Spay we can, in Roatan!: Torrential Rain for the Second Clinic Day!

Scott and Harmony are snorkeling over the reef. Ominous clouds out there!

November 19, 2014 Wednesday

Oh My!!! It is 4am and I am writing yesterday’s blog listening to the torrential rain fall!!!!! It is absolutely amazing! This is different than the wonderful storms we get in Ocean Shores. There we have lots of strong wind and sideways rain, but if the rain is heavy, it doesn’t last very long. Here it just keeps on coming! There is wind as well, but the rain is so heavy it does not go sideways like in Shores. Wow!

Although it rained during the night, the water was crystal clear over the reef. I took this picture while sitting in the kayak!

Anyway, the morning started with a paddle out to the reef in front of the house with Brad and Sandy in one boat and Scott, Harmony and me in the other one. These are sit on top ocean kayaks, very long, wide and stable. Made for two people, but we did ok with the three of us on it. We paddled out to the reef and went snorkeling. I actually just stayed on the boat and followed the swimmers. It had rained during the night, but was calm in the morning. In fact I took a couple of photos of the reefs from the boat, the water was so crystal clear. But the clouds were rather ominous. It was a nice way to start the day before our second day of clinics!

The rain did not deter people from coming to the clinic.

Our clinic site was flooded still, no surprise. But it is amazing how much the ground actually takes in the water. With this much rain, I would expect to be floating away!

Clinics went very well today. It really started raining in the mid morning. The wind was blowing so much that it was blowing rain into our surgery areas, so we had to close the windows. That cut out the fresh air a much of the light. Good thing we all have headlamps!

This lady must be an ex-pat. She has her coffee...

Some cats arrive wrapped in towels, some in bags, few in carriers.

There was a photographer for World Vets there all day. He was quite a trooper braving the weather with his nice equipment to get good photos of the entire day. Looking forward to seeing them!

These ladies are real troupers getting check-in and paperwork done in the pouring rain. At the end of the day, the papers needed to be laid out to try to dry a little.

Speaking of photos: Except for the pictures from the kayak this am, all the photos are compliments of Sandy! In fact, the majority of the pics on yesterday’s blogs are from her as well. As she was working among all the surgery tables and going back and forth to recovery, she was snapping very nice photos. Thanks Sandy!

Some cats arrived in Hav-a-Heart traps.

Kimberly, Winda and Tonia doing a great job at anesthetic induction and surgical prep.

Dr Scott doing surgery with vet student, Nikki, assisting.

Super anesthetist, Dr Sandy, monitoring a patient for surgeon, Dr Stacy.

Super surgeon, Dr Keisha, with Sandy.

Dr Scott and Nikki.

Kevin helps carrying the big dogs to recovery.

Our recovery area is in a separate building from prep and surgery. It is quite a task carrying anesthetized animals, including some very large and heavy dogs, through the rain and over the lumber bridging some of the worst puddles, from surgery to recovery. Thanks to all of the volunteers that participated in that task!!

Kevin and Mary Ann in recovery.

Having the recovering patients in the half kennels is very helpful.

Some of our bridges across deep puddles.

Dr Mike and vet student, Harmony, doing consults in the flooded "clinic".

We were worried that not many people would show up with their pets today for two reasons: one, the terrible weather and two, the cruise ships were in today. Many folks work when the ships are in so they would not be available to come to the clinic. But we stayed pretty busy and finished with 55 surgeries. Consults stayed busy all day as well.