My name is Ray. I'm a disabled transgender non-binary person living in New York City with my two senior cats, Diva and Dweezil.

Before I got disabled with Long COVID, I worked as a software engineer. I have been on disability for the past 6 months to try to recover from the fatigue, brain fog, cardiac and lung issues that have interrupted my life. Before I got sick, I loved weightlifting, rowing, gymnastics, circus arts, rock climbing, and dancing. Before I worked in tech, I was a swing dance teacher and a librarian.

Diva and Dweezil are my most important family members. I rescued them as a feral bonded pair of kittens just over 13 years ago. A man found them in his backyard, I adopted them, and we have been a bonded trio ever since. They saved me as much as I saved them, and they are the light of my life. I want to give them the best possible care in their senior years.

All of us have been having a lot of health issues and emergencies lately. Dweezil was diagnosed with small-cell lymphoma of the bowel in January. In the past 2 months, he and Diva have both needed multiple trips to the emergency vet to address constipation issues. Everything's stable for now, but his disease will inevitably progress. Diva also has chronic conditions that need ongoing attentive care: she has asthma and the beginnings of age-related kidney degeneration.

Due to my Long COVID, I can't work more than part time without triggering cardiac episodes with chest pain and tachycardia that send me to urgent care. I was approved for short-term disability, but my long-term disability plan has denied my claim. I am appealing, but in the meantime, I will have no health insurance or income, and consequently no access to much-needed medical care.

I'm reaching out for help paying for their vet bills and my own medical care. Diva and Dweezil both need steroids, stool softeners, and motility drugs to keep their lungs and colons happy. They have excellent pet insurance (thanks, past me) but the expenses still add up. I need access to therapy, cardiology, and primary care medicine.

Even $5 would be an enormous help to us. Please consider giving what you can. Thank you for reading!

Current cost breakdown:

$180/month: Cat vet visits

$90/1.5 months: Cat medicine

$50/month: Therapy not covered by insurance

$580+: Dental work for Ray

~$80/month: Transportation to medical appointments