I’ve tried to write this at least six times, feeling more foolish each time I do so. I was raised that we don’t ask for help; we give help. Well, it’s starting to catch up with me. It’s kinda like that example in an airplane: if you don’t put your oxygen mask on first, you can’t help others, and that’s kind of where I’m at. My sister has colon cancer and is very sick, and I’m finding that I need to take care of myself so I can take care of her. This isn’t a story for you to feel sorry for me. This is just me putting my story out there in hopes that maybe somebody can graciously help if they can.
My name is Callie. I am 47 years old. I have a husband and two daughters in their 20s, two amazing granddaughters, and one is on the way! This isn’t a sob story. This is just a background of where I come from. My father committed suicide when I was 13 in our house, and my mom gave up on life and died in 2012. You could say that I have felt alone in my life; that would be an understatement. Every day, I struggle to try to take care of myself because I didn’t have the best example. About four years ago, I made a transition to a job closer to where I live, but before that, I worked at a company for 13 years. You could say I had a steady job. About four years ago, I was let go during the Covid time, and during that time, I had a massive grand mal seizure. I was rushed to the hospital and was told I can’t drive for six months and I needed a scan. At that time, we didn’t have the money to cover that, even with insurance. Skip forward about six months, and I ended up having another one. This has made it really difficult to hold down a job because I can’t drive every time I have one. My husband has a pretty steady job, thank God for that. But in the last four years, I haven’t been able to hold down a steady job due to my seizures. My doctor’s appointments can only consist of me getting a check-up and getting my medications. I haven’t been able to afford to address my seizures. Backing up a little bit, I do have a traumatic brain injury. When I was about six months old, I was dropped on my head and almost died. I really need to get some things addressed with my health, or else I’m not going to be able to hold down a job. We can no longer ask friends or family for help because everybody is going through this wonderful economy, and no one has anything extra, which is understandable. I actually had a long talk with my doctor the other day about doing a fundraiser. This fundraiser is so important not only to my health and whether or not I have a healthy life to live or to continue to live, but I also have a husband, daughters, sons-in-law, and grandbabies to think about. I have been trying to sell things here and there, but it’s just not enough to cut it. I need to be around to help take care of my sister. The money that I’m asking for is so we can stay afloat on our bills for our home and to be able to pay whatever the insurance doesn’t cover for these brain scans. I carefully sat down and added up what I thought I needed for the next six months for bills and medical bills. We are very far behind, as I’m sure a lot of people are, and I do take that into great consideration. I hope you don’t think this is me asking for a handout because I’m being careless. This is actually one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to do. I’m asking for help so I can get better and take care of my friends and family. I love each and every one of them, and if you’re reading this now, I love you too. Whatever you can give, I appreciate it. Maybe you can pass this on for me, and I would be forever grateful. Please don’t think of this as a sign of weakness. This is very difficult for me to do because I always help people. I don’t like asking for help, but if I don’t, I’m not gonna get better. I’m afraid if I don’t take care of myself, I’m not going to wake up from one of these seizures. My sis needs me. She’s sick. My daughters need me; they have my grandbabies. Most of all, my husband needs me. He is a good man. So please, I ask you from the bottom of my heart, if you have anything to give, I’d appreciate it. Can you please pass this on? Maybe it will reach somebody that has the compassion in their heart to help somebody so I can pay it forward. Thank you all for listening. If this comes out of shock, I’m sorry. My husband is also sorry too. We have kept all of this quiet for many years. Now we can’t anymore because we are backed up against a wall. Plus, the doctor really encouraged this because there is a chance that I could have another and not wake up. I don’t want that to happen, so I hope you can find it in your heart to understand why I am doing this.
Please take good care. God love you all.
Callie Leabow
