On Sunday (Yes, Christmas Day) as we were preparing to go spend the the day with our extended family, our Yona, our sweet loving fur child suddenly became violently ill. One minute I was preparing to get everythng down to the car having just finished playing with a jubliant, energetic bundle of joy. And the next my wife cried out from our bedroom: "Honey come quick something is wrong with Yona!"

I rushed into the bedroom to see my wife's face filled with terror, Yona was curled into a tight ball on the bed and shaking violently. My heart leapt into my throat and I thought: "Oh God no!" Yona was given to us as a gift in August of 2014. A perfect, beautiful baby, wrinkled bundle of love who stole our hearts from the moment he came and choose us to be his parents.
 
And before he was 2 months old the first of literally dozens of trips to the Emergency Room began. One thing after another, ear infections, skin infections, allergic reactions, blood tests, scans, MRI's and the list goes on and on.  This was just the latest and newest tragedy from our stand point.

As I gathered him into my arms and prepared to rush him to the Emergency Room my wife said:'"Honey we can't take him, we are so deep in debt already." And my heart broke...you see part of me understands what she was trying to tell me. Over the past 2+ years I have taken out 6 lines of credit (including Care Credit) in order to pay for Yona's medical bills, and I have maxed them all out! A turn of events beyond my control lead to  the loss of a well paying job and a career change late in life. And no Pet Insurance has honored his many problems stating: "Genetic Pre-disposition Shar Pei".

When we arrived at the hospital his temperature had soared to 106 degrees, and as always I said: "Do whatever is necessary, save my baby." I didn't know then and I don't know now how I am going to pay his medical bills. All I knew was that my "Baby" was sick and I would do anything for him.

It was a sleepless night and half the next day, every test under the sun and no answers. 22 hours later we were allowed to take him home, his fever was gone and other than being exhausted he seemed to have stabilized and the mystery fever had disappeared as quickly as it came.

Most of my coworkers think I am crazy: "He's just a dog" they say, they would never pay so much to treat "a dog", let alone burden themselves with such debt.

But he's not "just a dog" to my wife and I...he's our child and we would do anything for him, sacrifice anything for him, go hungry to feed him, ANYTHING. He has taught us so much about UNCONDITIONAL LOVE, FORGIVENESS, and MUCH MORE!!!

Before he came into my (our) life I was a different person: Staunch, Stoic, a bit Jaded by life. He has made me a much gentler, kinder, giving , considerate person.

The funds will go to pay his medical bills, both past and present.

I would give my life for this little bundle of love...his time on this earth is short in comparison to ours. One of the reasons I believe that animals love us with such complete abandon. I have never asked for help with anything from anyone in my 59 years of life. I am a former soldier, a proud veteran, a man who has always been able to take care of himself and those he loves first and foremost. Fearless no more...I fear not being able to take care of and provide for my wife and our Yona. We thought we were past all of the medical problems, he has been the picture of health for several months, and now this.

I am humbly asking for help...something I have never done before. If I cannot pay Yona's past overdue medical bills we may very well find ourselves homeless in the not to distant future. I would be eternally grateful for any help...it's hard to admit that I just can't take of it .