NM Vegan May 2016 Issue by Arenas Nancy

The Future is Now Humanimal  Non-Human Animal  Planet

Volume 2  Issue 3 May 2016 For Vegans, Vegetarians, and the Veg Curious

Inside

Editor’s Note

Contributors

Page

Assistant Editor’s Note

Nathan Crane

8-9

Max and Me Animal Reiki Master and Communicator

Coral Ricketts

4;11

Don’t Speak To Me About Your Cause (Advertisement)

Racing Extinction film-screening, at The Guild Cinema

Thank You Red & Green VegFest Contributors (Advertisement)

Book Signing: Kristin Lajeunesse - Will Travel for Vegan Food

About New Mexico: Grants, NM

Unifying Humanity Through Plant-Based Sustainable Living

8-9

Red & Green VegFest Collage

Photo Collage

Santuario de Karuna

Resources

Bemer America (Advertisement)

2,750 Mile Ride to Raise Awareness - Bikepacking

Max & Me Animal Reiki Master (Advertisement)

Ginger Azzopardi (Advertisement)

UnifyFest (Advertisement)

Vegan Kids Club

Vegan Breads

Thank You Red & Green VegFest Sponsors

For the Love of Arwen

Carrie Thompson

17-18 19

HeartnSole/Vegan Spirituality (Advertisement)

Red & Green VegFest Albuquerque 2016

Duranes Elementary Participation in Red & Green VegFest 2016

Red & Green VegFest Albuquerque 2017 (Advertisement)

Advertising with NM Vegan)

The views and opinions expressed by contributing authors in the New Mexico Vegan Magazine do not necessarily reflect or represent the views and opinions of New Mexico Vegan.

Like us on FB New Mexico Vegan VoIume 2 – Issue 3 May 2016 Editor: Nancy Arenas Assistant Editor: Arwen NMV Photographer: N. Arenas

A HeartnSole, LLC publication

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Calendar of Events

EDITOR’S NOTE: Well, the first Red & Green VegFest Albuquerque has come-to-pass; veganism has made another step forward. I am grateful to all of you who supported this effort; I see the love, which the community gave, to this event...blessings, blessings to you, all. I must be clear about something: the Red & Green VegFest is not my mission. I am on a personal mission, yes: but, that mission…THE mission… is nonviolence. In one simple word (that all can immediately understand), my mission is …happiness (happiness for all). The Red & Green VegFest (and all of my various other vegan endeavors) are merely “one tiny leg” on the Metaphorical Centipede Of Veganism. Every vegan-individual…every vegan-group… is being its part (a leg on that Centipede) …and the VegFest is one way for me to be my part…that is all. I am not aiming for the satisfaction of any individual or group …I am satisfying myself, by being one of the “legs” that is carrying veganism forward…I am aiming for the satisfaction of the Animal Kingdom at large. Was the inaugural Red & Green VegFest a success?...yes. How?...”Father Future” will (in time) answer this query, best. In the meantime, let it be told, that…”It happened.” Let it be reminded, the Albuquerque Convention Center is not a vegan venue; Downtown Albuquerque is not a vegan neighborhood. Perhaps, it might have been easier to …retreat to a forest of fairies; perhaps, it might have been “more fun” to …party, exclusively, with “our own” in a field of wildflowers, at the shore of a crystalline lake, on some mystic mountain. However, I believe we (Albuquerque & the world) have a need: we need our “Montagues” and our “Capulets” [the mythical feuding families of Romeo & Juliet] to harmoniously come together, in mutual acceptance…with the friendly feeling of One-Family. Loving connections were made…I witnessed it…I heard others, affirm it. We are involved in an “inner” journey, here…right? Everyone has, both …grass and concrete…within. Yes, okay; everyone knows this…I am just …saying it. We (vegans) are already “compassionate to animals;” and we must befriend, all who are “not.” We cannot shun the darkness; we must shine a happy light, into it…for all our sakes. So, I say, “It was good, & I will continue it, with faith in the vegan ideal.” There were many contributors, to this event: let me, here, acknowledge the “participation of the speakers” (each and every speaker completely volunteered their time, to share their beautiful knowledge). Also, let me express my gladness for each attendee who “showed up,” for veganism. And to all ye vendors: it was nice to feel the hall …filled. Special thanks to the Official Red & Green VegFest Volunteer Staff, whose help was so treasured. Your efforts and your ethics were awesome. Meeting each and every one of you, was truly amazing; and, experiencing the positive interaction, between attendees, was one of my hopes. Next year, the theme will be: Compassion…Love in Action (to be held on Saturday July 1, 2017). Please, mark your calendar, and let's do it again …next year. We feel your love…may you feel, our love. Livegan, Nancy & Arwen Assistant Editor’s Note: My name is “Arwen.” I am a Skye Terrier. Last month, I had an unfortunate accident, to my spine, which has prevented me from walking. I am, here, expressing my appreciation to those who contributed, on my behalf, to GoFundMe (For the Love of Arwen) campaign to help with the costs of my surgery, hospitalization, meds and treatment. I give my gratitude to Malaika (for the Bemer treatment) and to Coral (from Max and Me) for her visits to help me in my path to heal. I am appreciative of your time, compassion and the love you have shown me. Thank you. Arwen

