It's Nice to Have you in r/Birmingham!

Slowly but surely disappearing

I am writing this to warn other pet owners.
Our beloved 22-year-old cat, Snowbear, who also had Stage 2 kidney disease, passed away just hours after a procedure at this clinic. After reviewing his medical records and investigating the circumstances surrounding his death, we have developed serious concerns about the medical decisions made by Dr. Jackie Holmes and whether appropriate precautions were taken. The exact cause of Snowbear’s death has not been established.
On March 30th, we took Snowbear for a consultation regarding a lump. During the consultation, Dr. Holmes examined the lump and performed a fine-needle aspiration (FNA). She also identified serious dental problems and recommended proceeding with dental extractions that same day. Despite his extreme age and kidney condition, she reassured us that there was, as we recall, “very little risk.” We explicitly told her he had eaten that morning and had consumed HydraCare mixed with wet food overnight. We asked if we should come back another day since he hadn’t fasted, but she reassured us that proceeding would be fine. We trusted her professional judgment at the time, but we now seriously question whether proceeding that day was an appropriate decision and whether Snowbear’s individual risks were adequately assessed.
What makes this even more troubling is the timing of the bloodwork documented in the medical records. Snowbear was over 21 years old and had known Stage 2 kidney disease. Yet we recall being reassured that the procedure carried very little risk, and we have been unable to establish from the records whether the complete laboratory results were available and reviewed before anesthesia began.
The bloodwork performed that day showed changes compared to previous testing. His creatinine had increased from 2.2 to 2.5, his hematocrit had dropped from 35.46% to 29.82%, his hemoglobin had fallen from 11.9 to 9.9, and his potassium had decreased from 4.1 to 3.6. Some of these values remained within the laboratory’s reference ranges, and we recognize that such changes must be interpreted in their clinical context, but they raised additional concerns for us about his condition and anesthetic risk.
Even more concerning, the timeline documented in the medical records raises serious questions. The anesthesia record shows anesthesia beginning at 11:55 AM and intubation occurring at 12:00 PM. However, the laboratory report contains timestamps of approximately 12:01–12:03 PM. We cannot determine from these timestamps exactly when the results became available to Dr. Holmes or when she reviewed them. Nevertheless, we believe this discrepancy deserves a clear explanation.
We later learned from Dr. Holmes herself that Snowbear’s blood pressure was not monitored during the procedure. In an email dated August 3, 2026, she explicitly confirmed: “Blood pressure was not monitored during the procedure.”
For an extremely elderly cat with known kidney disease undergoing general anesthesia, we find the absence of blood-pressure monitoring deeply disturbing. Even more importantly, Snowbear’s previous medical records documented hypotension during anesthesia in 2019 that required treatment with dopamine. We do not know whether Dr. Holmes reviewed that particular record before the procedure. But given this documented history of a previous anesthetic complication requiring medication to correct his blood pressure, we believe it is especially important to understand why blood pressure was not monitored during this procedure.
We are not claiming that Snowbear experienced hypotension during this anesthesia, since no blood-pressure measurements were taken to establish whether that occurred. Our question is why the decision was made not to monitor it at all.
As a veterinarian with decades of experience, Dr. Holmes was responsible for assessing Snowbear’s individual anesthetic risks and determining appropriate precautions. From our perspective, the decision to proceed appeared rushed, and we remain concerned about whether his full medical history and condition that day were adequately considered.
Snowbear’s anesthesia record shows that he was extubated at 1:00 PM. Our recollection is that he was cleared for discharge very shortly after appearing awake, approximately 15 minutes later. Dr. Holmes later stated that his recovery had been uneventful, but also acknowledged that monitoring readings were not recorded after anesthesia was stopped. We recognize that this does not necessarily mean he was not being observed, but we remain concerned about the limited documentation of his recovery and whether he was adequately assessed before discharge. Based on the instructions we recall receiving, we also have concerns about whether we were adequately informed of potential warning signs to watch for at home.
After we followed her instructions to give Snowbear buprenorphine at home, he began acting abnormally and subsequently collapsed. We rushed him to the nearest emergency hospital. According to the emergency medical records, he arrived without a detectable heartbeat. CPR briefly restored his heartbeat and spontaneous breathing, but he subsequently suffered another cardiac arrest and could not be saved. We do not know what caused his collapse or whether it was related to the procedure, his underlying medical condition, medication, or other factors.
