10/8/2020 Update: Dear new visitors, just a quick note to let you know that Aspen is still healing from her 4/15 injury, and our GoFundMe page is still active. Your donations and support are still welcomed (and needed!). I have shared an update of Aspen's progress every week or so. If your fur-baby is going through something similar I hope my stories will help you feel empowered to face the challenges ahead. Even if you feel like there are setbacks, they are still healing and will get better and better.
♥AJ

[More story & photos below] Dear friends and family and animal lovers alike,

I am earnestly searching for your help to pay medical bills for our baby Aspen. We are a financially insecure family who have been working reduced hours; my small business has struggled during recent economic downturns. This emergency surgery cost us $7,000 in the first day, and has been climbing to $7,600 with each check up and will continue to climb with future appointments and x-rays.

Aspen is our baby girl, she is a sister to Fern and Maxwell. They are our triplet tiger tabbies, born on September 16, 2017. We brought them home with us in November 2017. Aspen is a silly girl, she chased her tail as a youngster. She loves to ride on our shoulders, she can jump wide distances, she loves to eat fresh grass and give me face baths. Aspen is our little water bear, she likes hanging out with us after a shower or bath. She is also quite the fashionista, I'll find her wearing a shirt or pants that were left on the floor. She likes to chirp, chatter, meow, purr, tell stories and demand attention if it's time to snuggle.

Please consider helping us with our emergency medical bills, also sharing our story with others who may be able to help. I understand there are many people like us who are struggling with finances, and I appreciate your heart rainbows and prayers for Aspen. ♥

Aspen's Story -
On April 15th, around 4:30pm, after walking with our triplets in the yard, I discovered our sweet Aspen lying on the ground in shock, with a broken leg. I had been apart from her for only a moment. I scooped her up in a panic and rushed her to our emergency pet clinic after being denied an urgent appointment at our local vet. I arrived at the ER about 30 minutes after discovering her injured. Aspen was yowling.

Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, our vet hospitals have reduced hours and reduced staff. Many people were funneled through to our emergency clinic, and we were asked to wait in the car. My partner left work to join us at the ER, and we waited another very painful 30 minutes, Aspen began to pant in pain. A tech wearing a mask and gloves came out to our car to collect Aspen and took her inside. We were not allowed to come in, we had to wait for a phone call. After about two hours we learned how serious her injury was, they needed to keep her overnight. We would not hear from the surgery team until the next morning.



On April 16th, around 10am the surgeon called us with her plan. We listened in confusion and disbelief, we needed to approve her surgery without having seen an x-ray or met any doctor in person. Aspen's surgeon wanted to carve out all the cartilage from the four bones that connect to her ankle. Those four bones were all dislocated and some were broken. All of her ligaments were torn. She must have gotten her foot stuck in something behind our house, and it caught as she twisted and fell only two feet to the ground.

They began surgery around 4pm, nearly 24 hours after her injury. I was extremely upset that it took this long to tend to her and worried deeply how much pain she was in and what feeling of terror she was going through. I struggle with ptsd and anxiety, during these first few days I was in a deep terror myself. Feeling lost without being able to comfort Aspen, I drove to the ER clinic and sat in the parking lot for nearly 2 hours during her surgery. I felt I needed to be near her to give her my heart, and to be near in case they called with urgent troubles.

After surgery the doctor called us to explain what she saw. There was additional damage but she did not perform extensive repair beyond pinning the bones, removing cartilage, repairing one major ligament. She worried if she performed more work that there would be loss of blood to her foot and the foot could die. My heart dropped further into my stomach. They kept her overnight once more, and we sat at home dumbfounded and tried to comfort Maxwell and Fern, who could not find Aspen.

Friday April 17th Aspen was able to return home with us. She was in an incredible amount of pain, she growled at us and her injured leg. She could not get up or move without it hurting, and she would run backwards on three legs and crash into the furniture trying to get away. She was covered in urine and either food or medicine all over her chest and neck. Her rear leg and flank was shaved, another large spot on her low back was shaved, along with a spot on her neck and wrist. We felt her toes under the bandage and they felt cold, which could indicate a loss of blood to her foot. We rushed her back to the ER. They performed a bandage change and sent us home believing she was okay, but to keep watching her toes (which were completely hidden under the new bandage).

We have spent nearly every minute of each day with Aspen. At most she may have a couple hours of alone time in her 'apartment' which is a large playpen, with her bed and soft blankets and a small kitty tent to hide in. We help her in the litter box, she has a hard time getting into position and will pee all over her good leg if we don't lift up her hind end or scoop litter to help redirect the flow. The first week involved 4 different medications needing to be administered 8 or more times each day. Now she has one medicine twice daily that we can mix into a treat for her.

During nap times we snuggle, she fell asleep in my lap recently, which is a new experience for us. I will lay next to her on the mattress, which is now on the floor for her to access easily. Maxwell will lay with her or give her a bath, but Fern has been very afraid. After being home two and half weeks, Fern is still fearful of Aspen and her cast. We have gotten them to eat treats together, and Fern has hung out in the bedroom with us a little, so there is a little progress.



Monday April 20th Aspen had a successful bandage change and check up with her surgeon. This time at home we noticed some bloody drainage that came out the bottom of her cast, but were assured it was normal, and asked to keep checking her toes for temperature and look for a reaction to being touched.

Monday April 27th she saw a new doctor, who was brief on our phone call, and simply said she looked like she should, and sent home with a new bandage.

Monday May 4th she got to see her surgeon again, who tested her toes and leg for movement, and believes her leg will be stable as long as healing keeps going well. Her incision was healed at this point and they removed the skin staples. Aspen has been shaking her foot a lot, and licking at the injury site, perhaps the skin is itchy and there is still some sore feelings around the broken bones.

I am deeply grateful to her surgeon and the team at our ER vet, who tended to Aspen with care and skill. During these uncertain times with the pandemic, I am grateful they are open and operating in the way they can while also keeping their staff and doctors safe. Now that we have had her 2.5 week checkup, and believe she is on the mend, perhaps my anxiety will ease a little. She will have an x-ray at 4 weeks to determine if her bones and the screws and implant are healing well. At best this will be a ten week healing period, without additional surgery, and she will be able to run and jump and climb and explore again.

Thank you for taking the time to get to know Aspen, and sharing your heart with us. My gratitude knows no bounds for our family and friends who have shown us support during these first two scary weeks. I believe we are connected with heart rainbows, I hope you can feel how mine is glowing right now. With love, AJ