Please help with Moose’s Medical Care!

In September 2019, at 21 years old, I lost my father to a car accident. He was my biggest supporter in life and my safest place. Soon after, I lost my childhood home to my father’s girlfriend and I had one day to pack up my entire life. Because of this, I didn’t just lose my father; I lost that side of my family, someone I had considered a mom, and my sense of the world. I took this loss extremely hard and was falling into a dark place. I adopted Moose, a Bernese Mountain dog, a month after my dad passed. He is a huge reason why I was able to survive the devastation and misery of that time. I lost control of my life and could not see a future for a few years. But with Moose’s comfort, I have been working hard to get it back.

I will be three years alcohol-free on June 22nd of this year. I am also finishing my associate’s degree in Child and Family Services at North Country Community College while working full-time as a teacher’s aide in the special education classroom in an elementary school. I love my work as an aide but also have to work part-time cleaning to help pay for school. I plan to go into SUNY Plattsburgh’s Speech Pathology Combined program and plan to start full-time there in Fall 2028, as I had to change my timeline due to medical issues. I want to support under-resourced families in the North Country who need help like mine did.

On top of work and school, I have also been through a series of health issues and surgeries this past year. I had a blood clot in my arm that led to a Thoracic Outlet Syndrome diagnosis. This required multiple surgeries and medicines, including getting a rib removed. I wasn’t able to work as an aide for 3 months and was out of my cleaning job even longer. I am still dealing with the after-effects of the surgery and questions about my conditions. For the past few years, I have spent all my time at work, doing homework, or with Moose.

Unfortunately, Moose experiences as many health issues as I do. He had an $8,000 emergency surgery two Christmases ago that I am still trying to pay off. Two years before that, he had a $4,000 emergency surgery. Most recently, I was just told he would need two more surgeries, each costing $5,000+. He has ruptured his ACL in his left leg completely, and his right one is deteriorating rapidly. If he doesn’t get these surgeries, he may not be able to walk. At 120 pounds, that’s going to be hard on both of us, if it’s even possible. These medical costs are impossible for me to keep up with on top of living expenses, school payments, and my own medical needs.

I should have done more research on the breed before I got him, but I was so young and not in the right state of mind. I have also been struggling with the pros and cons of pet insurance, as it is so expensive and has highly variable coverage. I know times are extremely hard right now for everyone and would appreciate any and all help, even if it is just a share.

Please help me give him comfort and joy for the rest of his life because I truly owe him mine.