Years ago I began fighting (and am still fighting complications from) my own oncology battle with osteosarcoma - an aggressive bone cancer located in my spine. During that time and for the entire tenure of my adult life, my dog-son, Avalanche, who is my everything, and honestly my reason for living when I wanted to give up so many times... Avie was there for me. Unwavering and unconditionally. If you know me, you know Avalanche and you know the relationship we have. I’ve had my baby since he was 6 weeks old, and 11 years have passed since that time. We’ve been through so much together and his little husky smile, health, and happiness, mean more to me than anything else in this universe.
The world we live in is a decisively cruel place, and the best of us, including selfless, innocent, and purely loving animals like dogs, are not spared from the unfair specter of reality. I know this because two nights ago started the events that have turned into the worst days of my entire life.
To my complete and utter horror, Avie started coughing up blood on Tuesday and became extremely lethargic and was having a hard time breathing. I rushed him to the hospital where the technicians and doctors met me outside with a gurney and took him back to be evaluated. I didn’t see him for five hours as my mind raced about what was wrong with my baby. It was after all that time waiting that the doctor came in and informed me that his imaging showed infiltrates consistent with metastatic lung cancer, and my entire world came crashing down around me. I haven’t cried that hard in my entire life. My entire body is still numb and I’m at loss for how to deal with any of this.
I hate bothering anyone with my own issues and struggles, but I’m telling this story because I really, really need help. I’ve always hated asking for it; when I was actively fighting for my life through my cancer journey and now. But Avalanche is my everything and in many instances throughout the past 11 years he has been my reason for living and I can’t imagine being happy ever again without him. He has touched and impacted so many lives over the course of his life and hes special to so many people. He needs intensive, specific, expensive treatment in order to improve his quality of life and give him a chance to survive and the best veterinary oncologist that treats his condition is located out of state; drastically increasing his cost of treatment and making it individually insurmountable for me to fund. Especially after I’m trying to put the pieces of my life back together after my own cancer battle - the financial ruin I experienced with debt and damage to my credit (HUNDREDS of thousands of dollars of medical bills) were devastating and I desperately need help keeping my baby alive.
I’m sorry for asking and I’m sorry for bothering everyone, but if there’s anyway you can help or share this post so we can get my baby boy the treatment he needs and deserves it would mean the world to me and to him. He’s the best Husky boy whose perky ears, big brown eyes, fluffy tail, elf feets, and gorgeous smile has brought joy and happiness to people anytime he gets to meet or see someone and he could really use your help right now.
Thank you for reading and for helping if you can. Anyone who knows Avalanche knows how much he loves all of our friends and family.
...please. I can't lose my baby.
