SAVING XENA

Lee Anne Middleton is organizing this fundraiser.Created March 12, 2022Animals & PetsA few words from LeeHello, I'm Lee Anne, Xena's mommy & I'm asking for help to save my baby. First, I'd like to tell you a little about our situation & how our journey together began. For most of my life I have tried my best to rescue & find homes for animals. Last year was extremely rough. Before Xena I had 6 cats of my own, a few strays that I fed, as well as a group of ferals I've been feeding over 10 years. Three of my cats came from that feral colony. The ones I'm able to catch I socialize, spay/neuter & find homes for. In April 2021 a stray cat that wouldn't let me get near her had 6 kittens under my house. Four weeks later I drove up after work to find the momma & her 6 babies under my carport. I brought them in, left the door open & momma came in. It took a while, but I eventually could touch her & later had her spayed. I also rescued one kitten in the middle of the road about to be hit, another from under a busy overpass & another beautiful soul walking in town who was in destress. Then one night I heard a baby kitten crying out VERY loudly, but I couldn't find it. The next morning, Oct 8th I heard her again. There she was walking up my driveway as she saw my other cats. This was my latest rescue XENA.  She was only 4 to 5 weeks old. All along I had been reaching out to rescue groups to try to find homes for the rescues, but I heard a lot of " Sorry, we are too full. It's been a rough kitten season" Another reason to always spay & neuter. In the mean time two of the six kittens each had one ruptured eye that required surgery. A friend helped me with a fundraiser & they were able to have the surgery they needed. A couple of months ago an angel from a rescue group contacted me & said she would take them, but first I had to have them all spayed/neutered, vaccinated & tested for felv/fiv. With the help of the fundraiser, a dear friend & a loan I took out I got it done. I had already found homes for three & the rescue took seven. Xena didn't go because she was too young to be spayed. About a month after the kittys left I noticed Xena wasn't as active. She seemed depressed. She had gotten really close to one of the kittys that left. As you all have probably heard fip can develop from stress. Her vet said she could be grieving over loosing Mattie. So I'm guessing that's what happened and for that I'm responsible & I carry that guilt with me everyday. She suggested using a diffuser for stress. Later I noticed her 3rd eyelids were showing and her back end was very weak. She didn't have much control. She wasn't eating well. After four vet visits in February my worst fear became reality FIP dry/ocular. I had only experienced fip once before, over 10 years ago with two ferals I'd rescued. I had prayed I would NEVER see it again. To this day I've never gotten over the lose of that brother/sister pair. Until them I never knew what fip was, but what I/they experienced was horrific and I cannot let it take another one under my care, so I am asking, actually begging for help to save her. I named her Xena after the Xena Princess Warrior tv character because she was something else. She was so rambunctious & terrorized her buddy Mattie. Lol. Little did I know that this little warrior would be fighting for her life. If I were financially able I honestly wouldn't ask, but I'm not. I live alone & being a pharmacy tech doesn't pay very much. Through this wonderful group I was fortunate enough to meet someone who had a few vials to get me started. Last night she had her 23rd injection, but giving these painful shots is so hard when you have no help. As you'd expect she struggles so much sometimes I have to stick her multiple times. Sometimes I don't get it all in, or it leaks and she runs and hides. I've tried so many different ways & nothing has made it any easier. Gabapentin doesn't even help.. Sometimes during the ordeal she actually poops. Her skin is tough & she has sores & lumps. She's so small & I'm running out of places to inject her. When I get home from work she runs & hides. When she comes out she just watches me & I see pure terror in her eyes. It is killing my soul day by day. With all that being said, I am going to try switching her to pills, which of course, happens to be even more expensive, so I am humbly asking for your help. I understand so many of you are in the same position as I, so I completely understand you not being able to donate. There are so many heart wrenching posts sometimes its just too much to bare. If you're not able to donate please just say a little prayer for Xena, as I do for all of you and your babies & if you want please just share our story. No donation is too small & all prayers are welcome & very much appreciated. I will try and do updates often. I will say that since she's been on injections she has improved. At the beginning of treatment she only weighed 3.8 pounds. She now weighs 4.6 pounds & has gained some strength in her back end area. With your help I'm hoping the pills will help her as well as the injections have. Thank you all so much in advanceUpdates (1)March 13, 2022by Lee Anne Middleton, OrganizerLast night's injection was extremely rough. Usually afterwards she eats & usually within a little will get in my lap, but this time it was like her whole body was in pain. I started to pick her up & she just cried so I left her alone. I think she did find some comfort with her older brothers Liam & Wyatt. Xena is on the right. I just don't think her little body can take many more injections. Around 3am she did snuggle with me on the couch so that makes me feel a little better. Please continue to pray

Lee Anne Middleton

Organizer

Maxton, NC

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