer school students, came by with an injured cat, attacked by a dog. The poor kitty had a broken back and was euthanized. He knew where to come for help.  He and his family cried and took the cat to bury. We all felt sad for them but it's good to know that she was precious to a caring family. This is why education is important - it enlarges the heart and the head and brings compassion into reality.

Nena has become a very competent leader. She conserves on supplies, makes sure our clients pay and looks ahead to the next task, even to the next clinic. Bravo, Nena!

A new volunteer and a new friend to BMA - Sandra Diez, proved to care for the recovery of dogs like a pro and nearly single-handed. Jenny, awesome as ever, came to help early in the day and left early. That turned out perfectly.

Minerva was invaluable too. No one but Anne cares for cats like she does.

I think Ana and Dr B were caffeinated yesterday. They started early and ended early - we were on our way home by 4. Thanks for the intense energy and focus you give to each animal.

The nicest surprise was Ryan and Shannon bringing us a hot lunch of chicken mole, salad with apple tarragon dressing, cold soda and cookies...they heard we were ordering from Lucy's and decided to treat us instead.  We're very grateful for their spontaneous and generous impulse.

Thank you Ryan and Shannon!
Thank you ,Nena and Kenny!
Thanks you, Minerva!
Thank you, Jenny and Sandra and Amaranth!
Thank you, Dr B and Ana!
You're a gorgeous picture of BMA!

Yo Soy de Bahia Matanchen - Summer School

Summer school was sponsored by BMA and Centro Cultural for another year with an ecology theme. 

This week's theme was Yo Soy de Bahia Matanchen. Each day we explored the history, people, waterways plants and animals of our area, exploring what it means to know where you live and who you are. The week culminated with the message that we can all mean something to this place.

We can be everyday-heroes that help Bahia Matanchen grow beautifully and wisely. Each child created an emblem with a symbol that represented what was important to them. Everyone agrees that heroes help people and the planet. The kids each received a colorful satin cape with the emblem of their design. Petra sewed 121 capes - truly a super-woman feat! The kids were more than happy to be recognized as heroes.

 Marta was a marvel of enthusiasm and energy as a teacher. Her niece, Anni and our Lizzy were also part of the teaching team. Barb came to the rescue to glue the emblems on each cape. Thank you to the heroes and heroines who helped: Leon, Jorge, the librarians, the moms and dads, the yoginis of the Centro Cultural and to our supporters who helped finance the program.

BMA Clinic Report - July 13, 2019

In short, the day was looong...

Nena, Kenny and Ana did an amazing job of setting up the clinic. At 7:15 there were people and pets waiting at the gate. Wally was there to help check them in. By 8am there were 19 animals checked in and it was calm.

We had 17 females and 1 male dog - 4 females and 2 male cats - 24 total. 

One working man came from Jolatemba. He waited for a chance for a no-show appointment and won.  He was the last to leave and gave a donation along with a million dollar smile. Another woman who couldn't capture her cats came by and paid for her appointments anyway.

 

We also had a vet from Otates come and observe Beltran in surgery - it must have been a pleasure for him to watch a master artist at work. Beltran is always generous in sharing his skill and knowledge. We hope this young vet will be inspired and pass it on in his practice.

This was our first clinic without Anne leading the team. We were without Trini too. Everyone showed their best effort in solidarity to Anne and BMA. This will grow us strong for sure! We've all relied on Anne, not knowing the full extent of what she covered. We all had to work a little harder to cover all the bases. That's the kind of day we had - it took more effort, more time, more volunteers.  I hope everyone takes a moment to feel good about their part. It was a clinic to be proud of.

Something extraordinary happened yesterday. A dog was brought in with an eye lost and infected. While the dog was under anesthesia for sterilization, Dr B assessed the eye socket, cleaned and treated it so that healing could begin. A young woman came late in the afternoon to check on the dog. She told us the shocking story of how the dog had not only been hit in the eye but also hung by the neck by a rope, and that someone caught it on video. The cruelty was hard to fathom. The team put their heads and hearts together to formulate a plan. Shunashi volunteered to give shelter to the dog and continue the medical care needed. Ana will take the video as evidence for filing a complaint to the government agency with oversight of animal abuse. Everyone wanted to do something to make this kind of abuse stop.

