NOMV Race Around The World

I am so excited!!

Not One More Vet, Inc. has begun our first real fundraiser.

We are working together to race the circumference of the world (25,000 miles/40,000 km) to unite veterinarians, students, support staff, animal lovers, and all of those that love us!

Registration has already begun as has the race, but it is never too late to join or donate!

Would you like to join my team, Team Renewed Strength? Sign up here!
Would you like to donate? Donate here!!

#NOMVRaceAroundTheWorld #WhoAreYouRacingFor #NotOneMoreVet #SavingLivesOneStepAtATime

Unexpected twists in life

I will be finishing my blog posts about Mongolia soon. While I was there things were crazy busy, when I came home, I was working extra hours filling in and keeping up with paperwork. Sadly, yesterday, I was relieved from my position without warning or reason. I thank everyone that has been very support of me and my work.

I know that God has a plan for me, and I am praying about it now, trying to find the direction that He wants me to take. For my many clients, patients, and friends, I will miss you dearly.

Please be patient with me as I work through all of this. Please also keep my husband and me in your prayers.

To Blog or Not to Blog

I have been struggling lately with what to write. I have ideas and I start to write and the ideas just don’t come out properly. I have started writing about why I became a veterinarian, why I love mission work, and have considered writing about what frustrates me on a daily basis and how I want people to be educated about topics that they aren’t educated in. Today I was thinking about discussing physical fitness (about 1/3 of those in the veterinary profession are really fit and run marathons and stuff like that, another 1/3 or more are obese, and the rest are “normal”) – that must be what I get for going for a walk and actually running (GASP) for part of the distance.

I know I can only blog about what I know.

I also know that I want you to want to read what I am writing.

So, that leaves the question…What are you, the reader, interested in reading about? I really do want to know! I may not know what to write for everything, but if you inspire me, I just may cover that topic.

Please, inspire me. Let me know what you want to read or learn about.

Happy Birthday, Amy!

Today, I would like to wish my friend, Amy, a wonderful and blessed happy birthday!

Amy and I became friends in high school. Since then, we haven’t seen each other very often, but when we have it has been as if time stood still. Well, if you don’t count all the years that have passed, the pounds I have gained, the spouses we love, and the children she birthed. Other than those things, yeah, time stood still. We can pick up conversations from 20 years ago and continue on.

I have already mentioned that she has had children, what I haven’t mentioned is that one of her children has severe food allergies that could be life threatening. Amy began a blog, Milwaukee Allergy Mom, to put her life into a new perspective and to help others that struggle to walk the line of protecting their child and not letting them miss out on things that most of us take for granted.

As my little gift to Amy, I give the gift of Amy’s blog to you. Please visit her and comment. One of my favorite posts of hers thus far is here, it really made me stop and think about some things I have said and done in the past and try so hard not to repeat.

Think First

This is an excellent summary of how many veterinarians, technicians, trainers, and shelter workers feel. Thank you, Dr. Rockwell, for putting into words what I have been unable to do so eloquently!

Cat Diet

I need to vent a little – not because I am angry, but because I am frustrated and I think there is a message that needs to get out to people thinking about getting a pet.

I am a veterinarian.  I love my job.  Every day I get to see some of the most amazing pet owners in the world at my clinic and every day I see some of the worst as well.  Pets are not a right they are a responsibility that is not to be taken lightly.  They are a living, breathing being that will need to be cared for for the next 12-20 years of their lives.  They are going to chew up YOUR things if you don’t train them and teach them how to behave in a home with humans.  They are going to bite people and become fearful if you don’t socialize them and…

View original post 948 more words

Praises and Thanks

I know that there is still much going on in the world that brings sadness and that weighs down my heart, but today, I want to share some happiness, praises, and thanks!

It has been 1 year since I signed up with WordPress and started my blog. So much has happened and I have written more than I expected to. There are still many thoughts in my head that may make it to the screen! Thank you for supporting this endeavor and following along – there are 61 of you! Not to mention the joy in finishing the A to Z Blogging Challenge in April! Last month, in my Teratoma post, I shared Sam’s story about his brain tumor. For the past year, we have had concerns about one of the cysts in his brain growing. Yesterday, he had another MRI to check the status of the cyst. Thankfully, the cyst has not grown, apparently last year the MRI took a slightly different “slice” which caused the cyst to appear larger, and he does not need to have another brain surgery! This is wonderful news.

My little sister and her family are also visiting from England for the next week (they arrive today!) and I am so excited to see them. It has been almost a year since I saw them. This will also be the first time I will see them since they announced that they will be having another baby (a boy) later this year – most likely while I am in Mongolia. One of the main reasons she is coming home is to celebrate the wedding of my other “little sister” that looks more like me than my biological sister. I am excited for Nici’s wedding as well next week.

Liam is recovering!

