Cost of a life?

How do you quantify what more months alive is worth?

how much $$$=Life

That is the dilemma I am facing with my baby...



Harry is my 10plus year old Scottie.
He is my world.
He is sick.
But...

Harry doesn't appear to be sick bc he has been getting chemo treatments.

Harry's treatments & medications cost $1,000+++ a month.

His 5th treatment was earlier.

He's sleeping at my feet now bc he is wiped out.

But likely, tomorrow he will be back to his chipper self!

I am grateful for the dr's, oncologist, hospitals who have taken such great care of my baby.

They posed me with a difficult question a couple of weeks ago that has made me in a confused daze:

Option 1: Surgery to remove the cancerous tumor in Harry's Trigone area near his bladder. This is not a definite possibility unless they do a scope to see if he is a candidate for the surgery.
Surgery costs: $10,000+.

Option 2: Chemo delivered through Harry's artery. This is a more targeted version of Chemo therapy.
Costs $2,000 a visit.

Option 3: Chemotherapy for his last 5th treatment like we said we would try to do.
Costs $1,000 a visit.

They can't promise the amount of time any of these options will prolong Harry's life. Which makes it more disturbing bc then it's ALL speculative.

I chose to go with Option 3 and continue with his last chemo treatment bc he has been reacting well to it, his disposition is great and he is still Harry :)

I am a bleeding heart for animals, people, all things...

I have never been pressed with such a decision before where the amount of life another being in my care can live is directly related to how much money I can spend on treating them.

I have had many sleepless nights in the past couple of weeks. Bc the answer is so simple:
For as long as Harry is Harry, I'll keep getting him the care he needs. Price isn't an object.

But...

What if it was? I have the luxury of not having a mortgage, substantial bills, children...My reaction might be or might have had to be different.

Got me thinkn...

Today, have you ever been presented with a predicament based on financial ability? Did you find yourself reacting differently bc money was involved or was it a non-issue? Does a matter of months alive equal thousands of dollars...If it were your life would you be willing to spend millions in order to enjoy that last 6 months?

Xoxo