Bring Yoshi Home
Donation protected
If you're reading this, I am taking the advice that I have given to people in my fitness classes, close friend groups, family and written in pretty letters on my Instagram page. Until now, I did not realize just how hard actually taking that advice would be, but here I am, asking for help because I really need it.
Last Thursday, our sweet almost 3-year-old Siamese, Yoshi developed a urinary blockage and had to be taken to the emergency vet. He did not have the ability to pass urine and he needed to be unblocked as quickly as possible to avoid permanent kidney damage or death.
This is not the kind of thing that any pet owner wants to hear, but we were relieved to find that this condition is fairly common in young male cats and can be fairly easily reversed... usually and for a steep price. Yoshi is our baby and he is worth it and we headed home thinking we would be able to pick him up in a day or two.
Over the past 5 days, we have received little bits of good news buried in a lot of bad news and complications. It seems like every test has revealed a new question for why Yoshi is not able to urinate on his own yet. Imagine being told that 9 times out of 10, cats are able to easily recover from this and go home to normal life in just a couple of days and you just happen to be the 10th circumstance. Then imagine being told this for the next problem. And the next. This is what it has felt like EVERY single time we get a phone call. There is some good news, followed by more bad news and more questions.
After finally having his catheter removed last night and some promising bloodwork, we got a call at 1 am in the morning and found out that even though we expected all to go smoothly and for Yoshi's bladder to start functioning normally, he had reblocked. Right back to where we started. Getting an emergency call from the vet at 1 am is one of the worst adrenaline rushes I've had in a long time. I really really thought they were going to tell us that he had had a fatal complication.
Unfortunately, becoming blocked a second time creates more questions, leads to more tests, and keeps our baby in the hospital for more days. Right now we are hoping that this time things go smoother and that we do not have to take the next steps to consider surgery to help things start working again.
At this point, our baby has been in the hospital for 5 days and has racked up a medical bill of around $7,000. If we have to consider surgery and further testing, we are likely looking at upwards of $10,000. Thankfully we have been saving in hopes of buying a house soon and we have had a little bit of cushion for this.
The funds are burning out quickly and I am TERRIFIED that there could come a day if things keep progressing that we will not have any options left to help our cat get better.
Yoshi has brought me and my boyfriend so much joy that we did not even know we were missing out on. He loves us so much. I have never felt as loved by an animal as I do by this cat. He talks to us, comes running when he's called, is ALWAYS purring and he just really "gets us". When we took him to the emergency vet, he had not purred in 12 hours. All I want is to come home to him laying on his favorite blanket purring and living a happy life.
Right now he is at the emergency vet, doing what he does best and making friends. He talks to the staff as they walk around, rolls over for belly rubs, and is being so much more positive than I have been able to be for the past few days. We have not been allowed to see him at all because of COVID.
I know the number you're seeing is huge and I do not expect any miracles, but anything that you have to give would be so greatly appreciated. Every single bit will go towards getting our baby out of the hospital and back home and happy.
Last Thursday, our sweet almost 3-year-old Siamese, Yoshi developed a urinary blockage and had to be taken to the emergency vet. He did not have the ability to pass urine and he needed to be unblocked as quickly as possible to avoid permanent kidney damage or death.
This is not the kind of thing that any pet owner wants to hear, but we were relieved to find that this condition is fairly common in young male cats and can be fairly easily reversed... usually and for a steep price. Yoshi is our baby and he is worth it and we headed home thinking we would be able to pick him up in a day or two.
Over the past 5 days, we have received little bits of good news buried in a lot of bad news and complications. It seems like every test has revealed a new question for why Yoshi is not able to urinate on his own yet. Imagine being told that 9 times out of 10, cats are able to easily recover from this and go home to normal life in just a couple of days and you just happen to be the 10th circumstance. Then imagine being told this for the next problem. And the next. This is what it has felt like EVERY single time we get a phone call. There is some good news, followed by more bad news and more questions.
After finally having his catheter removed last night and some promising bloodwork, we got a call at 1 am in the morning and found out that even though we expected all to go smoothly and for Yoshi's bladder to start functioning normally, he had reblocked. Right back to where we started. Getting an emergency call from the vet at 1 am is one of the worst adrenaline rushes I've had in a long time. I really really thought they were going to tell us that he had had a fatal complication.
Unfortunately, becoming blocked a second time creates more questions, leads to more tests, and keeps our baby in the hospital for more days. Right now we are hoping that this time things go smoother and that we do not have to take the next steps to consider surgery to help things start working again.
At this point, our baby has been in the hospital for 5 days and has racked up a medical bill of around $7,000. If we have to consider surgery and further testing, we are likely looking at upwards of $10,000. Thankfully we have been saving in hopes of buying a house soon and we have had a little bit of cushion for this.
The funds are burning out quickly and I am TERRIFIED that there could come a day if things keep progressing that we will not have any options left to help our cat get better.
Yoshi has brought me and my boyfriend so much joy that we did not even know we were missing out on. He loves us so much. I have never felt as loved by an animal as I do by this cat. He talks to us, comes running when he's called, is ALWAYS purring and he just really "gets us". When we took him to the emergency vet, he had not purred in 12 hours. All I want is to come home to him laying on his favorite blanket purring and living a happy life.
Right now he is at the emergency vet, doing what he does best and making friends. He talks to the staff as they walk around, rolls over for belly rubs, and is being so much more positive than I have been able to be for the past few days. We have not been allowed to see him at all because of COVID.
I know the number you're seeing is huge and I do not expect any miracles, but anything that you have to give would be so greatly appreciated. Every single bit will go towards getting our baby out of the hospital and back home and happy.
Organizer
Jaimee Johnson
Organizer
Durham, NC