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Max and Me Animal Reiki Master and Communicator I would like to start by thanking Nancy for publishing my article for Max and Me Animal Reiki Master and Communicator, LLC. I have been in the process of building this business for several years and finally, my dream and my vision are coming to fruition. I began my work as a Licensed Massage Therapist in 2008. From there, I became an Animal Massage Therapist and a vet tech for several years. I noticed as I did my work with animals, that I was drawn to their energy and their spirits. My work has changed and evolved and brought me to a place where I am most comfortable, working as an Animal Reiki Master and Animal Communicator. I am still a Licensed Massage Therapist and an Ordained Minister and all of these credentials combined have morphed into the work that I do every single day. As a child, I was different. I spent a lot of time in solitude. I had hundreds of imaginary friends, which I only recently realized, were not imaginary at all. I would lie in the grass and talk to the clouds and I would dig in the dirt to build homes for the bugs. I was talking to the birds and the bees and the dogs and the cats and the trees and they talked back and I heard them. I still do, and that is my life's work. I guess, looking back, it always has been. So, now, being different isn't the curse I once thought it to be, but rather the most amazing gift that I cherish and embrace wholeheartedly. I designed my logo with the Tam-A-Ra-Sha Reiki Symbol, which is the Reiki symbol for balance. This symbol is combined with as many animals that would fit, as I work on all animals in my practice. I believe, as Ram Das says, that "We are all just walking each other home." We are all on a journey and on my journey, I am blessed to walk with the animals and hear the animals. I am blessed to have amazing clients who believe in me and the work that I do. I embrace the journey that I am on and I invite you to share in it with me, if you are so inclined. You can find me on Facebook at Max and Me Animal Reiki Master and Communicator, LLC. You may also reach me by phone or text at 505-269-9242 or you may email me at maxandme1973@gmail.com. This article written by Coral Ricketts.

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Racing Extinction film-screening, at The Guild Cinema The Guild Cinema in Nob Hill (Albuquerque NM), presented a screening of (the Discovery Channel’s new award-winning documentary) Racing Extinction (sponsored by Defenders Of Wildlife) {on Sunday March-6th 2016 1pm}. Racing Extinction is an original documentary by the Academy Award® Winning Filmmakers of The Cove. In Racing Extinction, a team of artists and activists exposes the hidden world of “extinction” (animal-species becoming extinct) with never-before-seen images, that will change the way you see the planet. Using covert tactics and state-of-the-art technology, the Racing Extinction Team exposes two human “worlds” that drive extinction across the globe, in an inspiring affirmation to preserve life as we know it. I can tell you this, as one who sat in the audience: every image, every word, in this film, was captivating. Racing Extinction is a film with alarming information. It is a film, made by some amazing individuals, who are: standing up for what’s right; and, making a difference. A big “thank you” to Michael Dax (from: Defenders Of Wildlife NM) for his part in having this film presented at The Guild Cinema in Nob Hill. Please find the time to watch this compelling film. https://www.defenders.org/category/tags/new-mexico.

