UPDATE 9/5/22:

On Friday afternoon, September 2, Fig had his CT scan and another ~500ml of fluid drained from his chest. The initial look showed a mass in his chest that appeared to be in an area too difficult to operate on. Our options were to keep him in the ER so they could monitor him and keep draining his chest until we receive the official CT scan results and move forward from there, or to send him home with painkillers so that we could give him his Best Days Ever. They kept Fig overnight for monitoring until we came to a decision.

On the morning of September 3, we received a call that they had to drain another ~400ml of fluid and that Fig had stopped eating, even with painkillers and appetite stimulants. We knew what our decision had to be.

On Sunday, September 4 at 4:45pm, we said goodbye to Fig. He was at home, surrounded by loved ones and all his favorite things. When we met Fig in 2017, he had been abandoned by his previous owner in the middle of a particularly harsh Boston winter. Yet, over the years, he truly lived nine beautiful lives, and we are so grateful to have been a part of his journey.

Thank you to all of our friends who have helped make Fig's life full of love, company, and of course, lots and lots of chicken.

Thank you to the care team at MSPCA Angell, who did all they could.

All of your generous donations have gone towards the ER bills and memorial services for our dear Fig.

From the bottom of our hearts, thank you, thank you, thank you.

Monica & Owen

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Recently, Fig has been struggling to breathe comfortably. He went to the ER early last week and was quickly stabilized; they drained ~500ml of lymphatic fluid from his chest cavity. Fig was diagnosed with pleural effusion, a symptom of a larger cause - the fluid was sent out for testing, but the underlying cause is still unknown.

What we do know is that it cannot resolve on its own.

We scheduled a consultation for a CT scan and subsequent surgery for late September, giving us room to strategize ways to finance it. We were hopeful that the fluid would not build back up so quickly, but within a week, he started to show symptoms again.

Last night, Fig went back to the ER. The ER team at MSPCA Angell quickly stabilized him, but his CT scan and surgery can no longer wait.

Throughout all this, Fig has very much been himself - a "spicy little devil", in the words of his ER vet. Despite all the poking and prodding, he has been as energetic as ever. His prognosis has drastically improved since his first trip to the ER; there was a strong chance of losing him that night, but there is no underestimating what a fighter he is.

Any support during this time would be greatly appreciated. We know it’s a big ask, and asking is all we can do. If you are unable to support financially, please consider sharing.

We appreciate you all so very much, and we cannot express how deeply meaningful your support is to us. Every August since 2020, we have faced crisis after crisis, and we could not have navigated these heartrending events without such a strong support network.

With love and gratitude,

Monica & Owen