[Posted in two parts... combined into one.  BIG]
Hello Carrie and FML family,
 
I am in a similar situation as yourself, health-wise (on disability, have
had several neck, head and back injuries and am not able to hold down a job
consistently due to chronic pain and nerve problems).  I really feel for
you and your little Dena.  If I had the money myself, I'd send it to your
vet in Dena's behalf, in an instant, and I wouldn't expect you to ever pay
it back.  Unfortunately I don't have the money.  But I have a plan, and I
want to suggest it to you, (and the FML family) to see what you (and they)
think.  I have a whole bunch of fabric that I have started making into
ferret blankies, hammocks, etc.  I had planned to raise my own support to
go to the Soviet Union to minister to orphans, partially by selling ferret
stuff.  It turns out that I won't be going now, but I've decided to sell
the products anyway and donate part of the proceeds to the children in the
orphanages, and similar humanitarian causes, as well as to ferret causes,
shelters and other animal shelters, according to how I feel moved, the
urgency of the needs, etc.  Before I donate any proceeds to anything else,
I would like to offer to donate ferret hammocks and sleepsacks, blankies,
etc. to FML "family-members" who send donations to your vet in Dena's
behalf.  Maybe your vet would consider accepting the some of the products
themselves in exchange for part of the bill, and he could sell them out of
his office to other clients.  Maybe we could at least get a diagnosis for
Dena and treatment in progress.
 
Here is the only catch......
(The only thing I ask from you in return, is that if it works, you will
pass on the favor to someone else, anyone; any needy ferret, animal, child,
shelter, etc., *IF* you find yourself in a position to do so in the near or
distant future, either financially or by some other means.  Even if it just
means showing love, compassion and mercy to a stranger.  Even if it means
giving a glass of water to a thirsty person, taking a cooked meal to
someone sick, doing some kind deed such as giving a warm coat or blankets
to a homeless person, forgiving someone who previously hurt you.  The list
of things is endless and only you and God will know whether or not you ever
fulfill this request of mine.  You could do it once, or make a habit of it.
I won't even ask for an accounting.  I will tell you that if you do this
small thing, passing on the blessing, it will come back to you in ways you
never imagined.  I know this from experience.  Every kind thing I do for
another, is a way of "repaying" a kindness shown to me, especially those
which I was unable to repay any other way.  Most people who've shown me
kindnesses I couldn't repay, requested I pass on the blessing as the only
payment.  I still do this, and I continue to be blessed as well.)
 
General FML NOTE: I would like to start a tradition of giving, as I am
able, with the same request, made to each person I am able to reach out to.
I would like to see the tradition passed on to others, in hopes that it
will have a ripple effect that will echo throughout the ferret community
and beyond.  Imagine what could happen in the world if ferret-people took
this attitude, as they were able and moved by their own hearts to pass on
unconditional kindness to others, including to those we traditionally
ignore, because they are "different" than we are.  First of all, people
who take a dim view of ferrets and their people, might step back and think
twice about excluding us from the community, state, or country.  If ferret
people become known widely as people who make wonderful things happen for
other people, communities, other animals, other causes, because they are
kind and loving, it could make a tremendously positive impact, (for
ferrets, and ferret-community, and beyond, even in government.  We will be
wanted and there will be an obvious connection, especially as people ask us
"what is the difference?" We will have a natural soapbox, from which to
educate the community, and it will do wonders for our own self-esteem as
well.  It is hard to be angry, bitter, hateful, insecure, miserable,
lonely, and a whole host of other unpleasant things, when we are going even
slightly out of our way to show a kind gesture we wouldn't normally show.
Not to say we are all this way, though it's a pretty common human
condition.  But if we are in pain, this is an amazingly effective way to
begin to alleviate some of that pain.
 
