I have started a fundraiser for a very special family member of mine that definitely needs it. I would appreciate it if I could get your help and cooperation. My whole family would appreciate it! It's for one of my cats, Joy. I have posted several pictures of him before. But, I might go into further detail here! I ask that you read Joy's story, please, and that you help us out. If you wouldn't like to read through it all, that's fine! The link for the fundraiser is here:
www.loveanimals.org/a-heart-fo…But I think you all deserve to know why I am doing this!
Joy has been an important part of our lives since 2009. He has cheered our hearts and helped us through difficult situations, especially the fight against cancer that our whole family participated in when my mother was diagnosed. My mother suffered from depression and a rapid decrease in her health, and though we tried hard, we could not provide all of the hope that she needed. It was Joy who ended up working some of his namesake into her heart, livening up not only her life, but all of ours with his unwavering loyalty and love for those around him.
Joy is made of nothing but kindness and a noble, friendly, compassionate heart that blessed us.
Unfortunately, this golden heart that has had love for all of us is rather frail and delicate, as we have learned. So please, let me tell you why this little one's joyous heart needs all the help he can get.
Joy will live the rest of his life with Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy (HCM). It's a pretty common illness in cats that is usually genetic and greatly affects their life, and those of their owners. What it consists of is the heart muscle being abnormally thicker than usual. Because of the thick muscle, blood flow isn't normal, and there is a risk of breathing problems, slow circulation, stroke, you name it, including many heart problems. It is incurable, but treatable, thank God.
Joy's life will never be the same, but we are are trying to cope with that. Though he struggles every day, Mother dutifully gives him his medicine to make his condition stable. He takes diuretics to thin his blood so that it passes through the heart more easily, and to get rid of the fluid that gradually accumulates in his lungs and creates the congestion that creates dangerous breathing problems. He additionally takes heart medications to keep his heart stable.
However, the treatment is very expensive. We cannot afford neither the insurance nor the constant medication, especially the exams that must be done routinely in order to monitor his progress and most importantly, see how his body is doing in case the medication dosages need to increase.
We're desperately trying to make ends meet. We'll still fight to give Joy the best quality of life that he can give him, because he deserves that and so much more.
I ask any help that your hearts can provide. My family, including Joy, and I will be forever grateful for your help and prayers. We will try our best so that Joy doesn't suffer, and lives happily with those that love him.
I will post videos of our beloved Joy so that our wonderful donors and supporters can see how he is doing with the treatment that he is given.
As I have mentioned, the funds that I am raising will help pay for constant renal lab work that he needs--because the doctors often need to check how his kidneys are doing so that they can monitor the diuretics that help him more closely.
The funds also will help with the rest of the tests that he needs to get done routinely, and with medicine as well! It will help so much because HCM requires a lot of studies and things done.
I know this is a long description, but everyone needs to know why Joy is depending on all the help that he can get.
We thank you very much for any donation that you offer, really. May God bless you for helping us give Joy's heart a fighting chance.
Together, I know that we can do it!