Thor's Chemotherapy Treatments
Donation protected
On July 15th, 2014, we took Thor to the vet for what we thought were harmless swollen lymph nodes on his neck. It could have been a cold, maybe something he ate, allergies, anything; the last thought on our mind was cancer. Within 15 seconds of seeing the doctor that day, he gave us the up-front and horrifying news that no family member ever wants to hear of their loved one; “he likely has lymphoma”. Our worst fears were confirmed after a waiting period of 3 days before the results were given to us; I had never felt so scared in my life.
Lymphoma, which is a relatively common type of cancer found in dogs, is quick to rip the life out of your loved one. Sometimes they’re given only a matter of days, weeks, and if you’re lucky, a couple of months to live without treatment.
On Tuesday, July 22nd, my partner and I sat with Thor in a consultation room, going over our “options”. In my mind, there was no doubt that we were going to do whatever we could to give Thor the best chance of survival, with the best quality of life possible; I didn’t care what it would cost.
I was 17 years old when I first brought him home, now I am 23; throughout the past six years, we have grown together through some of the most eventful, testing, and changing years of our lives. Thor is my best friend. He’s a welcome home after a long day of work, he puts a smile on our face first thing in the morning, and he even doubles as a pillow when the news puts me to sleep on the couch.
Thor has plenty of life left in him. For everything that he has been to us, we owe it to him to give it our all and to fight this disease. We have since made the decision to start the 19-week chemotherapy treatments for Thor. Once a week throughout the next 4-5 months we will be bringing him in to get his chemo treatments. He has been handling the medication incredibly. We have also changed his diet, by adding more immune support and making home-cooked meals to his regime. We will do anything to help his chances.
While I am normally very conservative financially, our decision to go through with the chemotherapy for Thor was strictly an emotional one. As much as I’d like to overlook the fact that my dog’s monthly treatment will cost us more than our rent, it is a factor that we cannot ignore. To offset the veterinary expenses, it was suggested by a few friends to reach out for some help via an online funding outlet, which is how I have found myself here. My partner and I will also be starting small businesses. We will be selling pet portraits, and making unique paracord dog collars, along with other similar concepts that we look forward to bringing to consumers. All of the proceeds from the donations will go directly towards Thor’s treatment costs. If in the case we exceed our goal of covering Thor's medical expenses, all donations and a percentage of business revenue will go towards non-profit organizations in order to help other animals in need.
I’m not one to ask for help, and I can probably count on one hand how many times I’ve cried in my adult life; but this experience has put my emotional strength to the test. Any help you can give is appreciated. Whether it’s simply donating, purchasing a pet portrait or a unique dog collar, we thank you for your support.
"All I want to be is the person my dog thinks I am."
Lymphoma, which is a relatively common type of cancer found in dogs, is quick to rip the life out of your loved one. Sometimes they’re given only a matter of days, weeks, and if you’re lucky, a couple of months to live without treatment.
On Tuesday, July 22nd, my partner and I sat with Thor in a consultation room, going over our “options”. In my mind, there was no doubt that we were going to do whatever we could to give Thor the best chance of survival, with the best quality of life possible; I didn’t care what it would cost.
I was 17 years old when I first brought him home, now I am 23; throughout the past six years, we have grown together through some of the most eventful, testing, and changing years of our lives. Thor is my best friend. He’s a welcome home after a long day of work, he puts a smile on our face first thing in the morning, and he even doubles as a pillow when the news puts me to sleep on the couch.
Thor has plenty of life left in him. For everything that he has been to us, we owe it to him to give it our all and to fight this disease. We have since made the decision to start the 19-week chemotherapy treatments for Thor. Once a week throughout the next 4-5 months we will be bringing him in to get his chemo treatments. He has been handling the medication incredibly. We have also changed his diet, by adding more immune support and making home-cooked meals to his regime. We will do anything to help his chances.
While I am normally very conservative financially, our decision to go through with the chemotherapy for Thor was strictly an emotional one. As much as I’d like to overlook the fact that my dog’s monthly treatment will cost us more than our rent, it is a factor that we cannot ignore. To offset the veterinary expenses, it was suggested by a few friends to reach out for some help via an online funding outlet, which is how I have found myself here. My partner and I will also be starting small businesses. We will be selling pet portraits, and making unique paracord dog collars, along with other similar concepts that we look forward to bringing to consumers. All of the proceeds from the donations will go directly towards Thor’s treatment costs. If in the case we exceed our goal of covering Thor's medical expenses, all donations and a percentage of business revenue will go towards non-profit organizations in order to help other animals in need.
I’m not one to ask for help, and I can probably count on one hand how many times I’ve cried in my adult life; but this experience has put my emotional strength to the test. Any help you can give is appreciated. Whether it’s simply donating, purchasing a pet portrait or a unique dog collar, we thank you for your support.
"All I want to be is the person my dog thinks I am."
Organizer
Morganne Sterl
Organizer
Burke, VA