Here is what I would like to do.....
I want you (Carrie) to talk to your vet.  Try to get a basic estimate of
the costs.  Give him my e-mail address and phone number and have him
contact me, collect, if necessary.  (I will not include my phone number in
the FML list, for obvious reasons.  People are welcome to e-mail me though
and I will pass on any information necessary, personally.)  Tell your vet
what I am proposing.  Ask if he is willing to work with these circumstances
a little, so that your Dena can get in to see him ASAP.  I am going to post
this on the FML and pray for a positive response.
 
I know this won't be easy.  I don't know how much I can sew, how quickly,
but I'll give it my all and try to fill orders as rapidly as I possibly
can.  For every person who sends a donation of $20-$25.00 or more to
Carrie's vet for Dena's account, I will send them a top quality "designer"
fabric/color/design ferret hammock, handmade by me.  I will have to charge
for shipping and handling, paid to me, (I am not set up yet, as a business,
though I plan to do all that as soon as I can get the cash together for a
license) since I am completely broke myself.  (Can anyone advise me here?
My guess is it would be somewhere between $2-$5 for standard shipping
including packaging.  I'll try to get the figures in the next few days.
This will depend on what I can get on the internet, vs. through the actual
Post Office during a holiday week.  Does anyone have a problem with
hammocks being wrapped in plastic and shipped in padded envelopes via US
Postal Service standard shipping?)
 
I will make professionally finished ferret-sized blankets to send to people
who send at least $5-$10.00.  I will ask for people to provide their name,
address, and amount sent, e-mail and phone number, clearly printed, on a
piece of paper with their checks, sent to the vet.  (So I can verify that
donations were actually sent).  People who order, please send the same info
to me via e-mail or snail mail, or I will give you a number to call after
you request it by e-mail along with your intent to "sponsor" Dena.  I will
be typing up a list of fabric colors and descriptions and will basically
have to provide those by categories, unless, or until I can provide
pictures of everything I have.  I'm warning you, my fabric supply is vast!
I will try to finish this list and have it available to e-mail to
interested parties in a couple days.  If anyone has any suggestions on an
easier way to handle the vet payment arrangements, mailing, orders, etc.,
PLEASE e-mail me privately if possible, ASAP!  NO FLAMES PLEASE.  This is
not about making a profit and I do not know Carrie.  I have no idea where
she lives and I don't even know if she will agree to this.
 
I am working on two or three interesting new designs for snuggly ferret
stuff.  For more costly and time consuming designs, I am guessing maybe a
donation to the vet of $35.00 and up each, or two for $50.00, or something
along those lines.  If this is way out of line and people wouldn't make
donations in this amount, please let me know.  I want to be as
accommodating as possible, without killing myself by being unable to meet
the demand, and unable to raise enough help for Dena in this instance.
Remember, this same, or a similar offer might be made for you and your
ferret at some point.  If I can get "established" selling these products
successfully, I will probably make some things for other kinds of pets to
broaden my market and get enough income to set up a "donation fund" just
for ferrets.
 
I also have a possible volunteer to help me set up a very simple website,
but it won't happen in time to help Dena, unless someone else out there
would like to volunteer to help me with that.  I have a lower-end set-up,
technology wise, and almost that much knowledge about the computer, so that
stuff could take awhile.
 
The other option, though less desirable, would be for people to send full
payment directly to me, but that would entail more postage expense from me.
It would also take longer to get to Dena's vet, and I don't know if he will
work with us on this.  I am working to set up a borrowed fax machine which
may help with some of this process, but I don't even know exactly how it
works.  That is, will it cost me to send and receive faxes at my home over
my regular phone line?  I told you I'm pretty clueless about this stuff.
If Dena's vet can accept Visa payments, I COULD deposit everything to an
account in my name (because I am not set up for business yet) and pay him
with my Visa.  Or maybe he would accept direct payments by credit card
from people.  Again, any advice from others with experience doing anything
remotely like this, whether for business or fundraising or fun, would be
warmly welcomed!  Thanks.  Hope this isn't too long.  If it is, I'll try
sending it in two or three parts.  Crossing my fingers.
 
For the love of our fuzzy inspirations,
 
Alecia
[Posted in FML issue 2876]