Please help save Sydney's life!

[kittykatharine]

For anyone that has not been following Sydney's story here is a recap of the worst two weeks of my life. Sydney, my kitty that I have had for 13 years was diagnosed with an aggressive form of nasal Lymphoma. Two weeks ago, she developed this strange swelling on her head, and was taken to the vets immediatly. Since that first visit, she has had steriod shots, antibiotics, a biopsy, mass removal, pain medication, blood work, etc. costing a total of $850. This morning my vet called me back and told me that it will cost $5,000 for Sydney to get the linear acceleration radiation therapy needed to save her life. There is not one veterinarian oncologist within a 250 mile raduis for me to get a second opinion - as it is I have to travel to Auburn, AL. a 3 1/2 hour drive and leave her there for 3 weeks, to have the treatment. I am an unmarried poor college student, who has already spent all my existing money on her vet bills. I love this cat like she is my own child, my baby, my best friend in the whole world. I have been so devastated this entire week that I am just crumbling. I have a treatment that will save my Baby's life, but because of money, I have to watch her die. I have scrambled up $2000 from my tuition and family members, but I am still $3000 short. Please if you can donate anything it would greatly be appreciated. The link to PayPal is at the very bottom. My baby and I thank you from the bottom of our hearts.




Sincerely,
Desperate Kat


Just Click the bottom link to be sent to Paypal. Thank you so much for your generosity.


Donate Now Through PAYPAL

UPDATE (6-13-08): Sydney is now receiving her cancer treatment at the following location:
Cordova Animal Medical Center
2433 E. Langley Ave.
Pensacola, FL 32504
Phone: (850) 479-2222
Veterinarian: Dr. Shelly Ashley
Patient: Sydney
Species: Feline
Owner: Katharine G. Herman

If you would like to make a donation directly to the vet, please contact them there.

[Moesha]

Did you try to get funding from IMOM? I would be glad to donate something, although I am afraid it won't be very much. I was just wondering if you are trying other sources as well?

Is this treatment very successful? I sure hope so! Have you talked with the vets in Auburn yet?

[kittykatharine]

Thanks so much Moesha, every little penny helps me a little bit. IMOM and the dozen other agencies I tried are no longer accepting applicants because of low donations and too many pets to help. I have talked to the vets in Auburn and my vet here, and they said that it is extremely sucessful at putting the cancer into remission. They reported that it will at YEARS to her life and that if she had a cancer, this was one of the best to get. That is why I am so distraught - this is a life saving procedure, that just happens to cost an arm and a leg. Thank you again for being so wonderful, we truly appreciate any help, even if it is $1.00.

Did you try to get funding from IMOM? I would be glad to donate something, although I am afraid it won't be very much. I was just wondering if you are trying other sources as well?

Is this treatment very successful? I sure hope so! Have you talked with the vets in Auburn yet?

[Moesha]

Is there a way to contact the vet directly and donate through them either via credit card or by mailing a check. I know that PayPal takes a percentage of each transaction and maybe if donations when directly to the vet doing the procedure the entire amount donated would actually go toward the treatment. I can only imagine the difficult time you are going through. Would the vet be willing to take payments and do you have to have the entire amount before they will do anything? I'm hoping for the best for your dear Sydney. I have a Sydney of my own. She showed up as a kitten and has been here 7 years and won't let anyone touch her. I'm glad your Syds is your baby.

[Catty1]

I can send a bit to the vet - will they accept a minimum down payment to get going and arrange a payment plan?

It's a three week treatment - do they need ALL the money up front?

Also, Google Care Credit - there is a section in there for pets. It is a loan - but interest free if paid back inside 3 months.

That way you can get the amount for Sydney, and focus on fundraising to pay the loan back. I will have more to donate in early July - so look into that too!

[kittykatharine]

My vet is calling to make me an appointment with a specific vet at Auburn tomorrow. As soon as I know the doctors name, I will post it. I was told they are expecting the full payment when I pick her up at the end of the treatment, so three weeks from when I drop her off. I am also going to try applying with care credit. I am just worried about how I am going to eat and live since I don't make more than $200 every two weeks as a student assistant. But, delaying the cost gives me more time to find some additional assistance. I am just happy that this gives Sydney a fighting chance.

I can send a bit to the vet - will they accept a minimum down payment to get going and arrange a payment plan?

It's a three week treatment - do they need ALL the money up front?

Also, Google Care Credit - there is a section in there for pets. It is a loan - but interest free if paid back inside 3 months.

That way you can get the amount for Sydney, and focus on fundraising to pay the loan back. I will have more to donate in early July - so look into that too!

[jenluckenbach]

Just an idea. there is a website called Wish Upon A Hero. You make a wish! You could wish for donations for Sydney. You may get some responses, it is worth a try.

http://www.wishuponahero.com/

You should also plan some fundraising.

[Catty1]

kittykatherine: for fundraising, here's some ideas, and brainstorm with a friend at school or with family:

1. Find stuff to sell on eBay
2. Find stuff to have a garage sale with.
3. Find a place at your school that will allow you to have a pic of Sydney and a fundraising can...a place here in my town wanted to raise 1 million pennies, which is (I think) $10,000! So look at raising "Half a million pennies!" (and buy a few bags of penny rollers lol). No one misses their pennies.

