Hi everyone, this is gonna be a lot, so feel free to skim, but just know the lore is worth your time and energy.

I have been struggling with suicidal ideation and mental health for the past 6 years. Recently, I decided that I couldn't continue living under the conditions I was under. I needed to seek out professional help so I could resume my work and continue living with my feline family.

I went to an inpatient residential mental health clinic where I got medicated and connected with wonderful people. I lived there for the past 6 weeks and identified my values and things that have kept me alive/motivated to work on myself. The list started off short, my three cats: Custard, Kimchi, and Bingsu, and it slowly became larger the more I identified and understood myself. While in the facility, I had this great fear that an appointment I had scheduled for Custard to go under anesthesia for dental cleaning and biopsy was going to escalate. I informed my support system and community, which I made while within the facility, of my worries, and they encouraged me to start a GoFundMe if anything does not go as planned (so I am).

I was discharged yesterday, Wednesday, May 6th, went home, and the first thing I did when I got there was wash my hands… So I could safely and respectfully pet my cats. As I was petting my cat Custard, I noticed his coat felt a bit different, and that there was a swollen lymph node under his chin. I called my vet, and they were able to squeeze me in for an emergency appointment. They took a sample from the lymph node and gave him antibiotics.

Today, Thursday, May 7th, at 2:20 PM, I received a phone call. My vet informed me that Custard Pudding was just diagnosed with intermediate-large cell lymphoma. This is a form of cancer that affects white blood cells that defend the body against infections, foreign invaders, and diseases. They told me it’s rare to have caught this disease so early on, before it begins impacting their daily living. Now every day counts.

I’m relieved I got back home when I did because I am beginning to believe that this is all fate. I adopted Custard 5 years ago when he was 5 years old from the Tacoma Humane Society. This was one year into my struggles with mental health. He became my best friend, and even when I couldn’t feed myself, I’d feed him. He’s very food-motivated and will wreak havoc when he smells something good or feels hungry.

I fear the day he refuses food, and the longer he goes without receiving life-saving support, the worse his chances get. Custard has genuinely saved my life multiple times. The thought I have is “I know there’s no one out there who could care for my cats the way I do.” He saved me, and I am requesting support from my community to save him.

I have been away from work for 6 weeks, and when I was working, I was living paycheck to paycheck. I understand that not everyone can help, but a dollar and/or even sharing this would mean everything.

Custard isn’t just any cat; he’s helped me create my community and has loved humans as much as we love cats. Custy also does tricks for food: sit, lie down, stare, shake, spin, and stand on hind legs. I feel as though he truly understands what I tell him.

Custard is always given compliments from vets and assistants who say he’s the best boy, and I genuinely believe it. He has excellent manners, a must that warms my heart, and enough love for every human (other animals, debatable). I can’t imagine living in this world without him, and I’m not even suicidal anymore!

I spent the past 2 hours calling all the animal oncologists in a 60-mile radius of Tacoma, WA. I have an appointment scheduled for Monday, May 11th, at 9 am.

I know that it’ll be a tough battle; one Custard can’t communicate with us if he wants or is willing to fight. I made a promise to him that I’d have him for 20 more years, and I’ll do that so long as I can provide him the best quality of life possible.

He is my motivation, and I am asking you for support, as this is likely to become a long fight. His love for me convinces me this is the choice he’d want me to make. I will continue to provide updates on his condition and receipts to prove that all funds are being invested in his well-being.