Emergency cat-surgery loan extension??

Warning: if you don't like reading depressing blog posts, the kind written through bleary-tear filled eyes, move on.

Oscar needs a $3,000 to $5,000 surgery (narrower estimate forthcoming). Just when I thought life couldn't get worse 2.5 weeks before finals, 1 week before oral argument, 1 day before the first Wigmore show.

The good news: his persistent and escalating health problem (some of my readers know what I mean) is not a symptom of cancer, renal failure, diabetes, etc.

The bad news: it is an unfortunate physical failure that, without corrective surgery, will develop into internal bleeding and infections etc. I can maintain him by learning some unpleasant procedures for a little while (on my way to the vet in an hour for instruction), but he is deteriorating rapidly.

Now I have to decide just how much I love my kitty-man (in dollars). A choice I am in no place to make. Not to sound selfish, but this isn't the kind of thing I can even wrap my head around so close to final exams. Even more selfish, I don't think I can give him up until I get through this stormy period in my life...if ever.

Solutions? Not sure that there is one. I have e-mailed financial aid to see if there's an emergency-pet-surgery budget extension [a massive stretch]. I can look into high interest rate private loans. Benefit concert? Bake-sale...no time.

If he could just stay healthy for one more year I could afford him. But this summer will see no income, only more debt. I'm already struggling to make the summer work financially.

If you know of any Chicago clinics / charities that help out in such situations, the info would be invaluable to me.

Say a prayer for us, reader.