Liam, from the Urea Cycle Disorder post is doing well overall. There have been some bumps in the road and he needed another surgery to adjust some feeding tubes, but he is getting stronger. There is still a long way to go, but the little guy is a fighter that shows so much love. I continue to keep the entire family in my prayers. There is still a long way to go and they need a lot of financial help to cover expenses. Please consider helping out at http://cota.donorpages.com/PatientOnlineDonation/COTAforLiamL/. I know the family would greatly appreciate it.

Two families that had tragedy strike at the end of April have received a lot of support and are slowly starting to pull their lives back together. The Griebel family lost Josh and Monica – parents of 5 children – in a car accident on April 25, 2014. There has been an out pouring of support in the way of supplies and items. Financially, they still need a lot of help. The Griebel Fabulous Five, account has been set up to help the longer term needs of the children. Thus far, they have only received about $23,000 and so much more is needed for these 5 children ranging in age from about 16 months to 13 years of age. The other family, the Dorresteijn’s, lost Shari and Bram from a car accident on April 24th. Left behind were two children, ages 2 months and 2 years. The support has been great with the Shari and Bram Dorresteijn Memorial Fund, but the children can always use more support. Please keep both families in your prayers.

I am thankful for my “new” job that I celebrated my 1 year anniversary at on Tuesday. It has been an interesting time and I have met some wonderful people. Thank you for helping me continue this journey we call life!

Sunday is also Mother’s Day in the United States. Thanks for being there for me and giving birth to me, Mom. I wouldn’t be here today without you! 🙂 To all the moms or mother figures out there (even if the child is not from your own body), I salute you!

Q is for Q Fever

Q is for Q Fever

Q fever is often spread through fluids at birth

 

“What is Q fever?” you ask. Well, let me tell you! Q stands for query. It was a disease of unknown origin when first documented in 1935 Australia and in the United States in the 1940s (although it was found in ticks Montana ticks in 1938). Q Fever was later found to be caused by Coxiella burnetii, an obligate intracellular bacterium (which means it is a bacteria that has to live inside of cells to survive). It can be found worldwide, except in New Zealand.

Q fever does not always cause symptoms and the symptoms are so vague that many cases may be misdiagnosed or never even see a doctor, so the exact number of people infected is unknown.

Q Fever Symptoms (www.eurosurveillance.org)

Symptoms range from fever (generally for 7-14 days) and malaise to chest and/or abdominal pain to chills and muscle aches. Cough, vomiting, and diarrhea can also be seen. Have you had any of these symptoms lately? Sounds like just about everything that is out there during cold and flu season. The majority of people with acute infections recover, but those with complications can develop pneumonia, inflammation of the heart or liver, and even problems with the brain or spinal cord. Pregnant women are at a much higher risk of preterm labor and delivery, as well as miscarriage. Thankfully, the death rate is relatively low, <2% of hospitalized patients. Chronic infections (those infections that never really go away, <5% of the acute infection patients) can show up as early as 6 weeks after an acute infection or as long as many years after. Chronic Q fever is most common in pregnant women, individuals with heart valve defects prior to their acute infection, and those that are immunosuppressed. The fatality rate of these patients is much more significant. In fact, endocarditis (inflammation of the heart valves), the most common form of chronic disease, makes up 60-70% of all reported cases, with untreated fatality rates of 25-60%. In animals, the most common symptom is miscarriage.

Q Fever Transmission (m2002.tripod.com)

Diagnosing and treating Q fever is difficult since treatment is most effective if started within the first 3 days of disease, but most people do not go to the doctor within the first 3 days of disease. Diagnostic tests such as looking for antibodies are not accurate until 7-10 days into the illness. Another test, polymerase chain reaction (PCR), can be done in the first week of illness, but sensitivity decreases over time, especially after antibiotic administration, a positive result is helpful, but a negative result does not rule out disease. Therefore, treatment is often started based on physical examination, symptoms, and history of possible exposure. Risk factors including being a veterinarian or farmer, travel to rural or agricultural areas where infections are present, and ingesting unpasteurized dairy products, including milk. Paired blood samples test via IFA, indirect immunofluorescense assay, taken 2-4 weeks apart are the gold standard for diagnosis. This test looks for a four fold increase in IgG antibody levels. The paired sample is also important because one test alone is not diagnostic. Currently, about 3% of healthy people have antibodies to C. burnetii, and about 20% of high risk individuals (such as veterinarians) have titers from past exposure.

Treatment consists of doxycycline and should be given for 2-3 weeks for acute cases, if the fever does not subside within 3 days it is generally considered to not be Q Fever. For chronic cases, duration of treatment is 18 months with both doxycycline and hydroxychloroquine. Other medications in the same drug class have been found to actually increase the risks of complications, so they are not recommended. Pregnant women should not receive doxycycline due to the risk of complications with the fetus, so there are other recommendations for them. Due to the resent dramatic increase in the cost of doxycycline its use in veterinary medicine is now often cost prohibitive for clients.

