You might know Rob Poe as a volunteer with the National Lawyers Guild Legal Observer Program, or from his early-2000s company Red Star Remodeling (specializing in green home spaces), or as one of two full-time professional foragers around Chicago (where he’s known as the Chicago Mushroom Man), or from Carnivore, the regenerative-farmed whole-animal butcher shop he helped open in Oak Park in 2014. Rob has devoted his life to supporting his community and to learning and teaching scratch cooking with all-natural foods. Today, he needs your help.

Rob tells his story best:

In March of 2024, my partner of 16 years, Dawn, was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. We hunkered down to ensure Dawn had the best care, which also meant that I was only working one day a week. Dawn’s situation devolved over nine months. She was hospitalized for four two-week periods during this time and had a major surgery in December, during which I was by her side throughout. Dawn died on March 15. While not wholly unexpected, her death was far sooner than either of us had planned.

As this was happening, I began experiencing pain in my left foot and ankle, which doctors initially diagnosed as gouty arthritic, likely the result of stress and lack of sleep from the challenges of caring for Dawn. By Thanksgiving of 2024, I was unable to walk and therefore unable to work at all. Since then, I’ve been to eleven doctors to diagnose the problem. It wasn’t until July 24th of this year, that a specialist was able to identify a deeper problem, osteomyelitis — a deep bone infection. We proceeded to emergency surgery, with the initial intent of amputating my foot at the ankle. Once I was on the table, however, the surgeon deemed amputation unnecessary for the time being, opting instead for a painful debrasion procedure, aimed at removing infected cartilage between each joint.

Since then, I’ve had regular hospital visits for weekly antibiotic infusions, plus multiple doctor appointments each week, as well as a further limb salvage surgery on November 3rd that included bone grafts and the installation of metal hardware extending deep into my tibia — an attempt at stabilizing the joint in hopes of allowing me to walk without crutches soon after.

Unfortunately, this autumn’s surgery led to a rampant infection. I was hospitalized for another emergency procedure, to remove the hardware that had just been installed, but, due to the extent to which the bone had bound to the hardware, doctors were unable to do so. Instead, they attempted to cut out any infected tissue, and I’ve been on a heavy course of antibiotics ever since. My current condition requires me to remain on an antibiotic infusion and to be looked after by a home nurse three days a week. Unfortunately I have another round of surgery in February.

In addition to the physical and emotional challenges Rob has undergone during this ordeal, he has also experienced significant financial difficulties. At this point, he has lost significant income and has run through all of his savings, about $40,000. Rob was only able to pay his medical insurance and rent this month by selling off about 80% of his remaining art glass collection. He continues to work a few hours per week, writing and editing for his former full-time employer Carnivore Oak Park, but butcher shops only require so much writing work.

At this point, Rob’s best case timeline for recovery is six months. During that time, he will need money for medical insurance, rent, and utilities. Your generosity will help him to cover these expenses

I’ll let Rob conclude in his own words:

Thank you for your solidarity. While it has been an impossibly painful two years, I’m looking forward to getting back on my feet again, beginning to work again, and to getting back into the woods. I finally see the light at the end of the tunnel and am grateful to everyone who has been so helpful over the past year.