It can feel like like a spoiled first world problem to ask people to donate money to help pay for an elderly dog's veterinary bills. It's certainly not something I'm comfortable doing. Of course the world is not simple, lives are not simple, and donating to an elderly dog's veterinary bills is only one piece of a puzzle in a large and interconnected world.

However much we believe in personal responsibility, we are all, in the end, at the mercy of the community generosity in one way or another. But it never feels good to be the one asking for help.

This last year my dogs and I have been hammered with unexpected medical bills. Not just the usual minor and semi-major emergencies of dogs aging, but huge stuff. In the span of twelve weeks last Fall we nearly $10,000 in medical bills between my service dog, See Ya, who nearly died from anemia caused by an undiagnosed illness while we were traveling, and Kiss who developed an aggressive epithelial lymphoma. Fortunately all my dogs have insurance, so nearly 80% of that was paid.

But both dogs have required continued treatment, my own medical and insurance bills have doubled since the new year, and due to some sudden health complications Kiss is having, I have had nearly $6000 in vet bills in the last two weeks. Insurance will repay a chunk of that, but not for a while.

Meanwhile, my ability to work has been limited due to the extreme heat, and it's impact on my health, and here we are...

I know this is just a blip in the road and we will be back on our feet soon!