Help Solve Larry's Medical Mystery
Donation protected
Hello, animal lovers!
My name is Kenneth Walsh. I'm a copy editor and writer in New York City, who some of you may know from my blog called Kenneth in the (212).
I never thought I would be in this position, but Larry has never been a typical cat -- so perhaps I shouldn't be surprised. I'm writing to ask for your help because my little guy has been given a death sentence unless we can figure out what is wrong with him. He's only 8 years old.
What we do know is his tiny chest cavity -- and now belly -- keeps filling with fluid, which causes him great respiratory distress. For now, it's been diagnosed as chylothorax, but because its cause is unknown (idiopathic), we have not been able to find a solution for it. Instead, we have spent the past few months doing costly chest/belly taps that solve the problem for only a week (or less) at a time.
The reason I say I never thought I would be in this position is that if Larry had been diagnosed with an inoperable tumor or the like, I would be very sad but I would accept it and let him go when the time came. Instead, he is 100% normal -- eating up a storm, hanging out in boxes and sinks (see above), knocking drinking glasses off tables, deciding at all times which room we need to be in, nursing on my ear lobes(!) and acting completely normal (well, normal for him) -- except for when his breathing is affected by the fluid. Then it gets scary.
My vet still believes he could possibly be saved if we can just figure out what is causing the fluid to not drain properly. So far I have spent thousands on tests and taps. But my vet is urging me to see a specialist ASAP, which will require a sonogram, CT scan and more lab work to try to solve this medical mystery -- which is why I could really use any help you might be able to give.
Larry has been my partner in crime these past eight-plus years -- through the lows of a broken heart and seeing both of my parents hospitalized in grave condition at the same time to the highs of publishing my first book and falling in love again -- so I really don't want to give up on him until I know there is no hope.
Thank you in advance for your consideration. And please note that $5 and $10 donations can really add up -- ask Bernie! -- so anything you can contribute is greatly appreciated. I would normally never think of asking for help like this. But after months of fruitless trips to the vet, I am tapped out but still can't bring myself to euthanize an otherwise healthy little cutie without trying everything I can think of to find a solution first.
Love and purring,
Kenneth and Larry
#HailLarryPass
My name is Kenneth Walsh. I'm a copy editor and writer in New York City, who some of you may know from my blog called Kenneth in the (212).
I never thought I would be in this position, but Larry has never been a typical cat -- so perhaps I shouldn't be surprised. I'm writing to ask for your help because my little guy has been given a death sentence unless we can figure out what is wrong with him. He's only 8 years old.
What we do know is his tiny chest cavity -- and now belly -- keeps filling with fluid, which causes him great respiratory distress. For now, it's been diagnosed as chylothorax, but because its cause is unknown (idiopathic), we have not been able to find a solution for it. Instead, we have spent the past few months doing costly chest/belly taps that solve the problem for only a week (or less) at a time.
The reason I say I never thought I would be in this position is that if Larry had been diagnosed with an inoperable tumor or the like, I would be very sad but I would accept it and let him go when the time came. Instead, he is 100% normal -- eating up a storm, hanging out in boxes and sinks (see above), knocking drinking glasses off tables, deciding at all times which room we need to be in, nursing on my ear lobes(!) and acting completely normal (well, normal for him) -- except for when his breathing is affected by the fluid. Then it gets scary.
My vet still believes he could possibly be saved if we can just figure out what is causing the fluid to not drain properly. So far I have spent thousands on tests and taps. But my vet is urging me to see a specialist ASAP, which will require a sonogram, CT scan and more lab work to try to solve this medical mystery -- which is why I could really use any help you might be able to give.
Larry has been my partner in crime these past eight-plus years -- through the lows of a broken heart and seeing both of my parents hospitalized in grave condition at the same time to the highs of publishing my first book and falling in love again -- so I really don't want to give up on him until I know there is no hope.
Thank you in advance for your consideration. And please note that $5 and $10 donations can really add up -- ask Bernie! -- so anything you can contribute is greatly appreciated. I would normally never think of asking for help like this. But after months of fruitless trips to the vet, I am tapped out but still can't bring myself to euthanize an otherwise healthy little cutie without trying everything I can think of to find a solution first.
Love and purring,
Kenneth and Larry
#HailLarryPass
Organizer
Kenneth M. Walsh
Organizer
New York, NY
