It’s a bird! It’s a plane! It’s….Sonja?!

Why, yes it is. If you looked up into the sky a few nights ago and saw a random plane flying past, you may have been watching Sonja go by on a flight for life on her way to Omaha, Nebraska.

Sonja's been battling cancer for nearly three years and that battle has recently had some serious setbacks.Without giving too many details about a situation that is not my own-her cancer is causing serious secondary issues that mean she needed to be flown from Green Bay to Nebraska via a medical flight. The medical flight could not be booked until there was a means to pay the ENTIRE bill out of pocket-meaning that while she’s suffering intensely, she somehow had to figure out how to gather enough credit cards to cover the $23,000 cost just to be able to get to the place that is trying to save her life. This is in addition to the substantial medical debt she already has and the costs of staying in Omaha for 21 - 28 days after her surgery.

Sonja’s life has been a little—how would I term it?—BONKERS ‍ for these past three years. What could and should have been prevented, wasn’t. Her current circumstances are-in the petulant opinion of this author-NOT FAIR. If you asked Sonja, however? She would tell you it’s okay and it will be okay.

Anyone who knows Sonja knows that she’s one of the kindest, gentlest, and most generous people around. She’s the least likely to complain even when she has the largest reason to. So…I’ll whine on her behalf .

Being sick is one of those things that no one can fully understand unless they’ve done it. Something like this doesn’t just mean a few hours in the hospital, a couple of pokes, or a couple of bad days. Being sick like this is a foundational life change. Everything you’ve been, everything you are, and everything you hope to be is in question. Losing your job is both probably and understandable. You’re so sick you can’t work, but employers need their work done. It puts insurance into question and-literally-just trying to figure out how to pay to continue to live.

On top of our fears, we have animal care, medication, gas, hotel rooms, food, other medical necessities, our house payments, gas, water, electric, sewer, car payments, insurance…!!!? The list is never ending! Living is SO EXPENSIVE!

Being sick is something this author has become acutely acquainted with over the past year, herself. It’s a constant fight for finding funds to live while trying to rest enough to be able to handle the next thing while recovering from the last thing while trying to not be a burden on those you love and being there for those you love. All this while all you really want to do is hunker down, snuggle with your fluff babies and wait for things to magically get better. I cannot express in words the wrenching heartbreak of laying in a hospital bed so sick and so in pain just wishing against all wishes that you could be in your own bed in your own home with your animals snuggled against you…how it should be. It’s hard to endure for one night. It’s blinding to imagine that the foreseeable future will be like this.

On top of this is the constant weight and worry about all the other stuff that comes with living. This is why I’m writing this and posting this fundraiser. If we can help to make this situation one where it’s even marginally less heavy and all-consuming, we need to try. Not many of us have been as sick and in as much need as Sonja is right now. Please-from the bottom of my heart and my soul and from the hearts and souls of everyone who is connected to Sonja in any way-please, give what you are able. If you aren’t able to give, please share this and spread it as far as you possibly can. Please ask your friends and your family to spread it to their friends and family. Sonja is a daughter, a sister, an aunt, a niece, a cousin, a friend, and a part of our community. Please-when you think of your own family, put her in their place and show her the support you would hope your loved ones and you would be shown in a similar situation. Whether by sharing, donating, or showering her with love and words of support, please give from your heart and let’s do our best to show her how loved she is.