Fabu came to us after my aunt died of lung cancer. Knowing how much we loved all of our animals, my aunt told the family that “only Christa & Brian can have Fabu.” At the time, I was very uncertain about adding a dog into our 2-cat house,
mostly because I was starting to get very sick (I would find out a year later that I had Late-Stage Neurological Lyme disease). However, honoring my aunt’s wishes, I brought Fabu into our house.
This little copper bundle of joy was absolutely the best thing for me! As my Lyme disease worsened, I began to present with seizures and the frustration & disappointment associated with nearly 5 years of being bedridden. Fabu has been a constant source of comfort during my darkest points, but more than that, he is a natural care-giver. Fabu trained himself to detect my seizures even before I would know they are coming and now gives me warning before these events occur. When he starts pawing at me in a particular way, I know to watch carefully for symptoms and get my medicine ready – following his cues has enabled me to prevent these seizures on most occasions. Truly, he is more than just a source of comfort, he is my medical helper!
Recently, after learning that his kitty-sister had her second bout with cancer, we took Fabu into the vet for a check-up (unfortunately, his kitty-sister’s battle with cancer ended a few days ago when we had to put her to sleep after 17.5 years).
Although Fabu was otherwise asymptomatic, the vet detected a large, but mobile mass on his right thyroid. We were told to see a surgical specialist as soon as possible as our vet had run all of the tests he could. This specialist examined this mass and told us that the tumor is likely nonaggressive and he is quite optimistic that it can be removed without issue. He said that he performs this surgery regularly and often has patients like Fabu live a completely normal life.
According to this specialist, without tumor excision, Fabu likely faces the risk of a painful, suffering death. Most likely, if not removed, the weight of the tumor will unpredictably crush Fabu’s windpipe, causing him to suffocate. Additionally, if left untreated, this tumor could spread to the other half of his thyroid and also compromise his parathyroid. If this continued growth occurs, Fabu would likely lose the ability to regulate his thyroid hormone and body calcium, both with life threatening results.
The reason we are asking for financial help is due to the fact that my husband was laid off in December 2016 (what a wonderful Christmas present for us!). Right before my husband lost his job, we paid out over $15,000 trying to fight the
cancer in our cat, which coupled with my extensive medical expenses has drained our savings significantly. After 6 months without income, plus trying to care for two animals with dissimilar cancers, the cost of this surgery pushes us to
our financial limits. Simply put, with surgery, Fabu has an excellent chance to have a long, healthy life, providing joy, comfort & care to our family. However, though he is otherwise healthy, Fabu would face a significantly shorter life and the risk of a painful death without this surgery. After just losing my kitty of 17.5 years, just a few days ago, I would be devastated if anything happened to Fabu. He needs this surgery and we need the help. ANY bit of aid is greatly appreciated!