You can get more information on Defenders Of Wildlife, here:

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Book Signing: Kristin Lajeunesse - Will Travel for Vegan Food A Truly "Continental" Vegan Adventure Author: Kristin Lajeunesse. Book Title: "Will Travel for Vegan Food." Event: Lecture & Book Signing. When: February 27th 2016; 3pm. Where: Bookworks (4022 Rio Grande Blvd NW, Albuquerque NM). _____________________________ On a classically-sunny Albuquerque afternoon (320 days of sunshine per year), a friendly local crowd, gathered to hear and meet a young lady - Kristin Lajeunesse - who had a unique story to tell...a story about "leaving everything behind." In 2011 she "hit the road" in a van (named Gertie), searching for every vegan restaurant in the USA's continental 48 states ...a lifechanging journey, that offered many adventures, and required two years to complete. Kristin, had a great turnout for this book signing event, where she told the story about: quitting her job, and informing her family she was going to "take off" in a van, to travel the states, in search of ...vegan food. Her presentation was delightful; she was confident in her conviction and invited questions from the attendees, which she answered quite candidly. Her book, Will Travel For Vegan Food, is an impressive record of her vegan finds, yes; but, perhaps, more meaningfully, it is about: her own personal journey inward, as she travelled outward. Her story was brave and wonderful. Kristin was a delight to hear & a delight to meet, personally. "Kudos" to this young lady, for her accomplishments. If you would like to follow her continued adventures, you can go to: http://wtfveganfood.com/about/.

Meet: Grants, NM The city of Grants (New Mexico) began as a "railroad camp" in the 1880s, when: three Canadian brothers (Angus A. Grant, John R. Grant, and Lewis A. Grant) were awarded a contract, to build a section of the Atlantic And Pacific Railroad, through the region. The city has a total area of 14.9 square miles, all of which is, on the surface, land (water-less desert). Grants is on the north-end of the large (and "recent") lava field known as El Malpais ("the badlands"), part of which is preserved as "El Malpais National Monument." To the northeast of Grants, are: the San Mateo Mountains, including (the stratovolcano) Mount Taylor {the elevation of Mount Taylor -at 11,301 feet- is the highest peak in the Cibola National Forest}. West of the city is the Continental Divide and the Zuni Mountains (the Zuni Mountains are an eroded anticline with 2-billion-year-old Precambrian granite and metamorphic rocks at their core). The region is primarily: high desert country, dominated by sandstone and lava flows.