What is particularly painful to read now is that the clinic’s own medical record describes Snowbear as having received “excellent care.” We cannot reconcile that statement with the unanswered concerns surrounding his treatment: the decision to proceed with anesthesia despite his advanced age, kidney disease, and recent food intake; the troubling timing of the pre-anesthetic bloodwork; the absence of blood-pressure monitoring despite his documented history of anesthesia-related hypotension requiring dopamine treatment; the limited documentation of his recovery; and his collapse and death only hours later. Calling this “excellent care” is, in our view, profoundly difficult to accept.
We do not believe Snowbear’s death should simply be dismissed as “old age” without examining the circumstances surrounding his treatment. We believe those circumstances deserve a thorough and independent investigation, particularly the decision to proceed that day, the absence of blood-pressure monitoring, the assessment of his pre-anesthetic risks, and his post-operative monitoring and discharge.
Our hearts are broken. Please think very carefully before bringing your pets here.
We are beyond devastated. He was our precious boy and had been with us since before our marriage. Snowbear was far more than just a pet; he was a constant, living thread woven through the very fabric of our lives. He was there through every joy, every sorrow, and every major milestone we experienced. He was our family, our anchor, and a part of our souls.
To lose him so abruptly, under circumstances that have raised so many serious and unanswered questions, is a pain beyond words. We cannot imagine our lives without him, and the void he leaves behind is immeasurable.
After our beloved Snowbear died following a procedure performed by Dr. Jackie Holmes, we repeatedly emailed her seeking explanations about serious concerns regarding his medical care. Although she responded to some of our inquiries, several important questions remained unresolved.
One particularly troubling issue was blood-pressure monitoring. Snowbear was over 21 years old and had Stage 2 kidney disease. When I asked Dr. Holmes about the absence of blood-pressure readings in his anesthesia records, she explicitly confirmed in writing that his blood pressure had not been monitored.
My follow-up question was simple: Snowbear’s previous medical records clearly documented an episode of hypotension during anesthesia that required dopamine treatment to address his low blood pressure. Given this history, why was his blood pressure not monitored during this procedure? We also wanted to understand whether and how his previous anesthesia records had been considered.
We have not received a clear explanation of why blood-pressure monitoring was omitted, particularly in light of that documented prior complication.
On October 21, I personally visited the clinic seeking answers and left written notes outlining my questions about Snowbear’s medical care, particularly why blood pressure had not been monitored despite his documented history of anesthesia-related hypotension requiring medication. Dr. Holmes did not come out to meet with me, and I was told she would not have time to meet with me in the future either.
The very next day, we received an expedited letter from the clinic terminating our veterinary-client relationship. The letter also stated that the clinic could not answer our questions “to your level of understanding.”
What kind of professional response is this? When a patient dies following treatment and the family raises serious medical concerns, shouldn’t those concerns be addressed with clear explanations? And is it acceptable to refer to a grieving family’s “level of understanding” in this context?
To me, this reflects a deeply troubling attitude toward accountability and client care. While we recognize that a veterinarian may decide to end a professional relationship, we were deeply disappointed that ours was terminated while important medical questions remained unresolved. Her wording felt condescending and insulting, as though we were too ignorant to understand her explanations.
Imagine trusting a veterinarian with a family member’s life, losing that family member, and then being made to feel that you are the problem simply because you asked why certain medical precautions were not taken.
This is not just about one medical decision. It is also about how a clinic treats people when something goes terribly wrong. We believe professional responsibility includes communicating respectfully about difficult outcomes, and grieving families should never be made to feel foolish for seeking answers.
I am attaching her letter so other pet owners can read her exact words and judge for themselves.
We deserved answers, not insults. Snowbear deserved better. And every pet owner deserves a veterinarian who responds to serious concerns with transparency, compassion, and respect.

