Heather Roth Healing Support Fundraiser
Donation protected
Dear friends, family and wider community,
My name is Amy Arnold and I have been a friend of Heather and Erik for 17 years, since our oldest children were babies. It wasn't long ago that I was on this web site donating to a fundraising effort towards the rebuilding of Heather and Erik's barn which burned down early Spring. I remember feeling like this barn burning was a big set back and disaster for this hard working family. And then, it felt small compared to this new turn in their lives.
Here are some of Erik's words from his update to the barn fundraiser:
Saturday morning I milked the cows and headed out to the field to start in on the day's work. Heather was scheduled to go to the doctor's office in Viroqua, she had been having persistent headaches that led to the decision to do an MRI because there was some speculation that she had maybe had a “mini-stroke” based on her symptoms.
They had found a very large tumor in her brain and wanted her to take an ambulance to LaCrosse, which she did. They wanted to perform surgery right away in the morning, which Heather agreed to. At 7 am on Sunday morning they wheeled her away and brought her back at 2 in the afternoon after 5 hours of surgery. They had removed a fist-sized tumor from her brain. She had lost a lot of blood and had a rough time coming out of anesthesia. As you can imagine, she was in pretty rough shape, but the surgeon felt that things went as well as they could and he also felt like the tumor looked like a meningioma, which is almost always is benign.
Week one of Heather’s recovery went really well. She was able to come home a mere 2 days after surgery and we spent that week feeling hopeful, lucky, and grateful for all the good news we were getting from a medical standpoint--her giant incision was healing nicely, she was up and about, and the tumor was most likely benign. We were also receiving tremendous support from our amazing community by way of meals, kid transport, and encouragement.
Weeks 2 and 3 proved to be a little more challenging. The magnitude of Heather's surgery started to catch up with her as she started to notice changes in her senses of taste and smell, as well as a general disconnect from the world. On June 24th she went for a follow-up appointment with her neurosurgeon, where we got the unwelcome news that her tumor was NOT benign, but rather a rare form of brain cancer. This was devastating news, and our lives were instantly changed.
Up until that moment, we felt that we might be able to continue operating our farm, but when this new information arrived we knew right away that we needed to quit and focus on Heather and her healing. We milked our cows for the final time on July 10th and shipped them to a new home. We have since moved to town and are trying to arrange a new life. Heather is doing everything she can to help her body heal, and Erik has been working to clean up the million loose ends in our life.
A second Brain Surgery/and radiation
Since Erik wrote this letter things are continuing to change. Heather maintains focus on her daily healing-meditating and going to her many appointments. She is connecting to her intuition to find her way to her full health. Recently that led her to leave her Lacrosse doctor and begin working with a new trusted neurosurgeon in Madison. They went for an appointment earlier this week to get a second opinion and found that the new doctor feels like he can remove the rest of the tumor with a second surgery. So that is the new direction that they are moving in. Heather spoke to me yesterday about riding the waves of all this change as each appointment seems to bring the possibility of something completely different. This second surgery will happen September 13th. Then she will be recovering and gaining her strength again before she begins radiation treatment in Chicago.
Money needs
Like many of you I love Heather so much. The experience of being her friend in this time has clarified for me how precious our community is, and also how vulnerable we all are. Most importantly how taking care of each other is essential to our wholeness as individuals and as a group. I also know from being near Heather and Erik, how much people want to help. I know how they are waiting to be told how they can help more. The money that was raised for the barn rebuilding has gone, with donors’ blessing, to support them in this transition. But expenses are high and money is running out. And so Heather and Erik are letting us raise money for them again.
It is hard to determine a set amount of money that is needed when there is so much uncertainty. Heather and Erik have recently decided that getting out from under their debt is more valuable to them than holding onto the farm that they have tended for the past 11 years and they are preparing to sell it. Erik is focused on getting it ready to put on the market.
We need help paying their monthly mortgage and farm debt bills until the farm is sold. We need help with costs involved in getting the farm ready to be put on the market.
We need help paying for Heather's acupuncture treatments, appointments with alternative specialists, and healing foods and herbs.
We need help with the costs of travel to appointments and stays in Madison and Chicago for testing and surgery preparation, recovery time, and radiation treatments.
And while many continue to generously make food and share resources, the additional daily costs of living for a family of five add up quickly.
We need help because they do not have an income. And it is not clear when Erik will be able to work. When they do sell their farm, our hope is that after they pay their bills there is some money left over to start again. That they don't loose everything keeping themselves afloat during this time.
Meanwhile life moves on
As Heather and Erik travel next week for appointments and surgery preparation, the girls, now settled well in their new town home, will be able to get themselves where they need to be by foot. Willa and Sabine have begun their Senior and Sophomore years in high school, and Livian,12, will be resuming her homeschooling routine.
Heather and Erik are transformed by the love and support that has already been shown to them. And I know that it is a new skill for them to be able to continue to receive. Lets keep them wrapped in the security that their needs are taken care of so that they can focus on their physical and emotional well being.
Also, whatever form of prayer you practice, please hold Heather and her family in your hearts.