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Unifying Humanity Through Plant-Based Sustainable Living Plant-based sustainable living seems to have the answers to many of the life-threatening challenges we face as individuals. After growing up on a Midwestern diet of meat and potatoes, school-food not fit for a prison, and fast-food so greasy and artery-clogging it would kill a horse, I became ill, sluggish, addicted to sugar and grease and sick with viruses so constant that I was basically a walking pharmacy by the time I was 18. But then I had an awakening; a desire to want to get healthy, and I dedicated the rest of my life to learning how to live with vibrancy and vitality. Through years of research, experimentation, cleansing, and interviewing hundreds of the leading minds on health and healing, my internal compass finally guided me to a plant-based diet. I don’t call myself a vegan, I prefer plant-based, and here’s why; I believe in the power of honey and bee pollen to nourish and enrich the human body. A true vegan won’t eat bee products. With my experience in handling wild bees and harvesting honey with no suit or smoke and feeling their generosity and their love and appreciation for me receiving their honey without animosity and without being stung, the bees taught me they like to share their abundant lifegiving resource with us, as long as we honor them, take care of them, don’t take too much always making sure they have enough for themselves. One thing that’s important if you wish to eat honey is to make sure you buy local honey from organic or non-chemical beekeepers rather than factory beekeepers, as organic beekeepers actually care about the health of the bees and don’t feed them sugar-water and don’t rape the hives as many commercial “beeindustriers” do. The other thing I eat is eggs. I have my own chickens, we feed them organic compost scraps and organic chicken food, and they live free range on our land here in Santa Fe. I find home-grown organic eggs to be healthy, nutritious, and easy to keep as a self-sustaining food for the family. Again, true vegans don’t eat eggs, so I don’t call myself a vegan, but if you are going to eat eggs, then I recommend they come from local, organic, free range farmers that you know personally or that you raise yourself. The reality is that you can be a vegan, and be one of the most unhealthy people on the planet. For example; Doritos, Cracker Jacks, Ketchup, Hershey’s Syrup, and Kool-Aid are all vegan products, yet their ingredients range from high amounts of processed sugar and carcinogenic cancer-causing food coloring, to genetically modified corn syrup and preservatives we can’t even pronounce. So vegan is not necessarily indicative of health. And it’s not necessarily indicative of sustainability either. This is why I try to live a plant-based diet. On a plant-based diet, it’s really quite simple; the foundation of my diet is plants without meat of any kind. And not just any plants, but fresh, organic, raw plants. When I make a meal I almost always start with a huge handful of fresh spinach or kale as the base. Then I might add some home cooked rice and beans (not the canned stuff) on top, followed by a couple of fresh eggs and top it with avocado. As you can see with this meal, and nearly all of my meals, 80%+ of the ingredients consist of fresh, organic, healthy plants while 50%+ consist of raw plants. No additives, fillers, chemicals, or preservatives are allowed or included in this meal. This is one of the most important paths to true health and vitality. The next level of plant-based sustainable eating is “sustainability.” The root definition of sustainability means, “something that can continue indefinitely.” Did you know that the average meal in America travels 1500+ miles to your dinner table? Think about that, truckloads of lettuce, mangos, bananas, kale, broccoli, and oranges travel across the country, and even around the world, just to make it to our dinner tables. That is not something that can continue forever. If we simply change the way we eat from a global economy to a local economy, we will drastically reduce, and possibly even end the climate change issues we’re facing. Eating locally, or at a minimum, within 100 miles of your house, drastically reduces the amount of greenhouse gasses in the atmosphere, and the amount of oil, gas, and fossil fuel usage it takes to transport your food. It reduces the machines and technology needed for the delivery, and it supports your local economy by supporting your local farmers, your local stores, your local co-ops, and your local farmer’s markets. (Cont’d page 9)

New Mexico Vegan is an electronic magazine available at https://newmexicovegan.wordpress.com/publications-2016/

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Unifying Humanity Through Plant-Based Sustainable Living- Contâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d To live more sustainably and eat more sustainably, begin learning where your food comes from, and start buying larger percentages of your food grown within 100 miles or closer to your house. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not an easy challenge, but it will positively change the future of clean air, water, and soil on the planet and will help your local economy, your local environment, and the planet as a whole. This process of plant-based sustainable eating has the power to unify all human beings as we come together to recognize, learn, and transform the way we eat, the way we live, and the way we treat each other and animals with compassion, love, and acceptance for all living beings. When we live a plant-based sustainable lifestyle we show the rest of the world that we care about our bodies, our planet, and our humanity. This is what I believe to be the path towards true liberation, health, and unification.

Nathan Crane is the Executive Producer of UNIFY FEST, a 4-day transformational festival in Santa Fe, NM dedicated to unifying humanity, celebrating life, plant-based living, and leaving the land better than we found it. Visit www.UNIFYFEST.com for tickets to this revolutionary new festival.

