JEFE NEEDS HELP GOING BACK TO WORK

Jefe and I need your help.

Nothing I am writing here is easy to say, so Thank you for reading and your support; it means so much.

I work every day to manage my Bipolar and Anxiety with the help of treatment: medication, therapy, counseling, crisis planning, and Jefe- my service dog. After 6 years, I have finally found the right fit when it comes to management, and Jefe is part of my treatment. Having him as an auxiliary aid has allowed me to maintain my stability, a healthy lifestyle, and a full-time job. Jefe is not an emotional support animal. I depend on him to live a more independent life as an adult and for stability. I can genuinely say I owe him my life.

I completed my CNA program, graduated in May 2023, and have worked full-time with Jefe at a hospital since July. Everything has been going so great!! Unfortunately, life always throws a wrench in the plans, and we are dealing with a bump in the road.

We brought Jefe to the ER last week because he began limping and then all of a sudden was non-weight bearing on one leg. The ER staff, his vet, and the surgeon have all confirmed that he has torn the ACL in his right knee. The surgeon suspects a genetic predisposition that was aggravated over time with his level of activity. Without surgery, we risk a complete tear and a possible meniscus tear, which would make repairing and healing so much worse. More importantly, without surgery, he would experience limited mobility, making it impossible for him to work. His condition would most likely continue to deteriorate, which means he would need to be “washed” as a service animal. I would lose the one piece of my treatment that has offered me the best outcome for managing my Bipolar Disorder and living a healthy life. This is not something I want to even think about.

The good news is that he is only 5 years old.

He is young and strong. Doctors expect his right knee to be better and stronger with surgery and rehab. He is expected to make a full recovery!

With my savings and the help of my parents, I could cover the cost of the emergency room visit, medications, his vet and surgeon consultations, as well as the sedation, labs, and x-ray costs at all of those. But the surgery costs are overwhelming, and it would be impossible for me to cover them in a short time. We met with the surgeon today, and after discussing the cost of surgery and his post-operative rehab, etc. I just don’t know what to do other than to ask for help.

Please help Jefe get back to work with me.

Surgery is scheduled for Wednesday, March 6th. I would appreciate ANY help; every little bit helps me a lot!

I am just looking forward to getting him the care that he needs as soon as possible so we can get back on track.

Thank you for helping us get through this.

Stefan (and Jefe)

----------------------------------------------------

3/7/24-

Thank you so much for helping me pay for the cost of surgery and towards his rehab. Without the rehab we would be looking at a 4-6 month recovery period. Because he is my service dog I need him back to working as soon as possible and this will allow him to cut the recovery down to 12 weeks, hopefully. One day at a time, we are at day 1.

What your donations have helped cover...

Surgery: $3400 (3/6)

Labs to check for infection: $200 (3/18)

Prescription Diet Food: $120 (3/18)

Prescription Supplement: $100 (3/27)

Physical Therapy consult: $167 (3/27)

Bacterial Infection Antibiotic: $189 (3/28)

Outpatient Rehab: 10 weeks, 2X per week- $1080 (starting 3/29)

In Home Trainer $25 per visit (10 visits) $250 (starting 3/29)

________________________

$5506

Donation received $4340- THANK YOU SO MUCH

-------------------------------------------

Estimated Costs of surgery and recovery

Surgery ~$3700 (depending on the severity of tear), Post-Op Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation to get him back to working/service dog condition ~$2000

And if you know anyone who may have these items that they no longer need, let me know:

Large dog stroller, knee brace, sling assist, pet gate, ice packs, dog leg ice pack