PLEASE HELP ME TO SAVE MY BELOVED SHIH TZU, GIZMOS ❤️

Hello everyone,

My name is Lauren Paparian and I'm reaching out today with a heavy heart and a desperate plea for help for my beloved 9-year-old Shih Tzu, Gizmo. Gizmo was barely 3 months old when I took him in. My grandmother, whom I moved in with to take care of due to her downward spiral with dementia, had just been admitted to a nursing home, which I promised myself and her I'd NEVER allow my uncle or my mom to place her in one. So I was in a deep depression and had terrible anxiety, but little did I know this little Shih Tzu would help me tremendously with my mental state and give me MORE LOVE AND AFFECTION THAN ANYONE OR ANYTHING IN THIS WORLD HAS EVER. He may be small, but his ❤️ is as big as this world! He has been my rock, my reason for living, and my entire world and so much more..

Unfortunately, Gizzy IS facing a CRITICAL HEALTH EMERGENCY, and I find myself in a terrible financial situation due to my own current personal medical costs that I have to deal with and still need 2 more jaw surgeries, 4 root canals, and 4 new front teeth, which is all due to me walking last year and getting hit head-on by a hit & run driver. This 19-year-old driver had NO license, NO registration, NO INSURANCE! So $30k is what's needed to finish my reconstruction of my teeth and jaw fully. On 9/3/24 late in the day, I noticed Gizzy coughing. I looked up all articles online, and they all seemed to point in the direction of a "backwards sneeze." The next day, 9/5/24, the coughing seemed more frequent. I called the vet, and she couldn't take him for 2 days. So, I made him his dinner and ran to the store to grab a few necessities and get gas. I returned home about 10 pm, gone about 2 hrs. I walked in, and Gizzy was what I describe as panting really hard and his heart beating out of his chest! I panicked, grabbed him, and rushed him to EAST GREENWICH 24 HR. VETERINARY SPECIALIST. A triage nurse came right out and took him in the back for evaluation. 15 min later, I was being escorted into a private room, and a Dr. came in and told me that Gizzy was in pretty bad shape and that his diagnosis isn't good/there's NO cure. I was speechless & uncontrollably crying. Gizmo has CONGESTIVE HEART FAILURE, and that coughing was him trying to get the excess fluid out of his body. I begged the Dr. not to let my baby go. He said he's in an oxygen bubble right now, and they just put an IV in his right front leg for a Lasix medicine drip. He's probably going to be here 4 or 5 days, depending on how he/his body reacts or takes to the medical regime we have in place for him. 7 hrs later, a Dr. called me and said she was happy with the response she saw in Gizzy with the meds, and his breathing is a lot better. The next call I got from the same Dr., she told me that Gizzy was out of the oxygen bubble and breathing just fine on his own and could come home the next day as long as he kept improving through the rest of the day and night. The next morning, the Dr. called and said you can come pick up your lil guy around 3 pm. Gizmo came home on 9/8/24. He is on 2 medications every 12 hrs. (Pendobenton & Furosemide). He had a cough the first few days, 1x a day, and now that has subsided. Thank God! Gizzy has an appt at Ocean State Veterinary Specialist in EG, RI on Thursday, 9/19/24 to check his kidney function and see the cardiologist for an echocardiogram. I pray with all I am that everything looks good and he's doing well on his doses of meds.

JUST HIS 2 DAY STAY AT OCEAN STATE VETERINARY SPECIALIST is $2700.00 & to see the cardiologist and have the echocardiogram and the panel of blood work is $375.00. I paid $500.00 & $250.00 on his bill, which was all I had! I applied for 4 grants, 2 of which will assist with $125.00 each towards routine exams or follow-up care that he is definitely going to have to have. I also received $100.00 towards his vet balance from "The Marvin Fund" & $300.00 "Friends of Animals in Need." I cannot thank those 2 organizations enough for their assistance, and when I'm able, I'm no doubt going to give to those 2 organizations to hopefully help another fur baby in need like my Gizzy is now!!!

I firmly believe that with the right medications, Gizzy can live many more happy and healthy years. I refuse to say goodbye to my best friend, the one who gives me purpose and makes each day worth waking up for. It's not easy for me to ask for help, but I would do anything for him. I have seen the power of people coming together with platforms like "GoFundMe," and I'm hoping for a miracle in our time of need. I am setting aside my pride and humbly requesting any assistance that you may be able to provide for Gizmo. Every donation, every $1.00, would mean the world to us. Together, we can make a difference and give Gizzy the chance to live a long and happy life. Your generosity will forever be appreciated, and you will be helping to save the life of my remarkable baby boy, who I cannot even fathom life without. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for taking the time to read our story and considering our plea for help. Please keep Gizmo in your thoughts and prayers as we embark on this challenging journey.