I got a private message that I should watch who I associate with on Facebook. Although it is not directly animal-related, I thought my reply might be of interest.

Thank you for your concern. I have noted your messages and feelings before. I think you are missing the big picture here.

People in the United States and my folks in Kentucky don’t understand that the photo you saw was of specific people and me. They see me and two natives from Uganda. They know that I spent some time there helping out.

They know that I got away from the pressures of my job for a little while and I need that from time to time. They see that smile on my face and know it is genuine. They are happy for me that I got to experience that. They also see smiles on the faces of two natives that also seem genuine. I suspect they chalk that up to my helping in some way.

Sometimes, they will stop and listen to the story of an area that has no pet care before The Big Fix came to the area. People here cannot imagine not being able to go to the vet. They may not like the cost or the convenience, but not to have any care at all is beyond their comprehension. This photo is a sign of something special in a land that has little.       

Occasionally, these folks will learn about the efforts to save human lives by working on the dogs that carry rabies to the humans. Nobody here can remember a time of rampant rabies. Only 23 people have died of rabies in the U.S. in the past decade. Meanwhile, rabies infection causes tens of thousands of deaths every year, mostly in Asia and Africa. These deaths are mostly (99 percent) from dog bites and are totally preventable by vaccine and care programs such as The Big Fix and World Rabies Day.

Perhaps more importantly is what I see. I saw a time among people who were hurt, but tough, strong and somehow grateful for the little that they had. People who had grown up during tribal wars. People who had run from bullets and jumped over bodies that had not outrun the bullets. Somehow, these people had survived to rebuild their lives. It is no wonder they stumble from time to time.

Your website says this: “Northern Uganda is an area still recovering from 20 years of war between the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) and the Ugandan government. The war devastated Northern Uganda’s families and communities. The economy of the region collapsed. Most residents lost their homes and possessions and were forced to live in camps for more than 10 years. Children were abducted and forced to carry out carnage, women and girls raped and held as sex slaves, and many people were brutally murdered.”

Many of us have had demons that bother us in the middle of the night.

Mine came from almost dying three times in rapid succession while on duty.

Theirs comes from being shot at, blown up by mines, being abducted, raped or having family members killed, abducted or raped.

The guy in the back, painted on the wall, he had demons. Those demons lead a lot of people to alcohol. Alcohol in turn becomes its own separate demon. Many fight that demon for a while.

I tamed my demons and I feel for those that continue to fight theirs.

A guy in my practice is actively fighting that demon. We help and support him with that.

That guy on the wall lost that fight. I hope if those two guys in my photo are fighting that demon that they can beat it.

I will probably never be back in Africa. I likely will never see Arnold, Franco, Frances, Irene, Honest, James, David, Hassan or any of the others that kept a part of me.

Our relationship does not include my money.

I know that I tend to see the potential and good in everyone, but I will not turn my back on them because they make some mistakes. I cannot believe the people I knew were bad people.

It is true, sometimes good people do bad things.

Those two in the photo look up to me. I am older, and perhaps wiser. They called me “Mum” until I pointed out that I was not that much older or wiser.

If I can provide some support or guidance with my words, maybe their older years will not be like their younger years.

Maybe, unlike the guy that was painted on the wall, they will even survive to be older.

Aren’t we here to help others? Isn’t that what compels you to build and run The Big Fix? To help those that need it?

I think we should help when we can. I think you believe this also.

By the way, I don’t think we really get to pick who needs our help. We help where we can. You thought enough of the alcoholic to put his image on the hospital wall. I think it is telling that you included his “comfort dog” that you provided and trained with him.

I know you are not happy with these guys and because I put the photo up, you are not happy with me.

To be totally honest, I am not thrilled with everything either. (On both sides of this.)

Some, I know, were trying their best when they faltered. Culture, education and those demons got in their way.

But I also know I am not perfect either. Sometimes, I make mistakes and may be more harsh than I mean to be. Still, I have been successful in my own way.

Meanwhile, you have done a tremendous job in northern Uganda.

The Big Fix has had a major impact on rabies cases in humans, provided needed dog and cat care, furthered the human animal bond — all while you are a continent away.

That is why I answered your plea for money and sponsored your parvo treatment room as part of your Kennel Project at The BIG FIX Uganda!

It is Christmas time. Many people want to do their holiday tradition of “helping” someone. I know you know that it is more than a once a year thing if you want to really help.

The Big Fix is part of that year-round, boots-on-ground, helping people help themselves. I don’t want to push away people that may be helped. I’m sorry you were hurt. I doubt they meant to hurt anyone.

Many times each of us, we all are doing the best we can to get through the day.

I also know there are multiple sides to stories and the truth is rarely told by the participants or understood by the observers. Many times, we hide the truth from ourselves.

We have so very much in the United States and they have so little in Uganda.

That is why I jumped to support your new project for a parvo room.

It seems like something that fits in with Guardian Animal and me. I applaud you for looking toward the needs of now and the future.

Those demons, they haunt a lot of us. Together we can fight them to submission.

Anyone who would like to help support the work of The Big Fix in Uganda, there is more information at https://www.thebigfixuganda.org/index.html.

MJ Wixsom, DVM MS is a best-selling Amazon author who practices at Guardian Animal Medical Center in Flatwoods, Ky. GuardianAnimal.com 606-928-6566