Hi Folks!

This is a long post. Please forgive me. I do not know if any one of you has experienced the pain of watching a friend or family member slowly lose their memories and personality to Dementia, but I have. It is a slow, painful, gut-wrenching journey.

I watched my friend go from a very intelligent, snarky, funny, engaging person to just an angry person who could not function on her own, but was in denial and refused help.

Sadly, this journey of hers also involved two cats. As Cathy became sicker, her finances grew meager, and her cats started to suffer from lack of proper care. This was heartbreaking, because this was NOT who Cathy was when she was well.

Beauty started to have open wounds, broken coat, and infected skin. Lacey started to drool and lose weight. I intervened and helped to feed them and keep them clean, but Cathy refused further help, and just could not see that her cats, who she loved dearly, were suffering.

Cathy passed away in August of complications from dementia and diabetes. I took her cats in and began the long journey of getting them healthy again. To date I have spent approximately $5000 to get them healthy. This does not include daily care expenses, of course!

Beauty will still need some allergy testing done. She suffers from allergies. It will be helpful to find out what they are, and avoid them in her diet and environment.

Lacey needs oral surgery.

I have estimates: Lacey’s Oral Surgery will cost about $1000. It could be more, depending on what they find when they get in there, so I am over-estimating. Beauty’s Allergy Tests will cost about $1500. Totaling approximately $3000-$4000 depending on vet costs, of course.

Any money raise will go directly to the vet, and I will be happy to share the journey with you!

In addition, any additional funds will be used to set up a Foundation in Cathy’s name, to help elder folks in similar situations. She is not the first, and certainly won’t be the last. I would love to stave off the heartbreak of the police picking up the well-loved, confused pets, and putting them in the scary shelter, where they are normally over-looked because they are older.

If you have any additional change in your pocket, and can contribute to this goal, I would be extremely grateful! If you can not contribute, I would be grateful if you can share this on Social Media! In this Season of Love and Giving, Thanks for all YOU do. Peace!