We are raising funds for our friend Sese (Sehyun) and her dog Churro, to support his recent and ongoing medical expenses. Anyone who knows Sese and Churro, knows how well she cares for him - healthy food, nightly teeth brushing, baths, groomings, regular vet checkups, and always ensuring he is surrounded by the many people who love him. Unfortunately, despite all those efforts, April has not been a fun month for little Churro.

After his annual vet check-in, tests, and updated vaccines on March 31, he started showing concerning signs, initially thought to be side effects from the vaccines and tests. After improving for a couple days, he started to appear sick again late on April 5. The vet called the next morning to share that Churro had anaplasmosis, a tickborne disease missed when his test results were originally reported. Sese immediately took him back to the vet to get him checked and for medicine, but later that night Churro started to lose movement in his back legs, couldn't go potty, and wasn't eating. After sleeping on the floor next to him that night and seeing no improvement next morning, Sese took him back to the vet first thing April 7, where some tests were done before suggesting he go to a specialized animal hospital to see a neurologist and test whether a herniated disc was causing his increasing paralysis - unexplained by the tick disease, but also very rare for a healthy 4 year old dog who didn't suffer any of traumatic accident. Sese took him to Red Bank Veterinary Hospital (RBVH), which turned into two days of long discussions with doctors and difficult decisions about incredibly expensive tests & procedures that might be necessary to diagnose and save Churro.

The first decision was to leave Churro at the hospital overnight April 7 for observation and an MRI the next morning, which confirmed severe IVDD (intervertebral disc disease) and herniated discs. Sese and her friend Catherine (me) went back to RBVH and spent 6 hours talking with doctors, phone calls with animal & people doctor family friends (thank you Dick and Kim!), and trying to decide between the 3 options given by the surgeon - 1) spinal surgery, with a 50/50 chance that Churro fully recovers movement and quality of life... 2) medicine-only treatment, with < 10% chance of recovery... 3) put him down. This was not an easy choice - surgery and inpatient recovery would likely cost close to $20,000, on top of the ~$7,000 already charged for his first overnight stay and MRI. Every day surgery was delayed would reduce his chances of recovery. Even with surgery, there was (and still is) also risk of 'ascending-descending myelomalacia' (ADMM), a rare, incurable and fatal complication of IVDD, which typically shows within 10 days of initial symptoms. ...after many hours of questions, stress, tears, phone calls, and debate, Sese decided to leave Churro at RBVH to get surgery the next morning. Fortunately, the surgery and early recovery went well - Churro reacted to a pain test in his back leg the morning of April 12, and we immediately rushed down with Sese to see him and take him home! But he has a long road ahead, 4-6 weeks of strict bed rest and 3-4 months of further rehab towards recovery; a regime of 7 different medicines, manual bladder expressions, and no visits to his many friends and fans at ballet.

We need to pause to talk about Sese and Churro for those who don't know them as well. Sese is a professional dancer at New Jersey Ballet. She lives alone with Churro. The caring owner she is, Sese always wants Churro looked after, walked, fed on time, and generally just loved. But a ballet season schedule is very unforgiving - rehearsals 5-6 days a week, long nights and weekend performances, no such thing as holidays or vacation days, and on top of that, usually the need to supplement income with evening/weekend teaching. So Churro is famously an NJB dog most days - watching mom in Company class, roaming the halls to visit his adoring fans in adult class, or napping in the dressing room (being doted on by any ballerina on a break). But above all, he is extremely attached to mom, and mom to Churro. On those busy teaching or performance nights and weekends (or in the off-season when Sese travels to teach, train, or go home to Korea), she always worries about him and arranges for (very willing) friends to look after him. He goes everywhere he can with her, and when he can't, there is a special community of people who love to help. Sese really had no choice but to do anything she could to save Churro... and now more than ever, they need our help.

It turns out that skyrocketing healthcare expenses in America are not reserved just for people. Costs related to Churro's care so far include $6,775 for the vet and initial hospital visit (neurologist, overnight, MRI) and $18,086 for the surgery, hospital stay, and medicines. There will be ongoing costs for check-ups, medicine, supplies, and rehab during his recovery. Fortunately, Sese has insurance for Churro, covering up to $20,000. We expect Sese's ultimate out-of-pocket costs to total $6,000-7,000, not including lost teaching income during the crucial next 4-6 weeks of rest and full-time monitoring for Churro. We hope to raise as much of that as we can - truly no amount is too small. We will update the fundraising goal as any final post-op costs become clear and aim to not accept any more than they need.

Sese and Churro bring joy to so many around them and Churro fills Sese's life with so much love and companionship. We cannot imagine life without him and give our deepest gratitude to everyone who helps support them - whether financially, through a message or comment, sharing this with your communities, or just the best way you know how.

Thank you!

Catherine, Ryan, and Churro's (and Sese's) Friends