Assistance with Emergency Vet Bills

UPDATE 10/2/2024

Hi everyone. I'm so so sorry to say that Apollo passed away on Sunday (September 29th). I took him home on Saturday evening (please see updates panel) and he was fine all night and even through part of the morning, but collapsed on Sunday morning. I rushed him back to the emergency vet to try and get them to resuscitate him, but in the end, it was unsuccessful. Needless to say, I've been crying a lot and just trying to make it through the days as they pass. Thank you all so much for supporting my baby and my attempts at giving him a better life, and fighting the horrendous system of privatized, overpriced specialty vets.

In the midst of grieving and trying to find comfort in Apollo's brother, Atlas, and the people close to me, I've been endlessly fighting with Nationwide to get my reimbursement money and calling VEG and VERG to get every doctor's note they have to prove to Nationwide that I'm eligible for payout. The fundraiser goal is set to the amount left I would have to pay out of pocket if I get the reimbursement money I'm owed.

I understand if some of you are no longer invested in this fundraiser because my Apollo is no longer with us; thank you for your support up to this point.

Below is the original story I uploaded when I started this fundraiser. (Original title was "Support Apollo's Emergency Care")

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Hi everyone, I'm hosting this fundraiser on behalf of my son (kitten), Apollo.

I adopted Apollo about 3 months ago, along with his brother, Atlas. Both kittens are about 6 months old and full of life; they've changed my life for the better in more ways than I could have imagined. While Atlas is exploratory and loves to run, jump, and climb on about every surface in my Brooklyn apartment, Apollo is a bit more timid; however, he warmed up to me and visitors to my apartment extremely quickly. If you've ever sat on my couch, chances are Apollo has tried to sit on you while purring like a lawnmower.

On Monday, September 23, I rushed Apollo to the emergency vet; he had been eating less and less for a couple of days, and earlier in the day, he had started breathing harder than normal. The lovely doctors at Veterinary Emergency Group (VEG) treated Apollo with attentive and efficient care as soon as we arrived. After an x-ray and a couple of routine tests, they discovered a large pocket of fluid in his chest, putting pressure on his lungs and making it difficult for him to breathe. The VEG doctors tapped his chest to get some of the fluid out, diagnosing Apollo with Pyothorax. VEG kept him in an oxygenated room to help him breathe as well as providing him with antibiotics to combat a high fever, nausea, and lethargy.

After about 24 hours at VEG, a friend and I transferred Apollo to Veterinary Emergency & Referral Group (VERG), a specialty hospital. It took about 30 minutes to drive between Marine Park and Park Slope in Brooklyn; I held an oxygen mask and canister to Apollo's face as we drove. Although the antibiotics that VEG had been providing had been assisting in combating Apollo's infection, the fluid in his chest cavity had been continuing to build even after tapping the chest. VERG had the resources to install a tube in Apollo's chest to flush out the fluid routinely.

Despite everything, Apollo remains resilient and playful. The doctors at VERG tell me that they don't think Apollo knows he's sick; even though the fluid in his chest keeps coming back, he's been eating and drinking regularly again and even asking the vets for tummy rubs. At the time of my setting up this fundraiser, VERG is going ahead with a CT scan to hopefully discover why the fluid keeps building.

Pyothorax is rare in a cat as young as Apollo; at only six months old, I want to give him the long and healthy life he deserves. Adopting him has changed my life for the better, and even the vets who have cared for him have seen his personality shine through even in the face of the intense treatment, IVs, and medication he's been experiencing for the past week.

The pet insurance I have only covers 50% of treatment costs, so this fundraiser is to cover the remaining I have to pay out of pocket. Despite being a (relatively young) recent college graduate living on my own, I want to provide the best I can for Apollo and bring him home healthy as soon as I can.

Thank you for taking the time to read this. This past week has been a lot to process; please know that any donation, no matter how small, or even just sharing this fundraiser means the world to me. Any extra donations will be donated to Brooklyn Animal Action, a local nonprofit dedicated to spaying/neutering and rehoming stray cats in New York City.

Thank you for your consideration and compassion toward Apollo during this difficult time.

Skylar