Support for Melissa (Meyer) Rutledge

Thank you to all of you who have so generously given to Melissa's family. It was so nice to meet many of you at her funeral and while visiting our grandma Doris Meyer at Oakwood. Melissa's father Lyn has been working with a lawyer to become the official executor of her estate and has set up an account at the Deerfield Bank. This June I will return to Wisconsin and visit Lyn and we will transfer these funds to the account he has set up for Melissa's estate. Your generous donations will go toward her family paying off her medical bills and funeral expenses, and then go into a fund for her children Alex and Lilly. We are all very grateful for your support.

Update: I am heartbroken to share that our beloved Mel passed away on the morning of Sunday, March 26, 2023. She was surrounded by family and love as she left to meet her mother Carol in heaven. The money raised here will go to Mel's family to cover her medical bills and end-of-life expenses, and then into a fund for her children Lilly and Alex. Thank you all so much for your ongoing support for Melissa's family.

Original post: Hello family, friends, and friends I've yet to meet. My cousin, Melissa (Meyer) Rutledge, is -- as many of you know -- in a long and very difficult battle against cancer and we need your support for her. Some of you may know Melissa as friends and family in Monroe, WI. Others may know her as a co-worker and incredible employee at Oakwood Village in Madison. Some of you may know her from her childhood in Deerfield, WI or are friends with her father Lyn Meyer or brother Ken Meyer. Some of you may remember her wonderful mother, Carol, who passed away when Melissa and Ken were children.

Mel and her family need our help. Melissa was diagnosed with a large cancerous tumor in her colon last year, along with cancerous spots on her liver. She had major surgery to remove the tumor and part of her intestine, and the outlook looked good -- they were able to remove all cancer from her colon. Mel had a long recovery and she recently had a second surgery to reconnect her intestines. Unfortunately, there have been ongoing serious and painful complications with this second surgery. Mel was struggling for weeks at home and was eventually readmitted to the hospital. She has now been in the hospital for nearly a month, unable to eat and in considerable pain, and recently underwent a third invasive exploratory surgery so doctors can figure out what is blocking her digestive tract.

Once this horrible chapter has passed and she regains her strength, she will then go through another round of cancer treatments and chemo to treat the cancerous spots on her liver.

As you might imagine, along with being incredibly hard on her body, this has all taken a large emotional and mental toll on Mel. It also has been difficult for her two young children, Lilly and Alex. Mel's dad, Lyn, has been living with Mel to take care of her, his grandchildren, and her home as she fights this horrible battle. We all worry about the astronomical cost of her medical care, how many more days she has for leave with her job, what her new insurance plan will and will not cover, etc. It is enormously stressful for Mel and her family.

Those of you who know Mel and her family know they are the best people. Hard-working, kind, warm, salt-of-the-earth humans. I love them so much. They have gone through many hardships and to be going through this battle is unfair, confusing, and heartbreaking. Any help you can provide to show your support, and love, and to help ease their stress will be enormously appreciated.

Please share this website with your contacts in Monroe, Oakwood, Deerfield and beyond so we can spread the word and find support. Thank you for reading and thank you for any help you can give our wonderful Mel.