Athena's Eye Surgery
Donation protected
Athena is my emotional support animal and also quite the local celebrity. She is a rescue that I got as a puppy and we have been inseparable since. She just turned 12 in January. She is in very good health as we walk an average of 3 miles everyday and she is only fed Royal Canin Prescription food (for urinary incontinence).
Last month one of her eyes started bothering her. When her eyeball started swelling I rushed her to the emergency vet in the middle of the night. They ran some tests and found that the pressure of her eye was twice the normal amount. The vet did a stain test and there was no scratch present. We scheduled the earliest appointment available with the veterinary opthamologist. When we came back she was diagnosed with secondary glaucoma. She was obviously in a lot of pain and the only option was to remove the eye (enucleation). They performed the surgery that day and kept her overnight. Everything went great with the surgery and the oncology report on the mass they found on her iris was benign.
Since then she has healed wonderfully and is fully back to her old self, except for bumping into things occasionally. We are back to our full 3 mile walks! I took several weeks off work to care for her during her recovery.
The cost of the vet visits and the surgery were very expensive. I maxed out my credit cards and applied for and received a new credit card at the vet office. It is a very high interest rate. I am a responsible credit card holder and dont purchase frivolous things or dine out at lavish restaurants. I also dont take vacations unless it is a working vacation. I am a professional driver that drives uber/lyft, buses and limos. The down side of this is that I am at the mercy of the college semester. With the semester coming to a close and the summer coming there is almost no business. Tucson becomes a ghost town in the summer. The rideshare market becomes flooded with an over supply of drivers and it can take two hours to get a fare that only nets you a few dollars. I have a seasonal summer job but it doesn't start till May. Many times I have been given the compliment of being "The hardest working person" someone knows, so understand my financial troubles are not a result of being lazy. I had carmax appraise my car (which is paid off) but it wasn't enough and then I wouldn't have a car to work.
All the medical bills are starting to come due and I am struggling to pay them. The cost of the vet visits and surgery were $3200. Plus lost work to care for her and other expenses I have set my goal at $3600 although it has cost me much more.
Athena is my world. I would do anything for her. A friend once commented that I treat her better than most people treat their kids. We would greatly appreciate any help. If you see a tall redhead guy walking a one eyed brindle pitbull in the University of Arizona area, come up and say hi. We are both very friendly.
Last month one of her eyes started bothering her. When her eyeball started swelling I rushed her to the emergency vet in the middle of the night. They ran some tests and found that the pressure of her eye was twice the normal amount. The vet did a stain test and there was no scratch present. We scheduled the earliest appointment available with the veterinary opthamologist. When we came back she was diagnosed with secondary glaucoma. She was obviously in a lot of pain and the only option was to remove the eye (enucleation). They performed the surgery that day and kept her overnight. Everything went great with the surgery and the oncology report on the mass they found on her iris was benign.
Since then she has healed wonderfully and is fully back to her old self, except for bumping into things occasionally. We are back to our full 3 mile walks! I took several weeks off work to care for her during her recovery.
The cost of the vet visits and the surgery were very expensive. I maxed out my credit cards and applied for and received a new credit card at the vet office. It is a very high interest rate. I am a responsible credit card holder and dont purchase frivolous things or dine out at lavish restaurants. I also dont take vacations unless it is a working vacation. I am a professional driver that drives uber/lyft, buses and limos. The down side of this is that I am at the mercy of the college semester. With the semester coming to a close and the summer coming there is almost no business. Tucson becomes a ghost town in the summer. The rideshare market becomes flooded with an over supply of drivers and it can take two hours to get a fare that only nets you a few dollars. I have a seasonal summer job but it doesn't start till May. Many times I have been given the compliment of being "The hardest working person" someone knows, so understand my financial troubles are not a result of being lazy. I had carmax appraise my car (which is paid off) but it wasn't enough and then I wouldn't have a car to work.
All the medical bills are starting to come due and I am struggling to pay them. The cost of the vet visits and surgery were $3200. Plus lost work to care for her and other expenses I have set my goal at $3600 although it has cost me much more.
Athena is my world. I would do anything for her. A friend once commented that I treat her better than most people treat their kids. We would greatly appreciate any help. If you see a tall redhead guy walking a one eyed brindle pitbull in the University of Arizona area, come up and say hi. We are both very friendly.
Organizer
James Knight
Organizer
Tucson, AZ