It's a hard story to tell but it's necessary to share. Animal abuse is a sign of a sickness that eventually affects everything and everyone. We can not accept it or else we will all suffer. 

Thanks a million to everyone who came to help yesterday:

Nena, assistant clinic director - good job,

Kenny, awesome right hand to everyone,

Dr. B, Michela and Ana - marathon surgery team, on their feet all day,

Minerva - cat care extraordinaire,

Shunashi and Isabel - earnest volunteers learning it all, our newest dog-warriors

Jenny and Katherine - experienced, steadfast, capable,

Trilby and Audrey - supportive, encouraging long-time friends of BMA

Yadira - our new friend and dog advocate,

Amaranth and Wally - all purpose where needed, proud members of team BMA.

It takes a lot of adjectives to tell you about this collective of animal-lovers, but if I were to choose only one it would be generous.  Thanks for your support!

 

June 2019 Clinic

BMA Clinic Report - June 1, 2019

Short, sweet, and all done with heart!

Overcast, cool, mellow, quiet, so went the day, and we still treated 20 animals: 8 cats (3 male) and 11 dogs (1 male), one consult. 

Pizza for lunch and home by 4! Perfection! 

Thanks everyone! Marvel at the beauty of diversity as everyone moves toward one aim - we were a ballet yesterday.  

10 humans and 20 animals - a multi-species collaboration sin tutus!

Many thanks to Nena, Trini and Kenny for getting up at the crack of dawn and turning a courtyard into a stage for sterilization.

A dozen roses to Anne for coordinating countless details behind the scenes -  a natural choreographer!

Thank you Dr B and Ana for surgery and medical readiness for whatever is needed.

Katherine, Minerva and Amaranth - recovery and spa - take a bow!

A special thanks to Randy for your supporting role.

And a standing ovation for Mario's Pizza!

BRAVO, everyone, BRAVO!

BMA MAY CLINIC

By 10 this morning we had two cats and three dogs in recovery - how's that for a smooth start? Actually eight of our 23 appointments didn't show but Katherine and Isabel quickly picked up the slack. I think Katherine broke her record today. She rustled up 8 dogs. Eight no-shows - no problem. 

BMA sterilized 20 animals today: 15 female dogs - 2 were pregnant with a total of 14, 3 male dogs and 2 male cats. Actually one of the cats came in as female and left without his cojones! A third cat brought from the beach was too sick and injured and was euthanized. A male dog was treated for venereal cancer. This is so important to treat as it is communicable and causes animals to suffer miserably.

Kenny noted that a dog had stopped breathing and he, Ana and Anne resuscitated her while Dr B prepared an adrenaline injection. She recovered fully.

It was truly marvelous to witness. We lost a cat but we recovered a dog...a life given, a life gained.

All of us were resuscitated by Mona's taco team! She came with her family and set up a taqueria serving us savory tacos in handmade tortillias hot off the grill. Randy paid for lunch. Fueling the clinic workers is a great way to contribute! Thank you, Randy. And thanks for volunteering today. 

There's so much behind-the-scenes acts of kindness to make a clinic: Roxanne from San Blas gave a donation, Trilby arranged for the taqueria and brought her friend Ruby to babysit recovering dogs, Barb and Loren made BMA "money" (tokens to keep track of the taco tally), Josue donated a roast chicken, Luis lent his internet, Randy fetched the dog with cancer, Wally disposed the garbage, Amaranth did the laundry and so it goes - see what I mean? It feels good when something good is done together!

Thank you Kenny, Trini and Nena for setting up and closing up. Nena you are a good ear cleaner!

Thank you for our surgical team of Dr. Beltran, Ana and Baltathzar.

Thank you to our volunteers: Randy, Ruby, Katherine, Isabel, and Amaranth...

and thank you to Anne, BMA's orchestral leader for directing us in making beautiful music together...ta da!