Hello, my name is Alex, and Hazel is part of my family- along with my husband, Brad, and our other dog, Harvey. In September, Hazel was brought to the vet for a persistent cough. When antibiotics failed to resolve her cough, an X-ray revealed a soft tissue mass in her right, lower lung. After visiting an oncologist and getting an ultrasound of her abdomen, no other masses of cancer were detected, and the oncologist stated that the most likely diagnosis was a primary lung tumor. The preferred treatment for a primary lung tumor is surgical removal, and if the entirety of the mass is removed and the cancer has not metastasized, then Hazel can have a full life.

 

Summary for those who don't want to read a lot!:

Our dog Hazel is an amazing, loving part of our family but has been diagnosed with a primary lung tumor that surgery may fix. My husband Brad was diagnosed with End-Stage Liver Disease that nearly killed him, but he is now well enough to be at home while he is waiting for a liver transplant. I am on an indefinite leave from my job as a nurse to take care of him, so our finances are limited and we are unable to pay for the surgery. We are hoping that the kindness of others will give Hazel a chance at life and give our family a chance to remain whole.

 

About Hazel:

We adopted Hazel eight years ago from Alachua County Animal Services. They estimated that she was around a year old, but it was clear that she'd already experienced a lot in her short life. She was underweight, had no hair on the back of her legs and tail, and had a sagging belly from nursing a litter of puppies. The shelter's information sheet said only of her origin: "Confiscation/Eviction". Despite this, she was full of love, and we were happy to bring her home as a companion to our dog, Harvey.

 

Harvey is a special dog who is a little oblivious on how to be a dog and how to have new experiences without fear. Hazel was patient and taught Harvey how to play, meet new dogs, and greet the world. We saw a huge difference in Harvey's anxiety once Hazel became a part of our household.

 

Hazel is an amazingly kind being. She wants to meet everyone person or dog we pass on the streets, and she greets them with her beautiful, banner-like tail wagging enthusiastically. At home, when a new person sits down, she loves to lie down next to them, belly up and her head on their lap.

 

About Us:

Brad and I met our freshman year at the University of Florida and began dating in our first semester. While we were engaged, at the time gay marriage wasn't legal in Florida. In 2015, we moved to California so that Brad could go to graduate school at the University of California, Berkeley, and we finally had a small, courthouse wedding. Of course, as the most important part of our family, Harvey and Hazel came to California with us and fell in love with the cooler, less humid weather.

 

In May, Brad rapidly developed jaundice and was hospitalized with acute liver failure. At the time, his doctors assumed that with rest, his liver would heal. However, by August, he was diagnosed with End-Stage Liver Disease. Brad spent all of August in the hospital- including two weeks in the ICU where he needed a ventilator, Continuous Renal Replacement Treatment due to kidney failure, and medication to keep his blood pressure from going too low to support life. In addition to ESLD, Brad had developed hepatorenal syndrome and necrotizing pancreatitis.

 

On August 13th, I took an indefinite leave from my job as a nurse to spend as much time with Brad as I could; my family and I wrestled with the fact that there was a large chance that Brad would not survive the weekend.

 

Miraculously, Brad improved. His kidney function returned, his lungs cleared from fluid, and his pancreatitis calmed. On August 31st, Brad was healthy enough to be discharged. He was still very ill; nearly half of his pancreas had been destroyed, and the necrotic area would need to heal before Brad could be eligible for a liver transplant. With stringent care, Brad's pancreas has healed enough by mid-September to become active on the liver transplant list; we are now waiting for an eligible match.

 

I have remained away from my job to take care of Brad, as he is still very weak and has hepatic encephalopathy that makes focusing and remembering difficult. Because we are both unable to work, our income is limited, and we are unable to pay for the surgery that could save Hazel's life.

 

Hazel is immensely important to our family. She has been a huge healing factor in both of our lives. When Brad is having a day when he is feeling particularly sick, Hazel will stay curled up next to him. Any time Brad is in hospital, Hazel stays by our front door, her nose pressed to the small crack between the door and frame, waiting for him to come home. Two days after Hazel's diagnosis, Brad was hospitalized due to sepsis, and while not a direct contributing factor, I believe that the stress of worrying about Hazel has put additional strain on Brad's body and places at him at risk for decompensation.

 

Hazel's Surgery:

Hazel will be going to a surgical consult on 11/03/2021. The oncologist has estimated that the surgery for removing the cancer will cost between $8k-$10k, but we will have a better estimate once we speak to the surgeon.

 

If you have read this far, from the bottom of our hearts, thank you. If you are able to donate anything to hell Hazel, we are eternally grateful. We understand that many people are still struggling and do not have the ability to donate money, but if you are able to share this amongst those you know, our family would be very appreciative.