Cass saves GEMMA her dog, But the bills crash the budget.

Hi, my name is Cass. The picture is of one of my dogs, my pretty girl, GEMMA. She had her 13th birthday in June. She is only alive because I borrowed money.

I never spayed her because I couldn't bring myself to cut her up. I have had lots of female dogs in my years who were spayed. They always had some problems when older.

My big mistake?? Unfortunately, when she came into heat in the summer of 2021, she developed a big growth on one of her teats. Well, the vet said it was probably CANCER and the only way to give her a chance at life was to do extensive surgery to remove all of her mammary glands on the right side and the three mammary glands on the left, PLUS she had to be spayed as well. It was a horrific procedure without any guarantee they could get it all. The cost was unbelievable as well - nearly $5000.00!

I didn't want her to die. So I borrowed on a Home Loan line of credit. This amount plus all the medical costs from my spinal surgeries (very long history and story) plus inflation from COVID19 caused my repayments go up substantially.

The problem for me was even though I was retired from my usual work, originally for 20 years OR RN I had a career change to vaccine Clinical Research Associate after a work injury. I had been granted a Resident Alien Visa to Australia in the early 1980s because of my expertise in CardioThoracic surgery having been on one of the teams of the world renowned CardioThoracic surgeons Michael E DeBakey MD et al at the Methodist Hospital in Houston TX. I returned to the USA after the NSW government paid for me to go to college an do a Bachelor degree in Business Administration majoring in Data Management and Marketing. I sometimes regret not staying in AU. But my mom wanted me home. I took care of her until she passed away. I have no family now. Friends are all gone. I live rural. Not much opportunities for socializing even if I could.

So before I got to my current state in order to keep up with the costs, I was doing casual, gig type jobs to supplement my income. However, I had an accident which aggravated my already injured spine but this accident did some damage to my spinal cord and I had to stop working. Even though the accident was witnessed, no lawyer wanted to take on my case because of all previous injuries and surgeries on my back. They didn't say it out loud but all the time it might have taken to prove my now permanent disability was due to the fall just wasn't worth their effort. The parties who failed to clear the ice were responsible. No justice.

I had saved GEMMA but with that borrowed money and my loss of additional income and my mounting medical bills I filed Chapter 7 bankruptcy. Waiting to be completed in Early September 2025.

I had to have extensive back surgery and also abdominal surgery in 2020 and 2021. It just didn't seem like I was every going to be able to work again. Also, possibly because of all the steroids I was given for the back problems, I developed cataracts and had that surgery in summer 2024. My previous work and recreational injures are all coming back to haunt me. I had repeat carpal tunnel revision surgery to relieve the nerve pain in my hands, especially my right hand. I thought maybe I could work again after my eyes and hands were repaired but now at nearly 79 with unrelenting pain from x7 spinal surgeries it doesn't seem like it however. Who would hire me with an injury history like mine anyway? I spend most of my day having to lay flat in bed to get pain relief. I don't want pity. Others have far worse stories. I just need a little financial help to get going again.

I want to use the money to pay my taxes and also to return the lower level of my house to the apartment is was before a tree smashed the house in a freak weather storm. My homeowners insurance legally duped me and never paid up to full replacement cost. My house never got completely fixed to pre incident state. Even when the insurance company had a Class action suit brought against them I got screwed because for some reason my state was excluded. I used all my savings and borrowed but it was not enough. Then I had the slip fall and everything started to go really badly.

I want to offer the lower level to another senior in a share program the county in which I live has in place. However, they won't approve my place as it is now without the improvements.

It is a dilemma! If I can just make the improvements, and get a home sharer, I can keep up with all the expense, otherwise I will be homeless.

I had three dogs. GEMMA, DUNDEE and STINGO, until recently. I also have an aviary with small birds and three tame hook bill small parrots. I love my animals.

STINGO who is 10 years old has gone blind and he needs cataract surgery. Estimates for that are over $5000.00 too.

I am very sad. DUNDEE my 11 year old at the time big boy Bernadoodle died suddenly on December 30, 2023. He was never sick his entire life and then within 24 hours he was gone. I just couldn't get him to a vet on the holiday weekend with me being 77 years old with a weak back and him weighing over 100 pounds and, of course, the emergency costs stopped me. I feel so guilty that I let him down. He was such a good boy.

Help me keep GEMMA and STINGO and the birds too. I can't imagine SWEETPEA, a Senegal parrot, especially, who has been with me for nearly 29 years will survive for long in any place other than the home he and all the others know.

We are a family who wants to stay together here in the home we have been in, since 1985.

I hate to beg. I have always been a good citizen. But I just need some help now.