Made it!

We arrived safely in Managua last nite after being delayed in Miami for a broken windshield on the plane. They eventually put us on a new plane......

Our driver was patiently waiting for us and drove us to Granada in a humid drizzle. What a drastic change in weather from Colorado! We were greeted at Casa Silas by our Canadian host Rob, and his 4-legged companion Silas (yes, we picked this place because of the dog!)

We slept soundly and have had a lazy morning of Nicaraguan coffee and red beans with rice and fried eggs and pineapple. We don't meet the rest of the World Vets group until tomorrrow....so now off to explore Granada!

More later....

Ready or not.....it's go time!

This is it folks. Today the great journey begins.
I can't even describe how hectic the last few days have been with work and last minute preparations. We have a room in a cute B&B reserved in Granada for our first two nights in Nicaragua, and hope to do some exploring around the city, maybe kayak Las Isletas. Saturday, we head back to Managua to meet up with the rest of our World Vets team.
I can't believe this is it! So excited and nervous, but ready for the journey to begin.

10 days!

I'm sitting at my computer right now, covered in goose bumps. 10 days. That's it. I will be in Nicaragua in 10 days! Everyone keeps asking if I'm excited, and I am, but I'm also a bit nervous and of course, overwhelmed because I am the world's worst packer. It takes me forever to decide what to take, so I should get started now!
The weather in western Colorado has been less than warm, and kind of rainy, so that has allowed me a good excuse to stay inside and read, read, read my Moon Nicaragua handbook. We arrive in Nica before the rest of our World Vets group does, so we plan to go to Granada for the first day and a half. I am currently looking for a cozy, clean and affordable place to stay, of which there seem to be plenty, it's just a matter of choosing one! I have also discovered an invaluable web source for travelers (thank you Robert!!!) called Thorn Tree. It's a forum through Lonely Planet on which people can share advice and tips on travel in different countries. It's a gem, so check it out the next time you travel.
Before I begin packing, I need to unpack my summer clothes! Yet again, cool Colorado weather has prevented me from getting out the tupperware of shorts, skirts and t-shirts that have been living in my basement for the last 7 months. I checked the weather in Granada yesterday and it said the temperature was 87, but felt like 97 because of the humidity. I have a feeling I will melt, but I can't wait! It's been a long winter here in Colorado, and I am ready for a deep thaw! One thing I read, and Lindsay take note of this, is that Nicaragua is located a scant 12 degrees of latitude north of the Equator, so the sun's rays strike the Earth's surface at a more direct angle, meaning you will burn faster and sweat up to twice as much!!! Hope Lindsay has found some 85 spf sunscreen up there in Oregon :)
Well, I have a gazillion things to do so I should run. Remember, we still need donations! You can donate money through the Paypal link on this page or check out the lower post, the Final Push, about the medical supplies needed. Thanks!

Finally, a moment to introduce myself...

Bear with me on this as I am a blogger virgin.

A brief history of me:

I have just completed and graduated (May 1st) from an intense 4 years of the Veterinary Technology program at Colorado Mountain College. This program does NOT take four years, however after some mishaps with financial aid and a position working full time at a local animal shelter dropped into my lap, I opted to do the extended version. Now that I have completed the program I have accepted a job offer as an ER/ICU technician in Portland, OR. In fact just within the last week I made the treacherous drive from CO to OR with my lovely Mom and moved into my new place with my two little dwarfs (Sneezy and Grumpy). I have 2 weekends of work before embarking on my next journey: traveling to Nicaragua to volunteer with the World Vets organization by providing free medical care to the pet population of San Juan Del Sur.

I am beyond excited to be traveling in 3 weeks with two of the dearest people I have ever known. I am also thrilled to be spending this adventure as a volunteer with the World Vets Organization contributing to a cause that means so much to me.

From the very beginning of my Vet Tech career I have always had a fantasy of dedicating my time to helping animals in need in a far away land. I never thought it would become a reality as quickly as it has.