I already know that it's the old Liberty building and what ever else ​ paltry information Google & bham wiki provided.

What does the auditorium look like on the inside? Does anybody have pictures, historical or in its current state?

After a long break and having 2 beautiful babies, I am back with your favorite samosas. Thank you guys who supported my catering business and then followed me to the Birdsong Farmers market for Chai Shai.
Beef Samosas are now available at Marty’s GM in the appetizer menu. They are very much handmade and taste as Pakistani as it gets.

What the title text says. Husband is worried we both have to be present at DMV since we put both our names on the title (we used "AND")

Every other month, someone my age asks this question on this subreddit....How do you find new people in this town as a twenty-something-year-old?

I am 24-years-old living in the downtown area, having moved back from college this previous year. I am loving it. I grew up here, on 1st & 22nd, back before Paramount was here and when What’s on 2nd was actually on 2nd (RIP Steve). Anyone who has lived here for more than fifteen years knows how dramatically things have changed—the music venues around town, the number of excellent bars, Avondale, Parkside, 2nd, Lakeside, everything. I've been all over, and I can say I'm not as eager to get the hell out of this city as I once was; I might call this pride—I never thought I would feel that for my city. But the people make the place. And my people are all gone. 

I'm having that problem everyone in America has after college: your friend group has moved away to every conceivable corner of the world and you're bogged down with work in a place where you are not used to socializing. I am looking for what everyone is looking for: friendship, companionship, romance, intimacy. I am a well-adjusted guy who is relatively secure I himself, agreeable, and can get along with just about anyone after I get over that initial introduction; I am fine being alone—I do everything alone. Writing workshops, trivia nights, concerts, Sidewalk Cinema events—I’ve done it all. But there’s that one thing missing, and to have it at any point in life is a precious and rare thing. To know and be known. To have a group of friends and a place to pop down and meet them in the evenings, a place where everybody knows your name and are glad you came. Yes, that was a Cheers reference for you Boomers and Gen Xers out there. 

If you are lucky enough to be able to walk to a few places, as I am (I live on 20th), life feels a little easier if you like to go out. But as everyone always notes in these kind of posts, the social scene here is cliquish, insular, and limited; most bars and venues, I've observed, are overrepresented with millennials (hey, love my millennials) or college students. I have a lot to give. Good people are rare. I am stuck in my head and I need to get out. I feel like a flower pot with the skunky flower water dumped out, needing to be filled up again. Still missing my people. 

So! I am once again asking the members of this august body, r/Birmingham, to be redundant and answer, once again, that timeless question! How do you find new people in this town as a twenty-something-year-old?

P.S. I have two tickets to Mannequin Pussy at Iron City for Nov. 9, so DM me, I guess, if you’re interested. 

Private Equity coming for your burgers.

We visited Alabama earlier this year and went to Baumhower’s. We got the Green Dragon drink and oh my, was it good! The bartender let me take a picture of the recipe but I can’t remember what the “Green Dragon Mix” is. Anyone know?!?!

This just made me laugh when I was stopped at a traffic light.

Does anyone know any stores that still sell thc drinks in Hoover or Birmingham? All information I find is out of date and I would love to not drive all over town searching.

I’ve been working on trying to organize a monthly movie club of sorts, and of course the ideal scenario would be to host it in a theater or otherwise movie-equipped location. But the only place I can think of so far is Sidewalk, and their private rentals are $400 for 3 hours. Not exactly doable on a monthly basis for me.

Is there anywhere else in the Bham area where something like this might work? Doesn’t have to be movie-ready, as I could invest in a portable projector screen and wireless surround speakers if I need to (though of course I’d love to not need to). Only real requirements are:

- Indoors. I don’t want to deal with weather and I’d like to be able to screen R-rated movies without worrying that a kid might walk by and hear/see it.
- Not a church or school. I’m sure if I were exclusively screening religious or family-friendly movies this might be an option, but again, I don’t want that restriction.

Would be willing to pay a little for rentals if need be. Would also be willing to talk to owners of venues or local businesses about a partnership if, by chance, anyone would be interested.

Any ideas?

(P.S. If someone at Sidewalk reads this and wants to talk about doing something called, “Secret Movie Club,” hit me up.)

The 5th Annual Halloween Roast Battle is happening this Thursday, October 29, at True Story Brewing!

Local comedians will be dressed as different characters and going head-to-head in a series of roast battles. If you like stand-up comedy, especially the kind where people say things they probably shouldn't, this is a fun one.

📍 True Story Brewing, Crestwood Blvd
📅 Thursday, October 29 at 7:30 PM
🎟️ Tickets are $10

https://mattertickets.com/events/5th-annual-halloween-roast-battle-october-29-2026

i need help/advice. i owe 3k+ to uab in medical bills and it has been sent to collections for about a month now. there are two separate debt collectors contacting me both from uab bills. one of the debt collectors said they don’t pursue legal action but im unsure about the other debt collector.
i just need advice. i’m disabled and unemployed so im fighting an uphill battle with these bills and im just racking more up because of my health conditions.

anyway my real question is: will UAB really sue me if i don’t pay?

Husband and I are looking to move and found a great house over in Norwood by the elementary school. We’ve driven by a couple times day and night and haven’t noticed any red flags. We’re officially touring it today and if we like it we’re wanting to go ahead and sign a lease. It’s just the two of us, no kids. My question is what is it like living in that neighborhood? I tried looking through this sub but most of the posts look years old so I was trying to get more updated info. A few of my friends said mixed reviews. We really want to stay close to downtown and are tired of apartment living so this seems like a good choice for us. Anyone that knows or lives in the area I’d love feedback! Thanks!!

