Amanda’s Frightful Journey
Over the last three years I have watched my wife suffer.
Tormented by life and stalked by sadness. Trauma after trauma after trauma... most people would have crumbled but my baby kept fighting. She never lost hope and when the suffering never seemed to slow down or stop, she still kept a positive attitude and was hopeful that better things were in store for her ahead. She couldn’t wait for 2020. 
My name is Jamie Arnold and I am a medically retired disabled vet. I am here today asking for your help.
My wife, Amanda, has been diagnosed with pulmonary hypertension. This disease is terminal with no cure. Pulmonary hypertension causes high blood pressure in your lungs and slowly diminishes your ability to breathe. It eventually causes right sided heart failure. Her battle started in February 2019, we have been in and out of doctors offices ever since in an attempt then to get answers. The diagnosis arrived as both a blessing to finally know what’s wrong but a curse because she is dying. 
We have a three-year-old son and she has a 13-year-old son. Due to her failing health I can no longer work a traditional job. My schedule has to be flexible in case Amanda is unable to function normally. She will be fine and within minutes be ravaged by swelling and her breathing becomes difficult and she gets very very tired. So I have to be at her disposal at a moments notice and that makes working quite a challenge.
I’ve been driving for rideshare companies since July and We have been OK financially until now ( a couple of rough patches but nothing major)
As her condition has rapidly declined over the past month, I have been at work less and less which has had a huge impact on our finances. I have brought in a quarter of what I usually do. I had to get Amanda’s RX and was going to be a tiny bit short on rent but they wouldn’t accept anything but the full amount. Two payments that were supposed to be on hold this month both went through as we were figuring things out and left our account over drafted and us unable to pay rent. Any other time I could have fixed this by working more but this time my baby needed me too much.
My landlord filed for evection today (02/18/2020) even though I’m only 18 days late on rent. We also have utility bills and other important bills that are behind. We are basically prioritizing rent and food every mont (but this month just didn’t work out).
I can’t imagine having to he homeless while my wife goes through this.
We have never been so anxious for our tax return.
I have filed for assistance but the waiting for an answer takes 6 to 8 weeks which we don’t have. Our three-year-old is autistic and struggles enough, our 13-year-old who is also autistic needs stability as well. They are innocent and afraid as they have learned of their mothers deteriorating health.
We are barely keeping food on the table and I know of many times Amanda hasn’t eaten so the boys can eat more. Which I hate. She needs all the nutrients she can get right now but she makes sure her boys are full first.
The hardest thing to do is reach out a hand and ask strangers for help. Amanda is sick at the thought. I think the fear is the judgement and closed minded people that find any reason they can to pounce on a person. But we are in this together and we are hopeful and praying hard!
Amanda has the heart of an Angel. Pulmonary Hypertension is not her only ailment. She is disabled after a failed back surgery that has left her spine too weak for additional treatment without stem-cell therapy. Why does this make her an angel? This woman took $22k in SSDI backpay and started a special needs non profit. To Autism With Love. She had not worked in 2 years and instead of using that backpay on her self, she actually helped over 1800 families in just 2 short years once her non profit was fully functional. She bought Christmas gifts, Easter baskets, paid rent, utilities, groceries, paid for a family to stay in a hotel for 2 weeks while they got back on their feet, Valentines, and back to school supplies to name a few. We feed the homeless and but them survival supplies. Amanda is a life coach and will stay up until all hours of the night helping strangers that were referred to her that are suicidal or just need someone to listen. The very day her parents disowned her she was in the phone until 230am for the following morning talking down a suicidal person from the ledge that although a stranger was a person in need.
I need you help. We need your help. This woman deserves so much more. Please assist me in normalizing our life as much as possible and allow me to tend to her needs while we navigate this uncertainty over her health and attempt to tackle this head on. Please assist me in keeping her in our home while she fights the ultimate fight. Please assist us in keeping a roof over our boys home and keeping them fed while she battles this rare illness and I care for her and boys and attempt to have a sense of normalcy in our home.
We understand if you can not donate. I beg you to share this fundraiser as someone you know may be able to and assist us in getting back on our feet.
I promise that whatever help we receive, will be paid forward tenfold. Because that is how my wife rolls. she lives to help others. Now let’s live to help her. You can follow her progress on our FB group at the following: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2552051991736855/?ref=share
Thank You for reading, sharing, and helping my butterfly.