4. The bar/cafeteria - would they hold a special evening?

I can't think of any more ideas, but maybe you can...just get Sydney started on treatment and the rest will fall into place!

[kittykatharine]

Thank you everyone so much! And thank you so much Catty1 and Brody'sMum for the donations. Sydney and I appreciate it from the bottoms of our heart. I had some good news today, my vet was able to pull some strings and get me an appointment at the Auburn vet clinic tomorrow at 10 am. I have packed Sydney her favorite blanket that smells like home, a stuffed animal that is always on my bed, and several cans of her favorite food, in case they have trouble feeding her. I am really scared for my little baby. She has never been away from me for longer than a week, I am going to be praying for her everyday. I am so worried that she is going to feel that I abandoned her. I will drive up their after a week and a half, and I was hoping if I call, maybe they can put her ear up to the phone. My vet assured me that this procedure has an excellent success rate and will add years to her life, if she can live through the chemo and radiation. I am so worried for her, but it has to be done. If you are interested in leaving a donation at the hospital, here is the contact information:


UPDATE (6-13-08): Sydney is now receiving her cancer treatment at the following location:
Cordova Animal Medical Center
2433 E. Langley Ave.
Pensacola, FL 32504
Phone: (850) 479-2222
Veterinarian: Dr. Shelly Ashley
Patient: Sydney
Species: Feline
Owner: Katharine G. Herman

If you would like to make a donation directly to the vet, please contact them there.


Again, thank you everyone for your support and prayers!

[Moesha]

I will call and make a donation either tomorrow or Thursday. I'm not sure if I will be home when the hospital will be opened tomorrow. I'll plan on waiting for an update from you tomorrow and calling them on Thursday. I will be hoping for good news for you and dear Sydney.

[Catty1]

When you get there, you will get to see how the staff are with animals. Tell them about your worries, that Sydney has never been away from home for so long!

Glad you are sending some things with her that smell like 'home'. Got a t shirt you haven't washed yet? Throw that in too!

Sydney looks still quite perky from what you said - she is eating and all - so hopefully it is a good start for her!

Maybe ask them about the Regressin - though the treatment sounds pretty effective!

[Freedom]

Check this link for other ways to find funding:
http://www.tinypamperedpets.com/serv...resources/Page

Below the Tribute to Romeo is a listing of possibilities.

Prayers for Sydney. Please let us know as you learn more!

[kittykatharine]

Thank you so much for this link - I have gone ahead and posted my wish - hopefully someone will come to my aid. Thank you for the great resource!

Just an idea. there is a website called Wish Upon A Hero. You make a wish! You could wish for donations for Sydney. You may get some responses, it is worth a try.

http://www.wishuponahero.com/

You should also plan some fundraising.

[kittykatharine]

Ok everyone, here is an UPDATE! I just got back from my consultation with my new vet and I really like her. She seemed very knowleagble and was extremely helpful. Sydney's right eye has been swollen shut ever since I had her biopsy done last week and I had taken her to my old vet twice after that and she just looked at it and said it was fine - no tests or lights or anything. With the new vet, The second she walked in the room she was like, "tell me what is up with that eye". She put some pain drops in her eye and stained it and looked for any abnormalities and found that the fluid in between her cornea and lens was inflammed. She gave me drops to help ease the pain and swelling. Secondly, my old vet would charge $25 for a shot of pain medicine that only lasted 72 hours and wouldnt give me any pain meds for home- so I was paying the $25 for the shot and $28 for a "checkup". This vet gave me 6 syringes of pain medicine and told me that she is not stingy with pain medicine, so to just ask if needed - and they were only $13 for all six. My new vet said that she was going to call all the vet hospitals around my area to see if their were any radiation studies she could get sydney into - which would be significantly cheaper! Also, she has three pets on chemo already, and said that she has given this type of treatment many times before. She is going to call me later tonight and give me an estimate on the chemotherapy treatment costs - although she stated it will probably cost the same as the other place. I am just happy that she seems to be more knowledgable and able to help - I am just so sad that it took me this long to find her. She seemed to emphasize sydneys comfort - which the other vet seemed to forget. Keep us in your prayer.

If you are still intersted in making a donation to help with Sydney's chemo treatment, this is my new permenant vet contact information:

Cordova Animal Medical Center
2433 E. Langley Ave.
Pensacola, FL 32504
Phone: (850) 479-2222
Veterinarian: Dr. Shelly Ashley
Patient: Sydney
Species: Feline
Owner: Katharine G. Herman

Thank you so much for your support and prayers - you guys on pet talk are the only thing that has made this expereince bearable. Thank you!

[Moesha]

I just called the vet's office and used a credit card to apply to your account. I talked with a very nice lady. She said she would mail my credit card receipt to me tomorrow. Just make sure that it gets applied. I told them it wasn't a secret. I wish I was able to give more, but maybe I'll be able to give more later. Please keep us posted and I'm so glad she was concerned with keeping Sydney comfortable with pain meds.