Just a few days ago, I wrote this:

Collectively, in amounts small, medium, and large, Ernie’s lovely internet friends have donated (OMG) close to $400 as of today - a very considerable dent in the rather astronomical expense that hit us, unfortunately, right when we were starting to stabilize after my husband’s nearly 1-year layoff (he started his current job, at about 60% of his previous salary, in April). (More on the financial situation here.)

Among the changes since then (besides, uh, my husband losing his job the very next day… Good one, Universe! We are all still laughing! hahasob!) - I thought I should mention this bit of amazing wonderfulness: that collectively, between 21 of Ernie’s amazing Internet friends, that amount is now up to (after PayPal fees) $852.24, or a total of 73% of all funds thus far paid out to the vet from last Thursday going forward ($1169.56).

Over the next month, we’ll still have to arrange Lynyrd’s heartworm treatment, although since it’s not immediately life-threatening, we can take a few days to investigate options (perhaps less costly than our present vet’s $500-$600 estimate). And my husband may qualify for at least short-term unemployment (and/or could soon be placed in a new temporary job by his present agency very quickly; he’s still on fine terms with all parties concerned; he wasn’t “fired”; rather, his temporary assignment ended, as such assignments are wont to do, particularly in this economy).

In any case, we’ll figure it out. We always have, somehow. I shudder to imagine what would have happened, though, if these events had happened in different order - if Ernie had gotten as sick as he did after we learned my husband’s job was going to come to a very unceremonious end. That he would have died without the treatment is clear; that I could have persuaded our vet to begin that life-saving treatment, despite my husband not having a job, is not at all clear.

So I can’t thank you enough. I never expected that kind of outpouring of profound generosity. I wouldn’t even have posted anything specific about the financial situation except for a gentle arm-twisting from @westvillagedyke (before which @Jenn1ferJun1per, of her own accord, found her way to the paypal link on a site I scarcely use anymore and made her own completely unsolicited donation).

One last thing: When we picked up Ernie from the vet today, one of the receptionists said something to the effect of “thank God” Ernie had pulled through (not a sentiment with which I disagree, I should say - though that is neither here nor there), at which point my husband laughed and said “thank the Internet.”

And they got these confused looks on their faces, and I told them what the lot of you had done, that we’d received donations for Ernie’s care from all over the US and even Canada and New Zealand, covering nearly three fourths of our vet bill to date. The receptionist’s and her coworker’s jaws visibly dropped.

I’m not sure they believed me. Frankly, I’m not sure I believe me. But I sure as hell am grateful. Our pup is home, napping at my feet as I write this. The rest of it - the heartworm treatment, unemployment, etc. - is details. We’ve gotten through the worst of it, the part of it where one sweet little life would have been extinguished were it not for your astonishing and humbling kindness.

Thank you.

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EDITED TO ADD: Uh, I guess I’ll have to do another accounting later, since two more kind netizens (can we still use that word? I kinda like that word) just now chipped in some more. Geez, guys… Are you going to let me stop crying at some point? (♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥.)

Also, we are going forward with the idea proposed earlier - thank you cards with Ernie’s pawprint on them; and please don’t worry about postage, as I have a pile of old denominations of stamps to blow through and it will be a fun project for the kids and me once school gets out.