a quail foot a day keeps the vet away ...

... or not.

Poor Mr. Hiko isn't up to his old self right now.  He had been scaring me last week - acting extremely lethargic, basically only waking up to eat and go to the bathroom.  If I picked him up and held him, he'd slump there and sleep until I put him down (I've been watching for anything else insulinomic-like, but so far nada).  And besides all that?  His face just seemed shut down and unhappy.

Then Thursday and Anya happened, and my mom got to see Hiko.  First thing you notice about this boy is his spleen.  It's big.  I always bring it up whenever he has a vet appointment, but the vet's never too worried about it.  Except now it's been a few months since Hiko's been seen, and I'm thinking maybe it's grown to where it's uncomfortable.

At least that's what I'm hoping for, because I can't afford anything beyond a splenectomy.   My vet wants to do a diagnostic exam (usually running $150, if I remember correctly), then an ultrasound ($160), then if it's the problem the surgery itself is only $240 (baseline, though) with the anesthesia and blood tests around $200.  Plus Anya's stuff is going to run $200.

I can afford that.  Just not more, because I lost my job and Pixie's stuff wiped out my savings, plus we still are paying the care credit bill for her, as well (it's finally down to $1300!  yay?); I won't be able to stand seeing him miserable without the help.  So, if he's running into other issues (and here I'm thinking rampant cancer like Pixie had) then I'll have to help him cross the Bridge Thursday instead, and dear God, I don't want to have to do that twice within a few months of each other.

It just sucks, because I've put in so many applications and submitted so many resumes, and it feels like that income just won't come in time.  Really, I'm only asking for a bit more time, you know?  Once I have the means, I'd do anything to help him. I wouldn't care if he needed more than just what I can afford now, I'd do it, if it could give him a longer life, full of quality.

So, if anyone's out there reading this, just send good thoughts Thursday, pray that it's just the spleen making him unhappy.  I want my boy with me yet.