heather + finn !

Happy Day After Christmas everyone!

I am so happy to write and tell you that I have enjoyed real moments of peace and contentment in the last few days. After our hospital stay last week, I am feeling better than I have in months. I have more energy than I have had in a while, and the pain in my back and leg, while still a force, is managable. I have really just loved the time with my family over the holiday. there’s more →

Hello all! We are home…again! Heather is in bed, pouring through the many Christmas cards and get well notes that awaited our return. Her parents are here cooking dinner and taking care of us. I have tears in my eyes. It is good to be home with Heather feeling well this time. The love you are sending us is beyond belief. I am humbled. It has changed the way I look at the world. Everything looks different to me now. We are blessed. there’s more →

Wow wow wow….home now. Have spent the morning pouring over the entries here….I continue to be amazed and touched and inspired. Sometimes i can’t believe it, there is so much love. I need it, and I thank you for not letting me forget it’s there.

Coming home last night was much more emotional for me than i expected it to be. I slept and meditated for much for the ride, lying down in the front seat. as we pulled into Bath on route one, and i saw the cranes, those lovely angular arms of steel and light, reaching up from the river, I was overwhelmed and broke down. there’s more →

We are home for the first time in nearly a month!

We were both in tears pulling in the driveway. It feels so good to be here. Heather weathered the trip from MA well, and is now resting on a bed in the living room surrounded next to a beautiful Christmas tree. Heartfelt thanks to Wendy and Jen for decorating the place for the holidays. We have missed you all and look forward to seeing you! I hope to see everyone at JA on Tuesday or Wednesday before vacation.
Apologies to all the unreturned phone calls. We should be here through the weekend.

Keep calling!
Love, Dick

Hello everyone!
I truly cannot believe the number of messages on this website! I don’t know what to say except thank you. Your concern shows me how truly connected we all are. The love just keeps rippling outward, on and on. It is awe inspiring.
We left the hospital Monday evening to stay at my sister, Kim’s house in Reading. The transition was a little scary for Heath, but we are settled in comfortably. We are waiting to head back to the hospital this afternoon for a blood count check. Depending on Heather’s comfort level, we will be home tonight or tomorrow morning. We shall see. We have learned not to plan too far ahead! All is well with Finn.
Special thanks to everyone at JA for writing. It is good to know that everything there is going well and that you are all thinking of us. I hope to be back in the classroom after the holidays for a couple of weeks before Finn is born. It will be good to see you. I hope everyone is well.
Love to all,
Dick

Dear Family and Friends,
We are truly overwhelmed by your support. Though this difficult journey is far from over, we have already been transformed by your love. Reading all of your words has taught us that we will never be alone in this struggle. None of us is every really alone. Thank you for sending your love and positive energy - we need it and are sucking it in. Every one of you is in our hearts.

Heather is feeling much better. The first chemo treatment eased her pain almost immediately. She has also gained back most of the mobility in her left leg. It feels great to finally be on the road to recovery! The Docs had a big meeting this morning and came up with a plan for Heather and Finn. Chemo treatment for Lymphoma is not harmful to Finn - but they don’t want to push it so he will be delivered at 33 weeks (mid January). As of Monday (12/12) we will be able to leave the hospital for a few days at Kim’s house nearby in Reading. Assuming all goes well we will be HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS!!!

Heather sends back love and peace to your souls and urges you to keep writing. You are making a difference! More updates to come…

much love, Dick

Hi Everyone,
I am so overwhelmed. Your words inspire me to fight harder. Just had my first chemo treatment and am surrounded by loved ones. reading your messages has helped make a hard day feel more rewarding. Much more to say, and I will in the next few days, I promise, thank you so much for sending me your light and love. Finn is kicking away, tugging at my heart and helping me fight from within. I need you and thank you all. More soon,
Love love love,
Heather

Hi everyone. Here’s the latest on Heather and Finn…
The results of the biopsy have come back and shown that it is Lymphoma - no specifics of type yet. Due to the agressiveness of the tumor they are going to begin Chemo right away. Heather will receive her first treatment today (Finn will be oky doky). The current goal is to get Finn to 32 weeks - one month from now. As many of you know the information and plan of attack seems to change at a moments notice so check back in later. I will post more as soon as I have it.

On a personal note:
Wendy and I went down to Boston on Saturday to stay with Heather and were once again amazed and inspired by the strength of our dear friend (and her amazing family). As we sat in the hospital with her (all 3 of us wearing matching sheep pajamas - if you don’t know us trust me - it’s a funny picture) I was struck by what a glow she has around her. She is so loved! She has touched so many of us with her beauty and i feel honored to be her friend. ok - must stop - tears clogging up my keyboard.

Anyway - just wanted to fill you all in. more later.
love, jen roe (Jenny - for Heather only)

Hi everyone!
I have just seen this website for the first time. Heath is going to love it. Thanks to you all for your love and support. We are still waiting for results to determine exactly what we are dealing with and the pain squad here at Beth Isreal are starting to ease the worst of Heather’s pain. This whole process is a lot more complicated than I ever imagined. Of course the pregnancy makes everything more complicated. Finn is doing very well despite all of the morphine Heather is on. He will be 28 weeks old on Wednesday! We are able to stay positive in part because of all of you. Detailed updates will be coming as soon as we know more. Thank you, thank you, thank you!
We love you all. -dick

Welcome to our website for Heather and Finn!

We wanted to figure out a way to keep all of us who love them involved - even though we can’t be with them. So feel free to leave messages/thoughts/well wishes and we’ll post updates to let you know what’s happening as we have them.

Here’s how it works…

To leave them a message: Click on the “leave a message for heather, dick and finn” text in the green bar above. That will take you to the message board page - scroll down and you’ll see an auto form to fill out with your name and message - then hit submit comment button and - poof! your message will appear at the top.

Postings on Heather and Finns progress will appear on this home page as we have them. So check back in whenever you want to see what’s happenning.

Feel free to contact me as well if you have any questions - jen@wildolivemedia.com.
love, jen roe