Teddy’s Radiothon Story

Teddy was lone 2 erstwhile helium was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia, oregon ALL. He had been pale, clingy, and not acting similar himself and arsenic this was during the pandemic, it was archetypal thought helium had contracted Covid. When helium wasn’t improving, his parents took him to the section infirmary adjacent their location successful Raymond wherever bloodwork revealed Teddy had a precise debased reddish humor compartment count. He needed to beryllium transported to the Alberta Children’s Hospital via fixed helping airplane by the Pediatric Critical Care Transport squad close away. That nighttime astatine the Alberta Children’s Hospital’s Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) helium needed 3 humor transfusions.

When the diagnosis came back, Emily and Ryan were understandably shocked and scared. But arsenic parents of a girl with analyzable aesculapian needs, children’s hospitals were not caller to them, and they felt they were successful the close 1 for Teddy. Soon, helium began chemotherapy, and contempt the caring hands administering it, it was unsmooth connected his small body. Emily emotionally recalls however her lad would accidental “Mama, prevention me!” and “Mama, marque it stop!” and however due to the fact that she was pregnant, couldn’t spell successful in with him to get an X-ray erstwhile helium was scared. The household had to enactment their lives connected clasp to determination into the Ronald McDonald House for a twelvemonth portion helium went done his treatments, which became easier for Teddy to tolerate acknowledgment to his nurses and doctors who tried to ever marque appointments amusive – including fabric shot fights with Dr. Lewis. During this time, calamity struck erstwhile 5 months into her pregnancy, Emily went into aboriginal labour and sadly, mislaid their babe lad Johnny. The household returned to Raymond to hide their baby, and 1 time later, were backmost astatine the Alberta Children’s Hospital. “We had to effort to prevention our different son,” Emily says, recalling however caregiver Paula comforted her during this incredibly affectional time.

Teddy enjoyed a twelvemonth successful remission astatine location with his household – going to Disneyworld, seeing household and friends and playing successful the dirt. And then, sadly, the crab came backmost successful August. This 2nd clip around, the chemo has been much intense, causing him to suffer his hairsbreadth successful a month, beryllium sick to his tummy and person achy rima sores. However, Teddy has been eligible for an immunotherapy attraction betwixt chemo that harnesses his immune strategy to combat the cancer. He has been tolerating the attraction good and has much vigor and little broadside effects, positive it’s portable – helium tin get the infusion 24/7 done a pump helium carries astir successful a backpack.

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Currently, what has been a “godsend” is the Hospital astatine Home program. Teddy tin person his chemo treatments successful the comfortableness of their flat by caring, specialized nurses, alternatively than needing to spell to hospital. It’s besides been a crippled changer for Emily too, who is legally unsighted and doesn’t person to interest astir going to the infirmary arsenic often.

It’s genuinely hard to judge each this household has been through, but what keeps Emily going is Teddy. His spot and zest for beingness is inspiring. To Emily, their doctors and nurses are similar household and “angels successful scrubs and stethoscopes” and erstwhile she thinks of what the infirmary means to her, 1 connection comes to mind. Hope.