Hi. We have REACHED OUR GOAL and are dashing off to the vet hospital RIGHT NOW. Thank you so very, very much to all who donated and/or recommended this diary - you are wonderful, you have saved us!
Upside down on the bed; picture taken on a happier day
Okay, worst fears just got real.
This afternoon, about one hour ago, just after her afternoon meal, Frances suddenly refused to jump up onto the couch. I couldn't even catch her eye; she was lying down and appeared to be licking some little portion of the carpet. I went to see what in the world was up, and on closer inspection I could see she was frantically licking her paw, which she had hidden from view, tucked under her body.
I've lifted her and placed her on the bed. I have tried repeatedly to have a look, but she is having none of it--which is unusual for her. She won't put her weight on the paw and she won't let me anywhere near it. As I write this, she's by my side diligently tending to her paw with her tongue. When she pauses, she pants--a lot. This is all very sudden and entirely strange because we have not been outside and nothing whatsoever was going on before the paw began to hurt. We weren't even roughhousing. Something is terribly wrong and--it's a nightmare come true--I don't have the money to have her seen by the vet.
The situation is thus: I was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis in June of this year and was almost immediately approved for temporary state disability. The benefit is based on one's income--you get 55% of whatever you made during the corresponding quarter the year previous. That means--working as I was as a caregiver to the elderly and special needs kids--I'm not getting much, and the electric company wants half of what I will be getting next Tuesday.
I have never more desperately needed a little bit of help, as this time it is not me who's in trouble, it's my angel, my Frances. I expect an office visit and an x-ray will cost about $200. If you can send a little bit my way, I will use it to take care of this dog right now.
My PayPal email address is as follows: twilithour@mac.com
There is one more thing you need to know. The USB port on my computer is dying a slow death. Half the time it does not recognize my keyboard--and when that happens, there is nothing for it but to wait a minute or two--or ten--until it does. So if I should seem to go AWOL in comments, you shall know why.
Thank you, dailykos friends, for reading.