A Caring End for a Furry Friend
Donation protected
One can never be fully prepared for the loss of their best furry friend but it's an especially difficult thing to plan for when they take a turn for the worse very suddenly.
Lelu has been far more than just my furry friend. She has been my raison d'etre in some of my most trying times. She isn't just my emotional support animal, she has been the most stable and consistent support in my entire life. I would not be here, or be the person I am without having had her in my life.
It is time that my moon and stars must set and give way to a new day and chapter of my life.
Lelu started exhibiting sundown dementia symptoms at the start of October. In the first week we struggled and panicked not knowing what we could do for her.
The vet told us we might be able to medicate her and manage the symptoms but we are going on week 3 of trying to find some resolution to no avail. However hard we try this isn't a condition which will go away or become any easier. She is now presenting more dementia symptoms during the day and it's getting to the point that we are all suffering. Her quality of life is compromised and we are all struggling to get her through each day comfortably.
For anyone who knows me, they know I would do anything in the world to keep her by my side - but in my heart of hearts I know this is where we must finally part ways. I have put off making this gofundme in hopes I wouldn't have to make this final decision. Alas the reality is we all need help sometimes and I can't do this alone.
I wish everything didn't boil down to money but it does. Leading up to this I spent close to $500 on tests, appointments and medications. I would like to put her down in the comfort of a safe space rather than a vets office and I would like to cremate her, this is another $500 or more. I would also like to make sure I have time to spend with her before she must leave her fur-body behind, not to mention my need to regroup before I have to go back to working in customer service. This all means missing days of work for my partner and I.
I appreciate any amount anyone can contribute. It's not easy to ask for help, let alone share this very emotional circumstance via some crowd funding site. Please know I have done EVERYTHING in my ability to do the very best for her and I want to make sure her last days are as good as I can make them. I want her to still be lucid enough to know that it's me holding onto her and being there in her last moments. If I can give her even a fraction of what she has given me, I can tell myself I did the best I could for her.
Thank you for helping me give my best friend in the world a better end.
About Lelu:
I was given Lelu when I was 14 and had no idea what she would bring to my life for the next 14.5 years. I had a hard upbringing and struggled with depression and anxiety. She kept me grounded and gave me a reason to come home each day. Her presence in my life has taught me how to be selfless and compassionate. She has taught me how to live in the moment and to take each moment for what it is. We have gone through all my major life struggles together and she has never said one bad thing about me!
Early on we found that she has a lot of food issues and I struggled to figure out a diet that didn't make her constantly ill. It took me some time before I finally bit the bullet and got her on raw food. This has also been an interesting journey, figuring out all her food issues with that too and working around her sensitive pancreas. Such a special needs girl! For 5 of the years she was eating raw food I didn't have a car, so rain or shine I would have to bus with 30+ lbs of frozen meat every 2 weeks or so for her.
We have had quite a few scares of loosing her but she is one tough cookie. From having a really bad reaction to a medication and being rushed to the emergency vet for fluids, to having scary episodes of spinal nerve spasms due to her intervertabral disc disease, seizures, she quit walking for a week (turns out it was due to arthritis), she had two surgeries to remove spindle cell cancer - and never in all this time did I ever think that I would loose her to something going wrong in her brain.
Current Sate:
Canine cognitive dysfunction can be managed sometimes. Unfortunately she has experienced a rapid onset of the condition and it's specifically triggered in the evening and lasts all night. She is very sensitive to many medications and we have tried about 6 different things at this point. Currently our only further options pose a lot of risk to her due to issues associated with combining these drugs. We are struggling to find the Goldie Locks combination to allow her to have a functional life as well as relief from the debilitating panic attacks caused by the dementia. Her symptoms ebb and flow, we never know what the night will bring and we worry for her health and safety every day we have to leave for work. While we try to keep her medicated during the day while we are gone she can be struck with a massive episode at any time. Her stress level during these times are unprecedented and very scary (panting, shaking, labored breathing - way beyond the type of fear she presents due to fireworks). I can't imagine what she is going through to be that stressed out and it seems cruel to make her go through that day after day. To get relief we have to sedate her to a stupor and her breathing goes becomes deep and unsteady.
Lelu has been through quite a bit in her time with me, as I have with her. We have supported one another through the thick and thin. It's really not easy saying good bye but shes the best dog in the world. I've lost other pets very suddenly and didn't get to say my goodbyes. I have always said I wanted to be able to make this choice so I could do right by her. I just never thought this is the way it would happen. She's obedient and caring till the bitter end. I feel deeply grateful for the time that we have had.