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Santuario de Karuna

I am the Co-Founder of Santuario de Karuna and my name is Coral. My partner Tamara and I Co-Founded the Sanctuary together and recently obtained our 501 C3. We are a non-profit Sanctuary and rely solely on donations, volunteers and our own financial contributions. Tamara and I live and work at the Sanctuary with our thirty amazing animals. Santuario de Karuna is located on five beautiful acres in the East Mountains. Not to be confused with rescue, as we do not foster or re-home animals. Every animal at the Sanctuary has come here to live out the rest of their natural lives. We brought these animals home for a variety of reasons, mostly to save them from slaughter. Tamara and I are both vegan and animal rights activists. We do not believe that you can love one and eat another. Most recently, Tamara and I were at the Earth Day celebration at the Co-Op promoting our Sanctuary. It was ironic and very disturbing to me that in the midst of an Earth Day Celebration, Animals were being eaten and used to promote the purchase of animal products. There were a few booths with live animals without adequate food, water or shelter being used to draw people in to buy the animal products that the vendors were selling. People flocked around to take pictures and pet and hold the animals. As it turns out, there were three baby goats, only a few days old at one of the vendor booths. They were tiny, umbilical cords still intact, crying for their Mom, who they were ripped from to attend this event and draw customers to the goat cheese for sale. Without going into detail, I will just say that all three goats are now at Santuario de Karuna to live out the rest of their lives. Tamara and I are learning a lot about bottle feeding and being Mom's and we feel blessed beyond measure to welcome Prince, Bowie and Jackson to their forever home with us at Santuario de Karuna. Karuna is the Sanskrit word for compassionate action and so we are the Sanctuary of compassion in action. We are both dedicated to humane education and to living a Vegan lifestyle, for the people, for the animals, for the planet. Santuario de Karuna is a Sanctuary, where all lives matter and where all are welcome. All that we ask is that you be responsible for the energy that you bring into this space. At all times, there is healing in progress and only vegan food is allowed. You can find us on Facebook at Santuario de Karuna and on our webpage at santuariodekaruna.org. You can reach Tamara by text or phone at 505-803-9903 and you can reach me by text or phone at 505-269-9242. Our email address is santuariodekaruna@gmail.com. This article written by Coral Ricketts.

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Welcome to the Cloudcroft Vegan Society. Here you will find information regarding the vegan way of life. You help yourself, prevent contributing to animal cruelty and help the environment by not supporting a meat based diet. To become part of the Cloudcroft Vegans, please send us an email to cloudcroftvegan@gmail.com. Here you will be able to browse around for serious information regarding animal cruelty, environmental consequences, health benefits, local meetings, and excellent recipes!!

Join Us!

If you have an article that deals with veganism and would like to submit it for possible inclusion in upcoming NM Vegan Magazines, please email us at welcome22dya@gmail.com, on the subject line please write NMV Article.

If you are vegan and offer cruelty-free services and product please let us know for possible inclusion in upcoming NM Vegan Magazines, please email us at welcome22dya@gmail.com, on the subject line please write NMV Vegan Products & Services.

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I have a tremendous respect for those who do undercover investigation work on factory farms. These courageous people expose systemic abuses that are common in the animal agriculture industry. And they painfully bear witness to the intense cruelty so the rest of us can ‘watch' what individual animals actually experience. It is the unimaginable made visual. Our pain can pass away, but theirs (the animals and investigators) never leaves. Their work is critical to create change and to influence so many of us to adopt a vegan lifestyle, and to stick to it! Since I can't imagine being in their shoes, I am doing a 2,750 mile ride to raise $ for their work to continue. I will be leaving July 1st from Banff Canada on the world’s longest off-pavement route in the world, called the Great Divide Mountain Bike Route. I’ll be bike packing (it’s like backpacking except all the gear is carried on a bike) for close to 3 months, finishing in Antelope Wells, NM on the boarder of Mexico. This route crosses the divide 32 times and has over 200,000 ft. of elevation gain -the equivalent of climbing Everest 9X. 100% vegan powered! My hope is to do at least 1/2 of it solo. Personally, I want to help raise awareness of other species existence so they (and their by-products) stop ending up on a plate. I want to expose their unnecessary suffering. I want to inspire others to make compassionate, vegan lifestyle choices. I want to live in a world where compassion towards all species and our planet outshines our human centered choices. 100% of what I make will go to 2 nonprofits for their legal investigations programs: Mercy For Animals and Compassion Over Killing. (I will be covering all of my own food/gear/travel costs, and i have a sweet support team -all volunteering as well.) Donations to this cause can be made at: https://www.gofundme.com/rideforanimals You can also follow my progress on Instagram: veganshire and twitter: @veganshire Thanks so much for your generosity! With hope for the liberation of all beings, Carrie Thompson

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We are the ‘Vegan Kids’ and we are here to join with you in living in a more compassionate and kind world. Educating others on our vegan lifestyle. Sharing facts and recipes. Join with us to achieve a vegan world: for the animals, the planet, ourselves and our environment. Together we can help stop Speciesism and heal the earth, our planet. We are here with the animals, each other and the planet. We are all connected. Let us bring about and sustain a compassionate kind world for all humans and non humans alike. 1….2….VEGAN!

