Meet Calvin. He is my 16 year old Thoroughbred gelding. I have had him for 13 years. He is the sweetest gentlest guy. He loves attention and to hang out with the gang - people and horses, and cats and even the random baby deer living in the barn. He's still not too sure about the chickens tho. Last Feb 2024 his eye became blue and cloudy suddenly. The emergency vet diagnosed him with glaucoma which is high pressure in the eye. It is a very painful condition and effects vision. If not treated immediately they can lose vision, just like people. Thankfully we are a few hours from Cornell University. We went to Cornell University twice last year and returned this March too. We have been trying to manage his glaucoma trying to save his vision and his eye. Last year he had 2 implants placed in the tissue around his eye that delivers continous medication. In addition I put in eye drops 2-3x a day every day, and then 2-3x a week he gets a 3rd medication. This is the lowest amount we have been able to get to without his pressure going up in a "flare". He went back this March and had 2 more implants placed. I do all of his medication treatments, around working full time. I even moved him 1 mile from home for 9 months to be able to do his treatments. We have had to change his vaccinations and dental treatments around his eye and also premedicate with additional anti-inflammatories to try to prevent a flare when we do those treatments.

Unfortunately the vet was out to do his vaccinations this week and he just started a flare. His pressure was very high. We increased his medications quite a bit to try to get his pressure down. The vet also contacted Cornell about the flare and the pressure. Sadly we have reached that point that he is having flare ups (which he shouldn't) and needing additional medications. This is causing more damage to his eye. I have a re-check appointment this week with the vet and together with consulting with Cornell to surgically remove his eye (enucleation) to relieve his pain and suffering. He will feel immediate relief from the painful eye. Once the incision is healed in about 2 weeks he will have an adjustment period of a few months to navigate without the eye. Since he has had limited vision in that eye he is already accustomed to making adjustments. He will still be able to go outside with the other horses and still be ridden. So once he is healed and has figured out how to navigate things he will be right back to the same activities he has done for the past 13 years!

The costs of his diagnosis, vet appointments, care, medications, and treatments to date are over $10,000. I am getting detailed estimates from both my vet and Cornell. They did tell me the cost of the surgery starts at $2,000 and that is just for the surgery not any follow-up appointments and any other medications. I do have medical insurance but this diagnosis/illness is not covered to my disappointment. I have maxed out my credit cards doing all that I can for Calvin since he deserves all I can do for him.

I hope that you can share this with your friends & family. Thank you so much for your support. Any amount will help and make a huge difference.