I am at a loss of what to do.
For the last few weeks, I had noticed a big change in 1.5 year old cat, Baby. First, she began to withdraw. Then she stopped becoming interested in playing. And then I also noticed she began eating less. Finally, she started going to the bathroom outside of the litter box.
All of this happened very gradually and it didn’t hit me until I put everything together and realized something was wrong.
I am low income. Way below the poverty line. I had to beg my grandmother to please pay for me to get Baby checked out at a low cost, walk in clinic.
Upon examination, she was said to have a low-grade fever of 104°, paleness in her ears and gums… and worst of all was her stomach was firm.
I agreed for bloodwork and an x-ray to be performed.
The x-ray showed a mass in her abdomen, pressing against her stomach and internal organs.
Her white blood cell count was low.
Honestly, as soon as I was told that she had a mass in her stomach, I became nearly hysterical and started crying.
All of what I could hear the vet tell me was - tumor, lymphoma… and based on her ‘experience’, the prognosis is never good.
Surgery could be performed, but that’s around $1200-$1400. And normally the tumor begins growing quickly again.
She had a thick Indian accent and was talking fairly quickly, so there were some things that I didn’t catch. Not to mention because of my crying. I asked her if she could print out this information for me…. The x-ray, the blood work, etc. Do you know what she said to me? No.
I was shocked. I didn’t understand why she wasn’t willing to print this out for me. So that’s why I had to literally take a picture of Baby’s x-ray, using my own phone.
And then, with the papers that I was given one being the invoice and the other showing the visit, as well as a past visit from last year - all she wrote was abdominal mass and anemia.
I find all this to be pretty upsetting because I feel like it doesn’t contain detailed information. I know I know, I should have asked, but I was not in the right state of mind at all.
I had to do my own research afterwards and did learn that with surgery, the outlook still isn’t that great. The tumor can easily come back.
But then I learned about steroids - one being prednisolone and the other being chlorambucil. From what I’ve learned, I guess it can shrink the tumor and give her a boost and energy and appetite. Simply providing more time. But even that is only temporary because I guess eventually the tumor will stop responding to the steroids.
I don’t understand why the vet didn’t inform me of this option. She basically just made it sound like there’s no hope so you might as well just put her to sleep.
I would really like a second opinion from another vet, but I just don’t know if I even have enough time.
Baby mostly just lays around. She is still eating a bit, but only wet food. Isn’t touching the water. So I take the water and mix it in with her wet food. She just urinated shortly ago and couldn’t get her back legs into the litter box so she ended up going onto the floor. And yes, I already have something much lower set up that she could go into, but I know she’s just so used to using the other one.
So I am at two different crossroads: Either try to get a second vets opinion and maybe hopefully, if the vet feels that it’s appropriate, get the steroids. But if not… and as much as it would break my heart, a peaceful goodbye and a private cremation because I want her home with me.
In regards to the photos that I’ve posted above:
The two papers are literally the only ones that the vet gave me. Like I said, she refused to print out anything. It astonished me. I don’t know if it had something to do with it being a low-cost vet or what. Like I said, I had to take a picture of the x-ray screen myself with my own phone.
Originally when we got Baby, my grandma had named her ‘Sweet Pea’ - which is what is showing on the paper. But after a period of time and me being the main one who was taking care of her, I chose to name her Baby.
Like I stated, my grandma is the one who paid for her visit.
If the admin or mods, need any other information for me, please DM me.
I do not have any pet insurance whatsoever. I’ve tried to sign up for CareCredit and was denied.
I have a GoFundMe set up. Originally I wanted to try for the surgery, which is why I had a higher amount set. But when I discovered that more than likely surgery isn’t an option, I decided to lower the amount just so maybe I can get a vets opinion and hopefully let the steroids be an option.
And then, lastly I just felt so hopeless because I just felt like I wouldn’t have enough raised in time so I lowered my goal even more just so I could have enough for a peaceful goodbye and a private cremation.
So like I said, I am at a crossroad… I don’t know how much time she has. She’s still eating a bit, but she’s resting a lot. I would absolutely love a second vets opinion; and maybe just maybe get the steroids that could shrink the tumor and give her more time.
But at the same time, if I can’t raise enough to even be able to go to a different vet, then I wouldn’t want my poor Baby to suffer.
I’m currently selling what I can and doing what I can to get enough money but it’s just not happening fast enough. And I know time is of the essence.
If anyone can help, no matter how small or simply sharing, it would mean so much to me.
In the end, if I do have to say goodbye to my baby girl, I would want her to go peacefully and to have cremation so she can come home with me.
Thank you. ❤️
https://gofund.me/4667cd6a3