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You can fill your cart with these tried-and-true vegan breads available in most grocery stores. •

Arnold Bread (Bakery Light—100% Whole Wheat, Brick Oven—Premium White, Healthful Nuts & Seeds, Real Jewish Rye [Everything, Marble Rye, Melba Thin, Pumpernickel Rye, Seeded, and Seedless], Premium Italian, and Stone Ground—100% Whole Wheat) • Arnold Pocket Thins Flatbread (8 Grain, Italian Herb, and 100% Whole Wheat) • Arnold Rolls (Dinner, Potato Hot Dog, Steak, Wheat Hot Dog, White Hot Dog, White New England Hot Dog, Potato Sandwich) • Arnold Sandwich Thins Rolls (Everything, Flax & Fiber, 100% Whole Wheat, and Multi-Grain) • Cobblestone Bread Co. (Corn Dusted Kaiser Rolls, Philly Style Hoagie Rolls, New York Style Jewish Rye, Gourmet Kaiser Rolls, Onion Rolls, Sweet Party Rolls, Philly Steak Seeded Split, Pumpernickel, San Francisco Sourdough, Seeded Sandwich Rolls, White Sub Rolls, and Whole Wheat Bread) • Food for Life (7 Sprouted Grains Bread, Cinnamon Raisin Bread, Cinnamon Raisin Sprouted Whole Grain Bread, Ezekiel 4:9 Flax Sprouted Grain Bread, and Ezekiel 4:9 Low Sodium Sprouted Whole Grain Bread.) • Thomas’ Bagels (Limited-Edition Banana Bread, Blueberry, Cinnamon Swirl, Cinnamon Raisin, Everything, Onion, Plain, Plain Made with Whole Grain, and 100% Whole Wheat) • Thomas’ Bagel Thins Bagels (Plain, 100% Whole Wheat, Cinnamon Raisin, and Everything) • Thomas’ Mini Bagels (100% Whole Wheat, Blueberry, Brown Sugar Cinnamon, Cinnamon Raisin, Plain, and Plain Made with Whole Grains) • Thomas’ Sahara Pita Pockets and Tortilla Wraps • Weight Watchers English Muffins

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For The Love of Arwen

Three weeks ago, life was good; everything was going as well as it can be, in life. Then, the unexpected happened. I arrived home to a happy Arwen. She was happy to see me and came to the door to greet me. Everything seemed good. Arwen and I continued with our daily ritual and went to the backyard where we were playing, running around and then as Arwen jumped up and I heard it, Arwen yelped. Next thing I know she was lame and she could no longer use her hind legs. Of course as any mother, I was very upset while trying to figure out what could have happened. Perhaps she stepped on something or twisted her foot. However, one thing was evident; she just could not walk anymore. I was distraught and it was evident that Arwen became filled with anxiety. I did not know what to do. I brought her inside thinking it was just a momentary twitch or she might have turned her foot. After a while it was obvious there was something very wrong. So we headed down to the emergency room at 11 o'clock at night and they gave her some medicine and we decided that instead of rushing into anything, or leaving her at the hospital overnight just to be handed medicine throughout the night, we took her back home. In the morning I called Arwen’s vet, Dr. Livingstone, to see if he would see her and check out what might be wrong with Arwen. Dr. Livingstone advised me that coming to him was a waste of money, Arwen needed to see a neurologist for the condition I was describing. So we headed out to ANIC in Algodones where they checked Arwen. My world fell apart. After checking out Arwen, the doctors returned to say that something was wrong with Arwen’s hind legs and told us Arwen needed to have an MRI to determine whether she had a tumor; cancer; or had injured her spine. The cost for the MRI was steep and I had no money to pay for it. I was distraught and depressed and crying. However without the test the prognosis for our Arwen was not good and her pain would continue. So I did what any mother would do; I went ahead and took out a loan; combined credit cards and the last of the money I had in my checking account so that we can do the MRI she needed. The doctors had spoken about the cost of surgery in the amount of $8,000.00 plus. I had to take one step at a time and the first thing was to find out what was going on with Arwen. I was overwhelmed with helplessness and drowning in all my fears. I could not see life without Arwen. After the MRI, we were informed that Arwen had ruptured a disc in her spine and it was pressing against her spinal cord, not only painful but the reason why she had lost the use of her hind legs. That’s when, once again, my world became engulfed by pain and sadness. Now we were at another point in the future of Arwen. Money was now the issue again and my heart was breaking. I just couldn’t think straight and was trying to figure out how I was going to come up with the money for the surgery. I was scrambling and I called my sister, Vivian. She offered to front the rest of the money I needed. She became my hero that day. We finally had what we needed and confirmed the surgery. Healing Arwen was one step closer. They prepped her for surgery and the doctor said he would call in three to four hours and let me know how it went. An hour and a half after that call, the doctor called again to let me know there had been complications and the surgery had to be stopped. Arwen spiked a fever and they could not continue with the surgery. Arwen’s continuous fever, had the doctors baffled. Of course, the money that had been paid, for the surgery, was now mostly gone and the money issue arose again. I had to once again try to find money that I did not have; I borrowed again. At the advice of a wonderful young lady, Melissa, I initiated a GoFundMe campaign to help with the costs for Arwen’s care. I am so grateful for the people who donated to, For the Love of Arwen campaign.

