Hi everybody! This is something Molly and I never expected to make, but after a rough 24 hours, we are truly at a loss.

On Saturday morning, I woke up to a very sick kitty throwing up blood. Max had been throwing up all night and all morning, so Molly rushed home from school and we took Max quickly to one of the only vet hospitals open in the area. We learned that Max has a heart murmur, a rare diaphragmatic hernia, hole in his diaphragm, as well as some other potential underlying issues.

Thanks to a quick x-ray, we were able to see that his liver is pressed up against his heart (which, you guessed it, is not at all where it should be). This could be contributing to his heart murmur, but it can also potentially block his liver from functioning. The doctor suggested immediate bloodwork to see if the corrective surgery to fix his hernia was urgent. We learned that this can be a very intense and life-threatening complication. Our hearts were instantly broken.

Luckily, Max did not need the surgery same-day. His liver levels were high, but not high enough to be considered an emergency. The doctor told us that as soon as we could possibly afford the surgery, to get him in ASAP. Unfortunately, the price tag was beyond anything we could ever dream of affording. The vet suggested creating a GoFundMe for Max, so that’s why we’re here.

The surgery could cost anywhere from $6,000-$8,000. Learning this felt like a punch to the gut. Spending $8,000 on an animal surgery is not realistic for us, at all. We hoped that getting home from the vet, with a little bit of anti-nausea meds, Max would be on the up-and-up! Unfortunately, he has taken a turn today and we’ve seen no improvement. We are at a loss and have no clue what to do or where to go from here.

I know money is tight for everyone at the moment. In lieu of donations, I am also offering discounted photography sessions/mini sessions through my photography business. If you cannot donate, please feel free to share the GoFundMe with friends and family and spread the word about our sweet Max!

Max is one of the best parts of our lives. I have no clue what we would do without our best friend. Thank you so much for reading. Keep our little family in your thoughts!

Sadie and Molly