See Update 1 for recent post.

Simon & Tallulah: Video of Tallulah getting to see Simon after surgery.

Simon's recovery. This is an update on Simon and his road to recovery. Today is Friday, and Simon has graduated from the cone of shame during the day to a "doughnut" ring. He is on the mend, but the challenges with keeping him calm are real. He receives gabapentin twice daily to keep his playfulness at bay, and it seems to work because he is resting most of the time. When it is time to eat, he gets to eat without the cone or doughnut to give him full mobility to eat, drink, and use the restroom. So far, we are in a routine, and he is doing well. Words CANNOT express my gratitude for your support. It has helped me to create a routine, acclimate to what works for him and me, and do what needs to be done to ensure he has a FULL recovery without setbacks. THANK YOU! My son, Henry, has even kitten-sit for me so I can return to work this week. Blessed!

Simon is home! He made it through his surgery without complications. And I was able to bring him home earlier this evening. I'm writing a brief update and photo of him now. The real work begins with trying to keep the cone of shame on him and calm for at least 3-4 days. However, the cone is to be worn for at least two weeks. He has already managed to get it off twice tonight. So, he's definitely on the mend. He's been purring away and happy to be in his own "cage." His sister, Tallulah, is happy but unsure about the scents Simon brought home. I am keeping them separated to give his incisions time to heal. Thank you isn't nearly enough to express my gratitude for the support I've been given. I'm happy to share that the quoted cost initially came down. Please keep us in your prayers that he has a full recovery without complications and that I can give him the care he needs while returning to work for the spring semester.

Simon is a five-month-old feisty, lovable black cat with characteristically white underarms, a white-tipped tail, and one white whisker on each side of his face that sets him apart from ALL other black cats!

Hi, my name is Tammy, and I'm fundraising to cover the surgery expenses for my cat, Simon. Today, my cat Simon came to lay in my lap, and as I went to pet him, he meowed out as if where I was petting him was painful. He jumped out of my lap and cried out in pain; I proceeded to investigate why. Following him into the living room, he immediately laid on his side. At first, I thought it was his stomach. Then I noticed that he was favoring his right back leg as he stood up. I tried to touch his leg, and he cried out in pain. I immediately took him to Sage in Redwood City to find out that Simon didn't just dislocate his hip socket, but the ball that fits into the hip socket had broken off and is floating in the hip socket. If left without surgery, he would be in pain for the rest of his life. The surgeon quoted me 12,000 dollars for the following: the initial expense of seeing him, his stay, meds, anesthesia, and the surgery itself. His surgery is scheduled for tomorrow and will come home Wednesday night. He will be separated from his sister, Tallulah but worth it to have him close and home with his family. He's such a joy, and I am grateful to have him and his sister, Tallulah, in my life. I adopted them on my birthday last September.

The most challenging decision about all of this is asking for help. I do not take lightly your support, be it financially or prayers. Please pray for favor over the surgery and my ability to do what I need to do in support of my finances. I'm a single-income earner in grad school and saving for the summer months' living expenses. I appreciate and am grateful for anything you are willing to help with. The picture is of Simon and his litter mate, Tallulah. Thank you for considering supporting me and my fur baby, Simon.