After a great deal of anguish and ridiculous negotiation, "Princess" had her surgery and is resting comfortably at home with her owner tonight. I ended up "donating" $100.00 out of my own pocket towards her VERY discounted $550.00 surgery. The vet kindly reduced his fee to make it work.
I saw "Princess" while I was at the vet the other day. It was right before her surgery. I remembered her immediately. She looked scared and sweet.
I can't help everybody like this, but I couldn't let this little girl die because a senior citizen and her son didn't plan appropriately for the cat's medical expenses. We ALL had too much vested in her - financially and emotionally to let her die without a fight. Maybe I felt responsible that I didn't ask enough questions of the lady. We always worry that a senior will pass away before the cat, so I always ask about a Plan B. But I didn't ask about her ability to pay for the cat's future medical expenses.
The senior lady's neighbours had contacted me too...I was really under a lot of pressure to help. E-mails with all capital letters, "EMERGENCY..." Once again, people were rallying around "Princess". The rescue couldn't afford to help financially, so what else was I supposed to do? I educated the son, the neighbours and anybody else that would listen that "Princess" needs special fibre food for the rest of her life. NO MORE WHISKAS. They all agreed to pay the extra few $$'s to insure Princess would be eating the proper kibble.
I admit, I was really happy to receive a very kind "thank you" voicemail from the son tonight. At least he appreciated my effort and I know a little senior lady that is VERY happy to have her Princess back tonight.
I'm glad too. :)
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2 comments:
First, you are such a generous person for helping out Princess, both financially and with your time. What else could you do though?
Second, I think this story really captures the problem's facing our seniors here in Ontario. Most live on such tight budgets, that emergencies (such as poor Princess' surgery) become huge ordeals and financial impossibilities. It was nice to read about the community rallying around this poor woman, who I'm sure, if she could have, would have given up anything for her little cat (especially considering the isolation that most seniors live in - that cat could have been her best friend). The son should have approached you in a different manner for sure, but people can sometimes be ignorant (especially in terms of animals) and perhaps he really didn't have the money either.
I can't help but think of my own grandmother. She lives alone in the same house she has lived in for the past 55 years. Her kids try to visit when they can, but her only real companion is her 3 year old male cat Buddy. She has been diagnosed with Alzhimer's, but had been deemed compitant to make her own decisions, and one day decided that she should take all of her savings (I mean all of it) and give it to charity. She donated all of her money to the World Food Program and one day the bank called my mum and told her that all of her mother's pre-authorized payments for utilities and other items were bouncing, because my grandmother had no money left. She now has to sell her house and her Alzhimer's has gotten so advanced that she will be moving in to a nursing home. Buddy will be moving in with one of her kids or grand kids, but I can't help to think about what we would have done had something happened to little Buddy, and she, nor any of us would have had the money to help him. Of course my family is blessed (both in terms of strong compassion for animals and financially), but I guess other's aren't so lucky.
Perhaps all those pushy neighbours would like to donate towards the surgery.
Give me their addys, and I'll write them.
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