Hi,
 
>I've tried asking advice from friends...they say put her to sleep...
>I've tried asking advice from family...they said put her to sleep.
 
It is very easy for friends and family to say that and mean well.
Noodles isn't their baby.  She's yours.  I've had people tell me they
would never have spent $6700 on Pertwee (total over the years) or that I
was crazy for taking care of him.  I have no regrets and cannot imagine
having done anything else.  Pertwee shows me how much he appreciates me
all the time.  I took responsibility for his life and I could not do
anything differently.  So... my comment is that while I am certain your
friends and family are giving you what they believe is the best possible
advice I will say you have to go with what your heart tells you is right.
 
>Noodles will not stop itching.  Her right adrenal is enlarged, and she
>has a fluid filled cyst in her liver that's 4x enlarged and growing.
>Should I pay $190 for lupron...hopefully it'll stop the itching, and
>wait unknowingly for her to show signs of suffering pain and
>discomfort from liver failure.
 
I am going to assume there is nothing that can be done for her liver.  I
don't know that to be true, of course.  I'm not a vet.  But... assuming
that her cystic liver is going to kill her, my answer is simply this: is
giving her lupron going to improve her quality of life for the remaining
time she has with you?  Is she going to die very soon anyway or might it
be a little while yet?  If she can live for a bit yet, is in no pain or
discomfort, and would have a good quality of life without the constant
itching, then, to me, there is no question.  If the lupron can stop the
itching she gets lupron.  That's what I'd do if she were mine.
 
Yeah, I know there are a lot of "if"s there.  If those ifs aren't
right -- as in she's going to die soon anyway or the lupron isn't likely
to help, then, of course, my answer would be different.
 
>If you were in my situation, what would you do?  Making about $220 a
>week, with about a $100/month insurance and about $50/month gas and
>the rest for play/saving/ferrets.
 
When I was unemployed I still went ahead with surgeries on four of my
ferrets.  Yes, I ended up owing our vet a bundle.  They are my babies
and I am responsible for their lives.   Yes, I live in the real world
and have bills to pay.  I still don't skimp on medical care ever.
 
All the best,
Caity
[Posted in FML issue 3960]