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Anyone who is friend’s with Jeff or I on any form of social media knows our cat Gerry aka Geronimo. He is our everything - a major part of our lives as well as part of our family. He has helped to make us laugh in difficult situations, he has cuddled us to sleep on countless nights, and during COVID-19/staying home 99% of the time, he has stayed by my side every second of every day and my coworkers consider him a part of the team. You may even follow Gerry on his own Instagram account where he is known as fancypawgerry. Anyway, we are in a tough situation and I have learned over the years that it never hurts to ask and the worst someone can say is no so here it goes. Two years ago, when Jeff was messing with Gerry as he always does, he noticed a lump on his right arm. We took him to our vet’s office the next day and after a biopsy was conducted, Gerry was diagnosed with cancer - Spindle Cell Carcinoma - which is a rare form of skin cancer in cats. Our Veterinarian then removed the tumor and we had an ultrasound/x-rays done to make sure it did not spread. Luckily at the time, it did not spread and he was cancer free!
Fast forward to Summer 2020 - we recently moved into our new home and are still getting settled in. This time, I noticed the lump on the same arm/area. We took him to the vet and learned over the last couple of weeks that the cancer is back again - and will continue to come back more aggressively if we do not take more drastic measures. This time, removal of the tumor is not an option and instead we are faced with the choice of amputation of his right arm or Stereotactic Radiation. Amputation would be a less costly financially but would be significantly hindering as it is his front arm and would traumatically stunt his movement and quality of life. We didn’t know much about the Radiation option, but after spending hours on the phone with different Oncologists, Radiologists, and PetCure Oncology in Clifton, NJ, we are now certain that we are making the right choice. Stereotactic Radiation is the same treatment available to humans and it is an advanced form of Radiation. The cost of treatment is very pricey - around $12,000. With a new mortgage payment approaching in September as well as the monthly expenses we already face for health issues with our other cat Mowgli (he is a diabetic and has stomatitis which means he takes 5 units of insulin 2x a day as well as steroids and other homeopathic treatments) the cost of treatment seems more daunting than ever. We have also already accumulated over $2,000 in new bills from the treatment Gerry recently received. If we have to max out our CareCredit card, sell various items, or open up other credit cards to make sure Gerry receives the best treatment possible, we absolutely will do so. We would do anything and everything to work towards curing his cancer. He beat it once and he can do it again. If you can donate, our family would appreciate it more than you will ever know. If you cannot, we totally understand as these are trying times for everyone but we ask that you please share this post with any friends, family, coworkers, pet lovers, social media, etc. We would not only like to spread the word to help Gerry but also to inform those facing the same issues about this innovative treatment. We love you all and ask that everyone send your best wishes, prayers, hopes, and good juju to our family.
Fast forward to Summer 2020 - we recently moved into our new home and are still getting settled in. This time, I noticed the lump on the same arm/area. We took him to the vet and learned over the last couple of weeks that the cancer is back again - and will continue to come back more aggressively if we do not take more drastic measures. This time, removal of the tumor is not an option and instead we are faced with the choice of amputation of his right arm or Stereotactic Radiation. Amputation would be a less costly financially but would be significantly hindering as it is his front arm and would traumatically stunt his movement and quality of life. We didn’t know much about the Radiation option, but after spending hours on the phone with different Oncologists, Radiologists, and PetCure Oncology in Clifton, NJ, we are now certain that we are making the right choice. Stereotactic Radiation is the same treatment available to humans and it is an advanced form of Radiation. The cost of treatment is very pricey - around $12,000. With a new mortgage payment approaching in September as well as the monthly expenses we already face for health issues with our other cat Mowgli (he is a diabetic and has stomatitis which means he takes 5 units of insulin 2x a day as well as steroids and other homeopathic treatments) the cost of treatment seems more daunting than ever. We have also already accumulated over $2,000 in new bills from the treatment Gerry recently received. If we have to max out our CareCredit card, sell various items, or open up other credit cards to make sure Gerry receives the best treatment possible, we absolutely will do so. We would do anything and everything to work towards curing his cancer. He beat it once and he can do it again. If you can donate, our family would appreciate it more than you will ever know. If you cannot, we totally understand as these are trying times for everyone but we ask that you please share this post with any friends, family, coworkers, pet lovers, social media, etc. We would not only like to spread the word to help Gerry but also to inform those facing the same issues about this innovative treatment. We love you all and ask that everyone send your best wishes, prayers, hopes, and good juju to our family.