I'm making a hashtag for her #lelusmultipass - because she is named from the movie the 5th element.
Lelu has been far more than just my furry friend. She has been my raison d'etre in some of my most trying times. She isn't just my emotional support animal, she has been the most stable and consistent support in my entire life. I would not be here, or be the person I am without having had her in my life.
It is time that my moon and stars must set and give way to a new day and chapter of my life.
Lelu started exhibiting sundown dementia symptoms at the start of October. In the first week we struggled and panicked not knowing what we could do for her.
The vet told us we might be able to medicate her and manage the symptoms but we are going on week 3 of trying to find some resolution to no avail. However hard we try this isn't a condition which will go away or become any easier. She is now presenting more dementia symptoms during the day and it's getting to the point that we are all suffering. Her quality of life is compromised and we are all struggling to get her through each day comfortably.
For anyone who knows me, they know I would do anything in the world to keep her by my side - but in my heart of hearts I know this is where we must finally part ways. I have put off making this gofundme in hopes I wouldn't have to make this final decision. Alas the reality is we all need help sometimes and I can't do this alone.
I wish everything didn't boil down to money but it does. Leading up to this I spent close to $500 on tests, appointments and medications. I would like to put her down in the comfort of a safe space rather than a vets office and I would like to cremate her, this is another $500 or more. I would also like to make sure I have time to spend with her before she must leave her fur-body behind, not to mention my need to regroup before I have to go back to working in customer service. This all means missing days of work for my partner and I.
I appreciate any amount anyone can contribute. It's not easy to ask for help, let alone share this very emotional circumstance via some crowd funding site. Please know I have done EVERYTHING in my ability to do the very best for her and I want to make sure her last days are as good as I can make them. I want her to still be lucid enough to know that it's me holding onto her and being there in her last moments. If I can give her even a fraction of what she has given me, I can tell myself I did the best I could for her.
Thank you for helping me give my best friend in the world a better end.
About Lelu:
I was given Lelu when I was 14 and had no idea what she would bring to my life for the next 14.5 years. I had a hard upbringing and struggled with depression and anxiety. She kept me grounded and gave me a reason to come home each day. Her presence in my life has taught me how to be selfless and compassionate. She has taught me how to live in the moment and to take each moment for what it is. We have gone through all my major life struggles together and she has never said one bad thing about me!
Early on we found that she has a lot of food issues and I struggled to figure out a diet that didn't make her constantly ill. It took me some time before I finally bit the bullet and got her on raw food. This has also been an interesting journey, figuring out all her food issues with that too and working around her sensitive pancreas. Such a special needs girl! For 5 of the years she was eating raw food I didn't have a car, so rain or shine I would have to bus with 30+ lbs of frozen meat every 2 weeks or so for her.
We have had quite a few scares of loosing her but she is one tough cookie. From having a really bad reaction to a medication and being rushed to the emergency vet for fluids, to having scary episodes of spinal nerve spasms due to her intervertabral disc disease, seizures, she quit walking for a week (turns out it was due to arthritis), she had two surgeries to remove spindle cell cancer - and never in all this time did I ever think that I would loose her to something going wrong in her brain.
Current Sate:
Canine cognitive dysfunction can be managed sometimes. Unfortunately she has experienced a rapid onset of the condition and it's specifically triggered in the evening and lasts all night. She is very sensitive to many medications and we have tried about 6 different things at this point. Currently our only further options pose a lot of risk to her due to issues associated with combining these drugs. We are struggling to find the Goldie Locks combination to allow her to have a functional life as well as relief from the debilitating panic attacks caused by the dementia. Her symptoms ebb and flow, we never know what the night will bring and we worry for her health and safety every day we have to leave for work. While we try to keep her medicated during the day while we are gone she can be struck with a massive episode at any time. Her stress level during these times are unprecedented and very scary (panting, shaking, labored breathing - way beyond the type of fear she presents due to fireworks). I can't imagine what she is going through to be that stressed out and it seems cruel to make her go through that day after day. To get relief we have to sedate her to a stupor and her breathing goes becomes deep and unsteady.
Lelu has been through quite a bit in her time with me, as I have with her. We have supported one another through the thick and thin. It's really not easy saying good bye but shes the best dog in the world. I've lost other pets very suddenly and didn't get to say my goodbyes. I have always said I wanted to be able to make this choice so I could do right by her. I just never thought this is the way it would happen. She's obedient and caring till the bitter end. I feel deeply grateful for the time that we have had.
I'm making a hashtag for her #lelusmultipass - because she is named from the movie the 5th element.
Organizer
Erin Hamburger
Organizer
Portland, OR
