Save K'nuckles With PU Surgery

In 2008, two little kittens were brought home to me, rescued from an electrical warehouse after being abandoned by their mother. They were flea-ridden, had ear mites and worms, and were underfed. When I picked up the black one, he mewed the tiniest sound. That night, he slept in my arms, held just like a baby would. I named him Captain K'nuckles after a cartoon character. I have since developed the closest relationship with my little furry baby, one that is unmatched with any other animal I've owned.

A couple nights ago, K'nuckles began to urinate on the side of my bed. Immediately realizing that he most likely was suffering from another urinary tract infection (his third in recent years, his second only this year), I gave him leftover medication. Last night, I came home to vomit and bloody cat prints all over the bathroom. K'nuckles was laying in the litter box, listless. When I came in, he gave me the saddest cry I've ever heard; I was in tears instantly. They told us at the emergency vet that this blockage could cause him a slow and painful death if not treated immediately, but that it would be expensive. They said that they could flush out his urethra and send us home with some medication, though he would probably be back in a couple of days to get further help. That visit, plus meds, cost us nearly $380 alone; a cost that we had to put on a pet credit card and start imagining how we will try to pay it off before it starts to charge interest.

One option is to have what they call a perineal urethrostomy (PU). The PU will save his life by permanently opening up his kitty bits so that this WON'T happen again. He has been sleeping a lot and trying to use the box, but it's so hard for him to move. I don't want to lose my cat, and he will most likely die if he continues to have these issues. Please help us. Anything and everything is appreciated.