(Cont’d on page 18)

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For The Love of Arwen - Continued

After a week of no improvement at the hospital we brought Arwen home to see if she would normalize once at home. During that week her temperature became normal. Now with normal temperature readings Arwen was re-scheduled for surgery. The surgery got under way again and with great anxiety I waited, hopeful that there would be no further complications. Four hours after the beginning of the surgery, I called to find out what was happening. Though there were complications again they were able to complete the surgery. We were warned that she might appear worse at first and that it would take some time for rehabilitation. Arwen still had feelings in her hind legs. That week after surgery her temperature once again was problematic. Then it was time to pick her up and bring her home. I waited anxiously for the tech to bring in Arwen to the waiting room, then I saw her as she walked out of the door. Though she could not hold her weight or stand, with the help of the medical-sling she was moving her hind legs. I had a sense of hope and joy filled my heart, it was a grand sight to see. Now Arwen is on strict crate rest for a month but allowed to walk outside to “do her business” and I love seeing her little legs moving and her tail wagging. Yes, her care is a bit intensive but it is definitely worth it. She is home and soon she will have her staples out; and I look forward to the time that she can walk again on her own. I’m sure she is tired of being carried. For the love of Arwen, I did what any mother would do…..take care of her baby. I hope that no one has an event such as the one I experience; feeling helpless and full of fear because you do not have money to help a loved one. Such despair is unexplainable and if not for the help of others, I do not know what I would have done. I am grateful for the compassionate, caring individuals who saw me through this very tough experience, I am indebted to you. Helping each other is the most admirable action one can do. Thank you for helping Arwen during this period of time.

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May 2016 Red and Green Vegan – Dancing with the Bars – Every Thursday - 8:30AM – Movement exercise program for balance and range of motion - Bear Canyon Senior Center, 4645 Pitt St NE, Albuquerque NM Saturday May 7, 2016 - 5:30PM ABQ Veg Group - Monthly Potluck - Albuquerque Center for Peace and Justice, 202 Harvard Drive SE, Albuquerque NM Sunday May 8, 2016 - 2:30PM Red and Green Vegan - Fusion Tea Dance – (vegan snacks served) Partner dancing - Lloyd Shaw Dance Center, 5506 Coal SE, Albuquerque NM June 2016 Red and Green Vegan – Dancing with the Bars – Every Thursday - 8:30AM – Movement exercise program for balance and range of motion - Bear Canyon Senior Center, 4645 Pitt St NE, Albuquerque NM Sunday June 12, 2016 - 2:30PM Red and Green Vegan - Fusion Tea Dance – (vegan snacks served) Partner dancing - Lloyd Shaw Dance Center, 5506 Coal SE, Albuquerque NM If you have upcoming vegan events, let us know and we will include them in our calendar. Send email to welcome22day@gmail.com, Please write on subject line: NMV COE. Thank you.

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VOLUME 2  ISSUE 3 WELCOME22DAY@GMAIL.COM 505-332-0446