With endless love for this family, and deepest gratitude for your support of them,
-Amy Arnold
If you would like to send letters or donations directly their address is:
Heather Roth and Erik Amodt
118 West South Street
Viroqua, WI 54665
My name is Amy Arnold and I have been a friend of Heather and Erik for 17 years, since our oldest children were babies. It wasn't long ago that I was on this web site donating to a fundraising effort towards the rebuilding of Heather and Erik's barn which burned down early Spring. I remember feeling like this barn burning was a big set back and disaster for this hard working family. And then, it felt small compared to this new turn in their lives.
Here are some of Erik's words from his update to the barn fundraiser:
Saturday morning I milked the cows and headed out to the field to start in on the day's work. Heather was scheduled to go to the doctor's office in Viroqua, she had been having persistent headaches that led to the decision to do an MRI because there was some speculation that she had maybe had a “mini-stroke” based on her symptoms.
They had found a very large tumor in her brain and wanted her to take an ambulance to LaCrosse, which she did. They wanted to perform surgery right away in the morning, which Heather agreed to. At 7 am on Sunday morning they wheeled her away and brought her back at 2 in the afternoon after 5 hours of surgery. They had removed a fist-sized tumor from her brain. She had lost a lot of blood and had a rough time coming out of anesthesia. As you can imagine, she was in pretty rough shape, but the surgeon felt that things went as well as they could and he also felt like the tumor looked like a meningioma, which is almost always is benign.
Week one of Heather’s recovery went really well. She was able to come home a mere 2 days after surgery and we spent that week feeling hopeful, lucky, and grateful for all the good news we were getting from a medical standpoint--her giant incision was healing nicely, she was up and about, and the tumor was most likely benign. We were also receiving tremendous support from our amazing community by way of meals, kid transport, and encouragement.
Weeks 2 and 3 proved to be a little more challenging. The magnitude of Heather's surgery started to catch up with her as she started to notice changes in her senses of taste and smell, as well as a general disconnect from the world. On June 24th she went for a follow-up appointment with her neurosurgeon, where we got the unwelcome news that her tumor was NOT benign, but rather a rare form of brain cancer. This was devastating news, and our lives were instantly changed.
Up until that moment, we felt that we might be able to continue operating our farm, but when this new information arrived we knew right away that we needed to quit and focus on Heather and her healing. We milked our cows for the final time on July 10th and shipped them to a new home. We have since moved to town and are trying to arrange a new life. Heather is doing everything she can to help her body heal, and Erik has been working to clean up the million loose ends in our life.
A second Brain Surgery/and radiation
Since Erik wrote this letter things are continuing to change. Heather maintains focus on her daily healing-meditating and going to her many appointments. She is connecting to her intuition to find her way to her full health. Recently that led her to leave her Lacrosse doctor and begin working with a new trusted neurosurgeon in Madison. They went for an appointment earlier this week to get a second opinion and found that the new doctor feels like he can remove the rest of the tumor with a second surgery. So that is the new direction that they are moving in. Heather spoke to me yesterday about riding the waves of all this change as each appointment seems to bring the possibility of something completely different. This second surgery will happen September 13th. Then she will be recovering and gaining her strength again before she begins radiation treatment in Chicago.
Money needs
Like many of you I love Heather so much. The experience of being her friend in this time has clarified for me how precious our community is, and also how vulnerable we all are. Most importantly how taking care of each other is essential to our wholeness as individuals and as a group. I also know from being near Heather and Erik, how much people want to help. I know how they are waiting to be told how they can help more. The money that was raised for the barn rebuilding has gone, with donors’ blessing, to support them in this transition. But expenses are high and money is running out. And so Heather and Erik are letting us raise money for them again.
It is hard to determine a set amount of money that is needed when there is so much uncertainty. Heather and Erik have recently decided that getting out from under their debt is more valuable to them than holding onto the farm that they have tended for the past 11 years and they are preparing to sell it. Erik is focused on getting it ready to put on the market.
We need help paying their monthly mortgage and farm debt bills until the farm is sold. We need help with costs involved in getting the farm ready to be put on the market.
We need help paying for Heather's acupuncture treatments, appointments with alternative specialists, and healing foods and herbs.
We need help with the costs of travel to appointments and stays in Madison and Chicago for testing and surgery preparation, recovery time, and radiation treatments.
And while many continue to generously make food and share resources, the additional daily costs of living for a family of five add up quickly.
We need help because they do not have an income. And it is not clear when Erik will be able to work. When they do sell their farm, our hope is that after they pay their bills there is some money left over to start again. That they don't loose everything keeping themselves afloat during this time.
Meanwhile life moves on
As Heather and Erik travel next week for appointments and surgery preparation, the girls, now settled well in their new town home, will be able to get themselves where they need to be by foot. Willa and Sabine have begun their Senior and Sophomore years in high school, and Livian,12, will be resuming her homeschooling routine.
Heather and Erik are transformed by the love and support that has already been shown to them. And I know that it is a new skill for them to be able to continue to receive. Lets keep them wrapped in the security that their needs are taken care of so that they can focus on their physical and emotional well being.
Also, whatever form of prayer you practice, please hold Heather and her family in your hearts.
With endless love for this family, and deepest gratitude for your support of them,
-Amy Arnold
If you would like to send letters or donations directly their address is:
Heather Roth and Erik Amodt
118 West South Street
Viroqua, WI 54665
Organizer and beneficiary
Amy Arnold
Organizer
Viroqua, WI
Erik Amodt
Beneficiary