Day 80: Fundraiser for Holly

My Project: 365 Creative Writing Prompts

Day 80: Fundraiser for Holly

2017 didn’t end well for us and 2018 is not off to a great start. Remember how we lost Mickey at the beginning of December? As if the loss wasn’t bad enough, the cost made a serious dent in our financials. Between the doctor’s consultation, the X-rays, the euthanasia and the cremation expense, this tragic episode cost us in the region of $600.

Now yesterday we had to spend another $500.

On Wednesday, Toronto got a break from the freezing temperatures and enjoyed a glorious sunny day of a whole 7 degrees C (44 deg F). Whether it was the mildness of the day or the sunrays, we’ll never know, but Holly was desperate to go out on the balcony. She sat by the sliding door, meowing, looking at me and adding a few decibels to her meow.

I didn’t see any harm in letting her out. It had been called for days, after today the temperature would dip down again, so she might as well take advantage of this ‘warm’ sunny break and get a breath of fresh air. So, I opened the door. Holly tentatively stuck her nose outside, followed by the rest of her head and then paw per paw stepped outside. Less than five minutes later she came back in, the fresh air was obviously a bit too fresh.

The next day Holly started to sneeze. Whether it was the cold air or something else, who knows, but Holly now had a cold. At first I didn’t think anything of it, after all, everyone catches a cold from time to time and gets over it in due time, but in Holly’s case, it went from bad to worse. When she stopped eating and drinking I knew it was time to take her to the vet.

Since Halley was due for her second inoculation, an appointment was made for her too.

At the vet’s Halley was checked first: heart, lungs, ears, eyes, joints, fleas, and finally two injections.

Up next, Holly, and she too had her heart and lungs listened to. When her temperature was taken, it turned out that she had a fever. She got medication and the vet suggested a change in her diet. Apparently, the food we’re giving her (I won’t mention any brands) is not good and we have to switch to something better.

When I was presented with the bill, I nearly needed medication (for my heart) … $491. Why, oh why did I give up on my dream to become a vet? Not only would I have made a ton of money, but I would have saved a considerable amount on my own lot.

Anyway, a friendly woman who knows about my 2017 and now 2018 vet expenses suggested that I ask for financial assistance through ‘Go Fund Me’. Asking for money! I was horrified by the thought, I’d never asked anyone for money (except when I do the annual Toronto Cat Rescue fundraiser), but never anything personal.

“Oh get over yourself,” she said. “Lots of people do it for lots of different reasons. Go for it. What do you have to lose?”

So I did. I created a fundraiser named 'Holly's medical expenses'. https://www.gofundme.com/m74s3q-hollys-medical-expenses

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