I am currently up to date on all the insanely expensive vaccines and wondering as well what to do regarding the Malaria. I am just biding my time in my new found city of Portland, OR by packing and saving every penny. I am also cramming as much info on Nicaragua and Spanish as I can into these next few weeks. This is the first time since school I finally feel I actually have the time and energy to do this.

I hope to be able to continue postings from our destination but if for some reason I am unable to find reliable access to the world wide web I will be telling all upon my return. Keep checking in: this is going to be one hell of an adventure.

As McClure mentioned this is the final count down! Donations as well as thoughts and comments are greatly appreciated at this crucial time!!!

Love to you all- Lindsay

Rabies is going down!

I received my third and final preventative Rabies vaccine today! This is a photo of the actual vaccine I received, it's pretty pink, huh? So that wraps up my vaccines, except for the Hep A booster I will receive in September. I'm ready to go!

I do have to decide what to do about the Malaria preventative pills. Malaria is a risk in Nicaragua, but I've heard that taking Chloroquine is actually worse than getting malaria! There is a new drug available, Malarone, that is tolerated better, but when my doctor called the pharmacy to inquire about the price, we discovered that it would cost me another $200. And unfortunately, there is the possibilty that you could contract Malaria while taking the preventative. Right now, as much as I hate using DEET, I'm thinking I will load up with that and take my chances! The information I have says that the area of Rivas has minimal risk for Malaria...anyone have any experience they want to share with Malaria pills?

And please, if you are new to this blog, check out my post on May 4th for ways you can help us make this trip happen, thanks!

The Final Push

Alright, this is it, the final push! Time to get down to business. School has kept me so busy, but now that is over (for the summer) and I've got many things to do before we leave in 3 weeks. Yep, that's right 3 weeks. There's not a lot of time and we need your help. We are asking for monetary and medical donations. Please, if you have a few extra dollars this week, send it to us. If you have access to veterinary supplies, take a peek at our wish list and send what you can our way. Here's what we need:

Most needed at this time:

2-0 and 3-0 dissolvable suture w/ needle (monofilament, absorbable)
Domitor/Antisedan
Flea/Tick Meds
IV catheters (24 and 22 gauge)
Surgical Gloves (size 6.5-8.5)
Needle Drivers
#2, #1, 0 and 2-0 chromic gut on cassette reels
Doxycycline
Cephalexin
Vaccine DHPP and FVRCP

Drugs:
Amoxicillin
Ampicillin Inj
Fluids (LRS/ saline etc)
Atropine
Clindamycin
Clavamox
Rimadyl
Dewormer
Flea/Tick Medication
Vaccine (DHPP, Rabies, FVRCP, FELV etc)
Isoflurane
Xylazine
surgical scrub
Ivermectin
Heparin
Eye Ointments
Vincristine

Supplies:
Drapes (disposable or otherwise)
Suture 2-0 and 3-0 Dissolvable with needles
Vetwrap/Co Flex
IV Catheters (24,22,20 guage)
Scalpel Blades #10 and #15
Gauze
Surgical Gloves (any size)
Endotracheal tubes
Exam gloves
Catgut suture
IV drip sets
Electric/Portable clippers
#40 clipper blades
muzzles
exam gloves
ID Bands/Paper Collars
Leashes (flat, D-ring)
Digital Thermometers

Other:
Mobile Veterinary Clinic (Dodgen or other)
Anesthetic machines(compact sizes) /vaporizers
Portable Monitors (ie pulse oximeter, portable ekg etc)
Surgical Instruments
Laptop computers
Microscope
Hoof trimming tools (nippers, rasps etc)
Otoscopes/opthalmoscopes
Equine dental equipment (floats/speculum etc)
Headlamps
AAA batteries for headlamps
V positioners for surgery

If you have access to any of these items please email me at ayuda.de.patas@gmail.com and I can give you the address to which to ship the supplies. If you think your veterinarian may be willing to help us, please pass this list on to them, or share our blog with them.

If you are able to make a monetary donation, you can do so through the pay-pal link on this page. Every penny we receive goes to this trip and the World Vets Organization. If you want to help, but don't have the time to volunteer, help us help them by sending us what you can spare. Thank you.