Help needed with after Double lung Transplant Expenses

Hi, My name is Lyle Dry and I am humbly asking that you please #BeAcnaGiver by donating to help fund a double lung transplant for my life partner Theresa Damm (Kelly)

If you know Theresa Damm (Kelly)

You know she's a "great woman "

This phrase doesn't do Theresa justice, But she truly is a great woman for so many reasons. Theresa is caring, friendly, extremely outgoing, kind,generous, a amazing cook -would help anyone who needed it if she could .

Theresa is loving, patient and a Mother to 3 adult children, an a angel Mom to 1 and a MiMi to 1 .

Theresa loves animals and we have 2 cats that are spoiled and our babies .

Theresa is a daughter, sister, aunt , niece and is loved by so many .

Possible most important right now is

-Theresa is always optimistic ,a fighter and never gives up even when times are tough and she has a bad day . She just picks her self up and keeps pushing and fighting.

-Theresa is incredible selfless-more concerned about her family then herself .

Theresa became a CNA in 2000 because she loved taken care of other's and she enjoyed being a CNA

Going above and beyond her duties as a CNA she would also do the ladies hair for them if they could not afford to have it done and when there was a holiday. Anything she could do to make them happy and feel better .

In February of 2010

They found a rare tumor on Theresa left lung that was Removed and it left a cavity.

Unfortunately Theresa At age 44 was diagnosed with NTM's /MAC disease in 2019 .

Theresa had been a CNA for 19 years ,

While working in a facility that had Legionnaires running through the water system and people where getting sick , Theresa got really sick to the point they thought she had Legionnaires. Theresa was tested for Legionnaires and it was negative. She had double pneumonia, even after 2 weeks she was still really sick so they did a CT Scan and ran some other test and found out she had NTM's/MAC .

NTM's (bacteria) is found in your water system. Yes the water we drink , we shower in , we swim in , it's from the mist of your shower heads , from hot tubs , in door swimming pools , dish washers and washing machine, fountain drinks and ice makers .It's in the soil that when plant flowers in and let our kids play in and everyone comes in contact with it. There are over 200 species of it and it's very hard to put at bay .

NTM's is also known as

Non-Tuberculos Mycobacteria

MAC accounts for almost 80%of pulmonary diseases in the US .

Theresa was on the big 3 antibiotics and she tried Arikayce and could not handle it . She continued the big 3 . Untill February 21 , 2022 when she had to have the top part of her left lobe removed .

Theresa did really good for 8 months and then dropped down to 89 pounds could not eat was sick all the time , The NTM's / MAC disease was back.

In March of 2023 Theresa was sent to NJH in Denver Co for the NTM's program in hopes it would help her . By this time Theresa was on 2L to 3L of oxygen in Denver due to high Altitude . We was there for two weeks and they ran every test on her they could .

When we got home from Denver Theresa has been going down hill struggling to breathe.

Anything Theresa tries to do it just Wipes her out and she is exhausted.

All the little things we take for granted she struggles with .

Denver started her on the big 3 antibiotics again and started a picc Line. But with the picc line antibiotics she was going to lose some of her hearing. Risk we took!

3 months later it had to be stopped due to hearing loss in both ears .

Dr in Denver reached out about a double lung transplant.

December of 2023 Theresa was approved for a evaluation at Duke university in Durham NC for a double lung transplant. Spent one week out there ran lots of test.

Theresa is in chronic respiratory failure and is going to continue to go down hill till she can receive this gift of life .

Theresa is on oxygen 24/7 6L to 8L

December 26th best christmas gift ever. Theresa was approved for the double lung transplant.

Theresa has to do 5 weeks of physical therapy to build up them leg muscles before she can even be listed on the national transplant list and after surgery she will do weeks of physical therapy .

We have to relocate to Durham NC from Fiatt Illinois that is 14 hours from home . No family and no friends with us . That in its self is hard on anyone .

We will need to be in Durham NC for 4 to 12 months , and be within 30 mins from Duke University hospital.

Dr said she will be a hard transplant and it will take up to 10 hours or longer That she will come out on a ECMO machine. (Life support) They will open her up from one side all the way across her chest to the other side like a claim shell

Theresa spent 24 years of her life taken care of people and other people's loved one's.

Theresa now needs people helping her, a wider team of people behind her, supporting This life saving Double lung transplant.

We have to raise $20,000 for housing, food , gas , transportation, things her insurance won't cover and to live off of till we can come back home .

I had planned on working till she got the call but Duke said that's not possible and I have to be with Theresa at all times .

$20,000 will cover most the housing cost but then we are still left with additional stress, financial strain and every day things we will need in life .

Theresa and I both wake up every day wishing this was a dream and she had her life back before she got sick .

Every dollar donated to this campaign will go directly towards Theresa's Double lung transplant expenses.

Theresa deserves to live a long fulfilling life.

From the bottom of our hearts , We are asking for your help to raise money for Theresa's Double lung transplant.

Whether you can donate $5 or $50 , every dollar counts . Prayers and shares are also greatly appreciated

As this is Theresa's last option to live alittle longer .

Thank you .

#Donateandsavealife

Other ways to help

Venmo Theresa-Kelly-119

Cashapp $MommaTkelly