Help Our New Kitty Baxi Beat the Odds!

Here's the summary: Help us out with some $ (whatever you can spare) and we can diagnose our sweet-sick-kitty and in the end hopefully give her the long life she so dearly deserves. In exchange: you can come cuddle her ANYTIME you want. I mean, seriously, her love is like Prozac meets the Grateful Dead. And I'm not kidding. I’m in Mount Prospect. If you help me keep this kitten alive, my house is your house.

Baxi came to us on June 12, a 4-month-old ball of love and spunk. She had just nearly averted death (she was on a kill-list for a shelter in Cicero that didn't have room for any more animals), but thankfully Heartland Animal Shelter had a cage open and welcomed her in.

We found Baxi the same day she was transferred to Heartland, and though they typically liked to observe their new animals for a few days before adopting them out, our love affair was immediate and they allowed us to sweep her up and bring her home.

That's how life began for us. Us counting our fortune at finding her. Her taking advantage of ALL of our hospitality. By the way: she has this adorable march she does when she's incredibly happy; she's trying to knead but her legs come up too far so it looks like she's marching. On countless occasions I found Baxi sprawled on the lap of one of my three young sons. And she'd step in front of you to tell you to pick her up, and then she'd nuzzle you on your shoulder while you swooned.

This was Baxi.

But a week ago her health declined. She began rapid breathing, foaming at the mouth, vomiting, turning sluggish, her spark suddenly gone. Since its onset we've been to the vet 3 times, once for an overnight hospitalization. They've given her oxygenation, fluids, x-rays, treated her with antibiotics, anti-seizure medicine, and processed an infection panel (negative). The doctors continue to be "confused" about what is happening to Baxi.

We've spent over $2800 and exhausted our funds. We've exhausted our CareCredit and other credit and are now faced with the horrible decision to either put this girl down before knowing what is wrong with her or find the remaining funds to finish all the tests available to diagnose her.

That's where this desperate GoFund Me effort comes in. I've never done anything like this before, but Baxi is worth it. I have to raise the money asap or we can't continue to hospitalize her and we will have to put her down.

So, please, whatever money you can spare ($1 is plenty, seriously!). Help us get Baxi the chance at life she deserves.