Rhonda Insists On Taking Jazz to the Vet

So… I thought I would have to just watch my cat die because what else do you do when you’re too poor to afford a vet? I couldn’t bring myself to ask anyone else for help because she’s 15 1/2– though maybe I would if she were younger than 14. I was too upset to do much more than just cry a lot and often. I didn’t tell Reese or anyone else in the tribe about it.

But Cat did, bless her!

So Rhonda called me and OFFERED to take Jazz to the vet with me and foot the bill!

I was astonished, but how could I say no? I did not. The thought has been haunting me that perhaps it’s a fixable thing– what if she didn’t have to die quite yet? She’s skin and bones already from being on the fat side just 3 weeks ago, so maybe it was too late anyways, but… maybe not.

So I called around last Friday (I got the call from Rhonda after I posted about my cat) and everyone was booked up for at least another 3 to 4 weeks! I called our 2 vet clinics first, but then everyone else I could find near-by as well. Finally, a very helpful lady told me about a same-day Urgent Care thing for pets in a town 45 minutes away, and today I called first thing in the morning to book a spot and got one!

We took Jazz in and got blood work done and other basic things, and it’s not liver or kidney disease. She’s anemic, and the vet said it was likely either an infection (though she has no fever) OR an autoimmune disease (she’s been getting Covid when I do, maybe we’re having similar issues?) so he sent me home with antibiotics and steroids. He was very thorough in explaining everything to me, and he said it would likely only give her a few more months, but her illness was so sudden, I was willing to try.

The vet bill came to nearly $700 and Rhonda didn’t even blink! She asked me why I didn’t ask before, after I thanked her for the 20th time, and I told her honestly that kindness still surprised me. I didn’t know her well enough to feel comfortable expecting kindness of that magnitude!

I don’t know what’s going to happen with Jazz, but tribe for the win y’all. There’s a small chance my cat gets a second chance.