mata schmata

going forward i will be posting all yin updates on my tumblr with the tag #yinupdates (you can use this link to see just these posts: www.tumblr.com/fivepebble/tagged/yinupdates )

to be blunt, things are not looking good, and i have realized that this topic is going to become triggering for a lot of people. these updates will also be kept under readmore lines for those that are already following my tumblr.

thank you all again so much for the support. i know this is far from what you'd hoped the outcome would be when you initially donated, and for that i am so, so sorry. i hope that you all know it is not in vain, as it has meant so much to me, my family, and Yin, and these funds will be used only for her care going forward.

4 hours ago (edited) | [YT] | 47

mata schmata

I have some unfortunate news surrounding Yin. This is a really hard update to make considering all the support I've been given for the sake of Yin's recovery but I feel a responsibility to be completely transparent about what's going on.

Yin is okay, but she seems to be getting worse, even on intense supportive care and medication. She's too weak to undergo dental surgery. The vet thinks there is another problem besides the hyperthyroidism and tooth abscess, as she is vomiting even through heavy anti-nausea injections, and has recommended an ultrasound to diagnose why she keeps vomiting, which is going to be around 1k.

I know it isn't what the goal was exactly for, but I have to use the money from the fundraiser for this, as my family is already in debt and we have no other option.

We aren't sure what the steps are going to be following the ultrasound, whether or not it finds something. Overall, we are going to prioritize Yin's comfort and quality of life as much as we can with the options available to us.

Thank you all again so much for all of the support. I know this isn't what others want to hear at all, but your support has still made a huge difference, in both her life and my family's.

2 days ago | [YT] | 514

mata schmata

the fundraiser for Yin reached its goal!
i've said it so many times already but thank you all so, so much. i will keep you all updated on how the surgery goes and Yin's progress.

1 week ago | [YT] | 605

mata schmata

we're already at 80% of the goal for yin's medical bills, i genuinely don't have the words to express my gratitude. i'm just blown away. thank you all so much. i have no idea what i did to deserve so much support and kindness.

1 week ago | [YT] | 382

mata schmata

hey y'all, thank you so much for the donations towards my cat's surgery, we're about 25% towards the goal already :']

i wish that i had more to post on here. i haven't been able to animate since i got sick, but i wanted to at least give some kind of gift in return for all of the charity i've been shown so far. i don't think it's equal value by far, but it's something.

this is the last Soulbound animatic I worked on before my interest shifted to other characters, and then I of course got too sick to make anything at all. it's very unfinished and mostly comprised of loose notes and ideas in text, but there's about 35 frames of art. i know Tripp and Laz are viewer favorites so i hope you all enjoy getting to see a little bit of these guys again.

the video is on my alt channel, so you can view it here:

1 week ago | [YT] | 101

mata schmata

heey y'all it's unfortunately become that time again but for slightly different reasons.

as i've mentioned before, my family is stretched thin. we've recently failed to get into low-income housing or any additional government support. the trump administration is also actively trying to end the government support i *do* have, so things are just. really scary for us right now.

recently, my cat Yin has been really sick. she's lost a majority of her body weight, stopped eating and drinking and using the bathroom, and throws up everything she manages to eat, and she's clearly in a lot of pain.

we took her to the vet and found out that she has hyperthyroidism and possibly a tooth abscess. she's doing a little better on thyroid and nausea medication, but she's still in a lot of pain and to be very blunt--we barely have money to take care of ourselves right now, there's no way we can afford the tooth extraction. my family have maxed out credit cards just to survive.

in order to pay for this, we need an additional $600 that we don't have and can't take out a loan for. i know no one's in a good place right now, but if you have something you can spare, even just a few dollars, it would mean the world. i've been stuck at home all day since i got sick, and often Yin is the only one here keeping me company. we rescued her as a kitten and i love her so much.

I've set up a public goal on Ko-Fi, so you can see how much more is needed at any given time:
ko-fi.com/mataschmata

however, if you'd like your payment to be more private, you can use my venmo @mataschmata or my cashapp $mataschmata. these won't record on the ko-fi goal, but i will post updates on how much I have in total on the Ko-Fi.

thank you so much to anyone who decides to contribute, or share on social media or with your friends. as usual, please don't donate if you yourself are struggling financially.

1 week ago | [YT] | 499

mata schmata

some more mouse art i've managed to do and i guess i'll drop an update too.

it's Still Bad, and doctors Still think it's just anxiety, and i'm Still being denied treatment for severe and debilitating health problems, by my insurance. i cannot lie! american healthcare is absolute dogshit, holy crap! i've had so many abnormal tests that have just been thrown out over and over again.

i wish i had better news. but things just kind of suck right now. thank you all again for the kind words and support. if anyone has been through something similar and can offer advice, i would appreciate it so much. i'm barely able to talk anymore, and it's only getting increasingly difficult to advocate for myself.

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1 month ago | [YT] | 515

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update, sorta
i don't have much to update y'all on. i'm still alive! but unfortunately not any closer to figuring things out or getting treatment. wait times for medical care in america are absolutely insane.

i hate to say it but i may need to ask for donations again soon. i have not been able to leave my bed so a decent chunk of the time i have to order food which is obviously really expensive. there was also an emergency that came up and the donations were the only money we had to pay for it. that said, i need to be careful about how much i accept because the government counts it as income??? and they might think i'm Pretending to be poor. i guess.

it's rough. but. i'm staying hopeful. there's no other option but to stay hopeful.

thank you all again. i do read every comment. it means a lot that there is so many people hoping and vouching for my recovery. i have felt like nobody, with the loss of my passions and hobbies, and with the way doctors and even some closer to me have been treating me, and it may seem silly but knowing i've already done something worth doing enough to have impacted so many people--i need it, a lot, right now. so. thank you. thank you so much.

2 months ago (edited) | [YT] | 733

mata schmata

been trying to draw with my mouse a little bit

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2 months ago | [YT] | 612

mata schmata

hey y'all, another update.

so..., things are still not looking great for me. i've mostly recovered from surgery now, but i'm still having symptoms and episodes. i'm to the point where i can't really leave my bed or stand for long periods.

on the upside, i was recently bought a laptop by a few friends of mine, which means my quality of life is a lot better. i have no setup for my art tablet, but i may eventually be able to make music and draw with the trackpad/mouse. there's also more problems we've discovered in various test results and analyses that could lead to a diagnosis and treatment with enough investigation.

i say this all the time but thank you all so much for the continued support and well wishes... there's still a long way for me to go, but i'm still hopeful that someday we will find out what's going on, treat it, and i'll be able to live my (relatively) normal life again.

2 months ago (edited) | [YT] | 891