I don't know if this would be the right place to ask or not. Rocky's IS a Birmingham restaurant, so I have to try. They had the absolute greatest baked wings. I've looked everywhere but here for that recipe. It was my Tuesday night thing for years. Get off work, come home to my 2 cats in my tiny 1br apartment off 34th street, and order Rocky's wings and just zone out and eat and watch movies. Boring? Maybe, but it was my favorite night of the week.

Does anyone know the recipe? I don't live in Birmingham anymore and I would love to perfectly recreate those peaceful, awesome evenings.

Hello! I’m located in Birmingham, Alabama, and graduated from college last year with a degree in Engineering Science and Mathematics. I know that pursuing a traditional engineering role with an Engineering Science degree can be a little more challenging, but I believe my background in data analytics, statistics, and systems engineering could be valuable in the industry.

Some of my relevant coursework includes Transportation Systems Engineering, Statics, Chemical Engineering Thermodynamics, Civil and Environmental Engineering Information Systems, Sustainable Design in Civil Engineering, Probability and Statistics for Engineers, and Systems Engineering.

Now that I’ve graduated, I’m curious about how best to position myself for an entry-level role in construction or engineering. I’m particularly interested in becoming an estimator. Are there specific job titles, skills, certifications, or strategies you would recommend for someone with my background? I’d appreciate any advice!

Company says “I was not the right fit”. Was told they would happily refer me, but I was just not the right person for them. Obviously, I am looking for work as soon as possible.

My previous role was in an office job, doing mostly administrative tasks. I have a bachelors degree and would be open to working in-person or remote. Looking for full time positions but would be open to part time bar tending or serving work (I have experience). I’d prefer to stay around the downtown area, as I live in South Side, but of course beggars can’t be choosers.

If anyone knows anything that could help me I would much appreciate it. I’m honestly feeling crushed, and have never quit a job or been fired before, but I am trying to stay positive because I am relatively young and have lately felt the need to do something else with my life.

Hello all, I'm in town today from the Shoals. Wanted to pick up a game of EDH. What's the best shop to go to in BHam?

I know the answer is probably no but it’s my off day and I wanted to feel festive because I’m working all day Halloween

Looking for any good events that need vendors I have a faith based streetwear brand. If y'all know of any let me know, selling hoodies, shirts, and gemstone bracelets.

Have had a crazy craving for seasonal baked goods but the options at major grocery stores are underwhelming to say the least, where can I go to fill this void in my heart?

I have worked full time in the film industry, but it’s slowed down for me.

Does anyone know any places that are hiring or places to apply? I’d love something industry adjacent, but also at this point open to anywhere, coffee shops, stores etc. I applied to many coffee shops several months ago and never heard back.

Any advice appreciated!

This might sound a little strange, but I’m genuinely curious if anyone else has felt this way.

I’m originally from one of the suburbs of Birmingham, but I’ve always spent a ton of time in the city. I’m currently a student at UAB, and even before college, Birmingham was always where my friends and I would go whenever we wanted to do something. Whether it was driving around, hanging out in Highland Park, getting coffee, or just exploring different neighborhoods, I’ve always really enjoyed being in Birmingham. Honestly, it’s always been one of my favorite places to spend time.

This past summer, I also had a job that involved driving all around Birmingham pretty much every day, so I was spending even more time in the city than usual.
But sometime around June, I started feeling like something shifted. I don’t even know how to explain it other than saying the overall energy or atmosphere just feels different to me.

Places that I used to genuinely enjoy visiting and that almost felt like little happy places now make me feel strangely anxious or on edge. It’s like I’m constantly anticipating something bad happening, even when I’m somewhere I’ve been a hundred times before.

And I’m not necessarily talking about crime or being in areas that might be considered unsafe. I’m talking about places I’ve always felt completely comfortable in.

I still think Birmingham is a great city, and I genuinely love so much about it, which is why this feeling makes me a little sad.
I also want to acknowledge that I had a pretty stressful summer with work, so there’s a very real possibility that this is just my own anxiety or that I’ve started associating certain places with that stress. I’m definitely not ruling that out.
But I’m curious: has anyone else noticed a shift in the overall atmosphere of Birmingham over the past few months? Not necessarily anything specific, just a different feeling when you’re out and about?

Or is this probably just a me thing? Lol.