Megan Sonnenberg & her family

Hi, my name is Michelle and I am asking for help for Megan Sonnenberg and her family.

Megan and her family are in need of our help. She has had an eventful year. Megan is my colleague and friend at Jefferson Elementary School in Manitowoc, Wisconsin.

Last week I was feeling overwhelmed and unhappy with the “difficulties” I was facing in my life… I was feeling a little sorry for myself. Then on Friday, I had some time with my colleague (and friend) Megan… and wow my eyes were sprung open wide to the real difficulties that others are facing. Let me tell you all about Megan, her family, and their challenges.

Last summer, Megan moved back to Wisconsin from Arizona to help care for her parents. She got a teaching position at Jefferson, which is where we met. Megan has a kind and calming spirit and she always has a smile on her face. She is an amazing 4th grade teacher who is doing everything she can for her students (who absolutely love her). Each night, Megan returns home to take care of her two parents, both with significant medical issues/disabilities.

Her father, Daniel, 65, is disabled due to cardiac arrest 4 years ago, and still is unable to walk without assistance and needs assistance for daily functioning. In Megan's sister’s (Trisha) words, “Once the insurance ran out, he was unable to shell out the $1000+ for an hour session a week. The devastation in his eyes still haunts me...Yep, it isn't like in the movies. During a coma, bodies experience atrophy and need to be retrained.” So today, Megan’s father remains primarily wheelchair bound and has significant care needs. Megan moved home to help her mother care for her father.

I wish this was the end of Megan’s difficult story…Recently, her mom, Kathy, 61, had to have surgery due to a diabetic infection. Unfortunately, she lost a toe and part of her foot because she wasn’t able to consistently pay for her diabetic medicine. You see, Kathy cannot qualify for Medicaid because she and Daniel make about $40/month too much (from his disability pay.) She is still battling the infection and is trying a new antibiotic now, hoping to not lose more of her foot.. She needs physical therapy in order to regain her ability to walk, but alas, the family cannot afford it.

This beautiful person, Megan, moved home to help care for her parents in 2021, and bought a house to care for them in. Her brother Ryne, lives with them and cares for Megan’s parents during the day while Megan is teaching 19 fourth graders. When she returns home, she cares for her parents. I haven’t even mentioned yet that Megan also has medical concerns… She has a blood clot disorder that was discovered in 2017. Megan has numerous pulmonary embolisms (blood clots in the arteries of her lungs) and in March, Megan was hospitalized and the doctors found a clot in her heart. She is being treated with blood thinners with hopes that the clot in her heart will break apart and be absorbed. Selflessly, Megan continues to care for her parents and students with compassion and love.

As you can imagine, Kathy’s medical costs are astronomical. The surgery and hospital stay she just had is sure to be very expensive (they haven’t received the bills yet). Each weekly visit to the doctor is $407. Kathy should be seeing specialists as well for therapy, but they just don’t have the money. All 19 prescriptions ($170 /month) and wound care expenses ($100/week) are out of pocket.. In addition to these costs, Megan now needs a ramp built to make her home wheelchair accessible as soon as possible. Most importantly, Kathy needs to be able to begin therapy so can make a full recovery.

Megan’s story has moved me and I want to do whatever I can to help her. I hope her story moves you too, and you will consider helping her and her family through this difficult time.