Q Fever Bioterrorism (leads to a video on education-portal.com)

A significant concern with C. burnetii is that it is a risk for bioterrorism since it is resistant to heat and drying, can be spread through aerosolization (small particles in the air) to be inhaled, and very few organisms are required to infect a person. According to the CDC website, Q fever also has a history of being developed for use as a biological weapon. It is considered a potential terrorist threat.

 

 

A to Z is almost here!

A to Z is almost here! Two hours and 15 minutes before it is April 1st here in Wisconsin!

My first post will arrive at 12:01 am central time!

A to Z 2014

New Year, New Opportunities, Same Person?

I have been debating about what to do with resolutions this year. Do I make specific resolutions and be more intentional about them? Do I skip the whole resolution thing as I usually do? Do I make general resolutions and hope they happen?

I know that I have some big things coming up in my life that need attention. Going to Mongolia is an amazing experience that I need to prepare myself for emotionally, spiritually, intellectually, physically, and financially. Do I focus my goals on this? Do I let it happen on its own without a step by step list? I have the list from Christian Veterinary Missions of when things need to be done and what is recommended, but that list isn’t the same list that is placed on my heart, mind, and soul. I know that when I return from Mongolia, I will be changed. Perhaps not in major ways that the average person will see when they look at me, but within my very being. Every mission trip I have gone on has changed me, has changed my perspective, has challenged me to be a better person in all aspects of my life. I also know that even with those changes, I am still the same person. I will still struggle with flaws that were present before I went. I will still become overwhelmed when life gets tough.

It is a crazy place to be: struggling with who I am and who I want to be.

Changed, but the same. Kind of like when I asked Christ to enter my life and guide me through it. I was changed in ways that I can’t even really describe, but at the same time, I was still me.

I will continue to think and pray about this topic and will get back to you. In the mean time, whether you have made a resolution or not, I wish that 2014 brings you peace, love, happiness, and growth. May you be held accountable for your actions and reactions, may you continue to grow into the wonderful human you are meant to be. If there is a demon that is harming you, may you be released from that addiction, thought process, physical battle, or whatever it may be. Know that you are loved for who you are. You make the decision every day what mood you will be in, how you will react to situations, what you will learn, what you will resist. I pray that you make good decisions.

Blessings and peace for the days, weeks, months, and years to come. Good-bye 2013. Hello 2014.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

New Year’s Resolution (Facebook.com/DrAndyRoark)

Why Mongolia? Where is that again?

I have had a lot of people asking me lately “Why Mongolia?” or “Where’s that?” For those of you that are wondering, Mongolia is in Asia – south of Russia, north, east, and west of China.

Mongolia on a map http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Mongolia_(orthographic_projection).svg

As to why I would want to go to Mongolia, there are a number of answers.

1. Christian Veterinary Missions sent out a call for veterinarians and veterinary technicians to help in Mongolia, when I read about it, my heart was moved. I have prayed for about 5 years about this call, and the time finally came that I felt that the call was actually being made to me. I didn’t hear a voice tell me it was time, but my heart and mind moved to the same place and I felt peace at the decision.

2. Mongolia is pretty cool. In many ways the country is still very primitive compared to Western cultures. In other ways, it is more advanced than I am, not that that is too difficult to do! There are large areas of the country that see little to no human activity for days, months, or even weeks at a time. To be able to go somewhere that has such untouched beauty tugs at my soul.

3. There is a group of people that need help that I have the skills to be able to make a difference for them. This is pretty exciting to me. I know I am not the most gifted veterinarian or person in the world, but I have gifts that I can share in an amazing way.

4. This answer is more of a “Why do mission work?” response, but sometimes, it is nice to go somewhere completely different, that is far outside of my comfort zone to make a difference. I know that I am appreciated a lot of the time working day to day with my patients, clients, coworkers, and friends, but when I go on mission trips, the appreciation and response from people is so overwhelmingly beautiful. I can see how the work I do for God directly changes lives. I also see how it changes my life.

5. Why not? I have a goal to travel all over the world, and traveling with missions is an amazing way to experience culture and build relationships with others. How could I pass up this opportunity!

I am so excited about this trip, the work that I will be doing, the people I will meet, the friends I will make, the lives God can change.

Please consider supporting me on this trip. To make an online donation, you can go to http://www.cvmusa.org/ and then to Support > Short Term Missions. Click on the “Individual” button. Fill in the Designation box with a drop-down menu to “other” (at the bottom of the list). A white box will appear, and please enter in my account number (UCVSTM1655) and write in my name, Melanie Goble – ST Missions in that box. CVM will make sure it gets designated to my trip. Please let me know if you have questions.

Please pray for me and those that I will serve.

Please consider a trip of your own. Find your passion. Embrace your skills and make a difference in the life of someone else. We all have skills that can be used. If you put yourself out there, trust in God, and go, you to can be the hands and feet of Jesus on earth!