Smash Face Has Melanoma
Hi! I'm Jes, though you may know me as Julia Sleazer.
Last July, I adopted a cat after conducting a two hour interview with her at the shelter. I named her Aidos, but lovingly call her "Smash Face," as she has a unique look due to paralysis on the right side of her face. 
I freely admit I got her because we have twin-grumpy-faces.
Due to some of her behavior and my extremely limited knowledge of her past, I didn't think she'd had a great life. She often wants me to watch her eat and will check if I'm still there every few bites, like I'm protecting her, and she used to sleep on my chest and suddenly leap into action to protect me from invading cats (aka "other cats I own). I think maybe she was bullied or unloved or both, before I got her. I know she was dropped off at the shelter last February, adopted for 30 days by a woman who dropped her off citing "unmet expectations" as the reason, then she stayed confined in one of the small kitty-cubes until I got there in July. Even just that is "not the best," so I decided I'd give her an awesome life with me. 
One of her favorite activities: watching birds through the window. This is the paralyzed side, hence the tensed muscles.
After I got her, I had her examined by animal neurologists to make sure her paralysis was benign, and signs point toward "nerve damage," like Bell's palsy forever. Last weekend, I noticed a dark spot on her eye while we were playing, and became concerned. After taking her to an opthamologist, the speck was determined to be a type of melanosis and, at this stage, it is hard to say how it will progress or how quickly. The location of the lesion is quite close to the edge of her iris, which is apparently near lymph nodes. If it spreads ever so slightly, she will likely lose that eye or worse. 
Smash and me at the vet last year. I was really tired (this was during my comps)!
While I would still love her if she had one eye, it is the eye she can blink and close completely when she goes to sleep, which is number 1 on her list of hobbies. She uses her third eyelid to shut up her right eye, but sometimes covers it with her paw or burrows her face into a blanket, as I think light still gets through. 
She is a champion sleeper >.^
The way the melanoma spot is on Smashy is actually really rare in cats (but not in dogs). Usually, cats get a smattering of melanoma freckles, instead of one concentrated spot. Since it is just the one spot, the vets said she would be a candidate for laser surgery, which would attempt to break down the tumor cells and cause them to go into remission. This technique "MAY stimulate the immune system to prevent futher growth of melanocytes," per the discharge notice I got yesterday. 
This is a picture I took with the vet tech, so I could monitor changes in the meantime. Out of both eyes, it's just this single dark spot, which is about as lucky as we could be, considering.
My other option is "wait and see how it goes." I am really uncomfortable with that option, because if it goes poorly, who will guard me from invading forces while I sleep? It might be a one-eyed cat, or it might be no one. I don't like those odds. Surgery is my best course of action, as you can see, even if there is a "may" involved.
The breakdown of cost is as follows:
$200: bloodwork and abdominal scan prior to surgery.
$800: laser ablation of the eye, including appropriate anesthesia and a follow-up with the ophtamology unit at the University of Missouri Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital.
For your donations, these are the reward teirs:
$10: Tiny TARDIS!
It's a tiny TARDIS! You can put it on a bracelet, necklace, zipper, keychain, or whatever. I'm not here to dictate what you do with your charms ;)
$25: MYSTERY FROM SOUTH ASIA!
I have brought back so many handicrafts and items from Nepal and India, and now you can own one! It could be anything ranging from small statues to authentic Mithila paintings or handmade bookmarks or other decorative items! I will include a note about the item (such as where I got it, what it is, etc.).
$45: Octavian!
I named him Octavian for you. I like naming things; sue me. This little guy will hold 6 SD cards (on top) and 3 micro-SD cars (2 on top and one in his tentacle)! If you're curious, yes: it's 3d printed (I have blue or white filament on hand).
$100: ALL THE THINGS!
Everything from the first three teirs plus a limited edition print from my talented derby-wife, Krakk'em (Robyn Seale of Noodly Appendage). An image will be posted as soon as it's available.
Anyway, thanks for stopping by and concerning yourself with my cat >.^
