Me and Skooter, we need your help.

I have never done this in my life and I sincerely, absolutely, whole-heartedly abhor asking for money or help, but I need help in the form of money. Skooter needs to go back to the vet now (or very soon, but they are not back in the office until Tuesday, 9/3). I do not have the money or room on any credit card to pay for it. That being said, I realize that it is no one's obligation. No one owes me help with Skooter's vet bills. If you can't help or do not wish to do so, there are absolutely no hard feelings. The whole entitlement mentality is something I despise, so please don't ever think that I think that anyone owes me something for nothing or that I am entitled. (Cringe.) Please PRAY for Skooter though, if you feel so led and pray that I will be given enough strength to get through this! I realize that times are tough and money is harder than ever to come by. I have gone in reverse, not just stagnant but in reverse financially for a good 2.5 years now and I am at a loss, but I do not want Skooter to die due to my inability to pay and I believe that is a very real possibility at this point.

Background Story:

When I got Skooter, he had an odd looking, fairly large area on and around his vent which after Googling (bc of course I did), I thought might be a fungal infection. After consulting with two vets, they both thought it was likely cancer, so I found a reptile vet in Roanoke and had a biopsy done. That vet also agreed that Skooter could very well have cancer. However, the biopsy results came back with NO cancer and NO fungal infection! Praise God for that!! What we were seeing were large scabs that looked like growths. He has an old but severe wound that was not medically treated. He either impaled or cut himself really badly and it had turned into an absess.

Fast forward four months.

I routinely take Skooter once a month to a reptile vet 1.5 hours away (the closest one) for treatment, in addition to providing daily at-home care and he is still in the process of healing. I budget for that. Reptiles heal much slower than we do. Skooter is facing one, perhaps two more surgeries ahead IF he survives. His initial treatment consisted of Silver Sulfadiazine cream 3x/day that was recently replaced with manuka honey. I have to soak him once a day in Hibiclens diluted in water for 20-30 minutes. I took it upon myself to add a reptile electrolyte soak to the water, approved by Skooter's vet. In addition, once every three days, I have to give Skooter an injection of Fortaz, initially to treat a nasty bacterial infection that was a result of his injury. His vet was pleasantly surprised that the infection had not spread and killed him. Now, the Fortaz is used to combat further infection.

I took Skooter to the vet on 8/22 and his home care treatment plan was changed a bit bc he is not healing as quickly as expected. I now have to wrap him in "diapers" daily to help new skin form over his wound bc he rubs it off in his enclosure. Of course I change it when he uses the bathroom.

Skooter has since taken a turn for the worse. He acts like he is hungry but refuses to eat or drink and he has a small, soft lump in between what would be his shoulder blades. He is losing weight and the skin around his eyes is turning orange. I want to know if he has a fighting chance or if he is beyond help. My vet will not accept payment plans and my Care Credit card is maxed out, along with a few others. I budget for his monthly appointments now that I have a second job but above and beyond that is more than I can handle financially.

They will want to do blood work I'm sure, which is $186 and the visit is right under $200. This does not include any RX's he may need.

Please, if you feel led, I am to the point of begging. Even $5 will help and I will be happy to post receipts or even send them to you. I do not use my income for reasons other than intended. Please, if you do donate, even $5.00, list or send me your name. I would love to say "Thank You" when I am able and I do thank you, from the bottom of my ❤️. GOD IS good, even when I am not, and I know that if I do not receive one cent from this GoFundMe that Skooter will still be healed. What I do not know is also my greatest fear. Will he be healed in this life or will the Lord see fit to relieve his pain by taking his life?

I love my Skoot more than life and I have cried more tears than I thought I had inside of me over my handsome boy. Thank you all in advance! It sucks being first-world poor but I have learned some valuable lessons, for sure and changes are coming. Love to all!