Help Teela and her family while she’s battling lymphoma
Donation protected
Hi my name is Teela, I wasn’t going to make a go fund me but some people said it may be easier to reach more people to hear my story.
On Friday January 10th 2025 my life changed forever, I had been struggling with a persistent cough that quickly turned into extreme shortness of breath. I had went to the to the doctors multiple times they would give me antibiotics and puffers
to treat me like it was walking pneumonia. I was 2 months postpartum from having my baby and I had complained about extreme shortness of breath and severe upper back pain, shoulder pain, and arm pain. The pain was so excruciating. It would keep me up all hours of the night. Everyone chocked it up as just being pregnant, especially medical professionals. I had some symptoms i would have never thought in 100 years was anything close to cancer (itchy skin, sweating, and extreme fatigue).
finally, I went in to the doctor and put my foot down and said something isn’t right you need to do more they gave me one more inhaler and they said give this a week of not go for an Xray. During the Xray the lady taking them was shocked at how little I could breathe and asked me how long had this been going on. After the pictures she with a shocked look in her face told me to wait in the waiting room, a few minutes later she pulled me in to a room and told me that my left lung was fully collapsed, and I had to go to the ER immediately. I went to the BGH and upon doing so I got ordered for a ct screening, i did the ct screening and waited for the results. I truly thought my lung being collapsed was the worst of it, but the doctor came in and said “I’m sorry Teela but we found a large mass in the middle of your chest and it looks to be cancer” they then said you will have to be transferred to st Joes in Hamilton because brantford does not have the resources to deal with anything like that.
Upon arriving at Saint Joe’s I met with a a doctor who was able to tell me more. I had swollen lymph nodes in my neck in front of my heart and a large 13 cm mass in my chest that was collapsing my left lung. She said the lung and the fluid around it was the least of my worries but I needed the biopsy of the mass right away. So Saturday I went in for the biopsy and well, they were doing the biopsy. They also put a chest tube in so they can drain the fluid. They got over 2 1/2 L of fluid out from around my lungs. As of right now My doctor told me that it is Hodgkin’s lymphoma they see this kind of stuff often but I’m still waiting on the official pathology report to come up with my official diagnosis and start my treatment.
I have been at the hospital the whole time I’m not allowed to leave and they want to start the treatment right away. But in being here I am leaving a 2 month old baby and our 4 kitties at home with my husband Nick. I love them all to pieces they are my world. I am currently on maternity leave which is a small payment but we have been making it work, Nick is laid off for the winter but is most likely not going to be able to return to work. With our small income in the winter months we are finding ourselves taking out loans, making ourselves in debt just to get back and forth to the hospital. Recently parking and been $30 each time just for a few hours it is pretty brutal. I have had to completely stop breast feeding/pumping and we have to make the switch to formula which is another large expense.
I just want to thank everyone who has supported us so far and for the continued love and support. This is going to be a long hard journey especially when I start chemo. And for all the donations so far we are so grateful.
And I would also like to thank my good friend Shelley Randle for even giving me the courage to post something like this and asking for help. If it wasn’t for her and my grandmother norine i would not be this strong ❤️
I have created an Amazon wish list at the request of a few friends and family, if you would like to purchase anything it will go directly to my house
Organizer
Teela Newton
Organizer
Brantford, ON