SKIP TO MY LU

Lucie is my Service Dog. I rescued Lu when she was seven weeks old, but by helping me navigate stores and streets and my inner terrain over the years, she rescued me forever. Fast forward twelve years and Lucie was still on the job. She was strong, all about snacks and full of sass! And then she wasn't.

An initially non-bothersome, malignant tumor that took years to formulate suddenly took off. It leveled Lucie and sent her into immediate retirement. We were hurled into a race for time.

The instantly huge mass situated on her right hip is causing severe nerve damage in her back legs. Now she has difficulty standing long enough to eat, go potty or to walk down the hall to her bed. Lucie loses her balance throughout the day and when she falls, she must have help up. She is on numerous medications (eleven pills and two ointments per day) and must have special dog food to ease her digestion as well. Her main medications are for pain.

In addition to cancer, Lucie shattered her right front wrist, which causes her to limp significantly. This places added stress on her back legs, which in turn causes more pain. We now visit our vet approximately every two weeks for check ups.

On Saturday, February 18, I took Lucie in for an appointment to discuss her overall condition. The doctor began by telling me that my dog has had a long life. She continued at length, but all I heard was, "Lucie may have eight months or two months left". Considering the severity of my dog's ailments, I would think that I'd have had prior understanding of this. I'm sure I did. Accepting it was too much, I suppose.

My Lu is everything to me. Over the last months, however, I've been so stressed over how to cover her expenses that I have sometimes forgotten to just be with her. She is so sweet and so gentle and forever patient. She waits for me.

Because Lucie's necessary care is now more than I can possibly afford, it is unbearable knowing that I am on the verge of letting her down. It's just her and I. Never in a million years would I have thought that I'd be asking for help, especially monetary. I was raised to be self reliant and being on disability was never in the plan.

Lucie's monthly costs, not including veterinary bills or labs, will be more than $200.00. This includes medications, medication applicators, cleaning wipes, Hill's Prescription Diet dog food, "pill pocket" snacks (11 per day) and gas money for veterinary appointments (Ohio to Michigan and back). I determined the goal of this fundraiser to be $1600.00 in the belief that Lucie will be with me for the next eight months. Whatever she decides though, will be long enough.

Should you consider her cause, I will do whatever I can to provide cost verification, more details about Lucie (I’ll be glad to go on and on and...), or other information you may want to make your decision.

The entire time I've been formulating this letter, I've been wondering how I will be able to thank those who donate. How best can I thank those who consider donating and those who simply take time to read this far down the page? My best answer is I don't know. After all these years, I don't even know how to thank Lucie. Maybe all I can do is accept and appreciate and pass it on in whatever way I can. And of course, I do thank you.

Dani