Help Leah come home

My name is Myles. My wife Leah Telder was young when her left eye's vision became a problem in grade 12. After 3 years of being misdiagnosed, Leah went to a new doctor who realized Leah had optic neuritis caused by MS (Multiple Sclerosis). The type of MS Leah had was very aggressive. Her body was falling apart and she became confined to a wheelchair. Leah made a life-changing decision to participate in an experimental bone marrow transplant study back in Ottawa. After many months and expenses, Leah came home cured! She had done better than anyone else in that study and could walk and live a normal life with only some left over damage to her vision and balance.

Me and Leah met in high school but didn't see each other for many years. In 2008 the miracle girl came out with me and some friends. We began to see more of each other in 2009. Soon we were inseparable. Took awhile, but we officially tied the knot in 2021. After that, we somehow won a bidding war and paid too much for a townhouse. Despite the price, we were very happy in our new home with our new puppy and Leah was finally able to fix her left eye by getting a corneal transplant in December. Life was very good....

.....until the afternoon of January 28 2022 when i was leaving work. I got a message from Leah's dad telling me Leah isn't answering her phone. I called our amazing neighbors asking to check on her. They found her face down(head turned) on the ground and hardly breathing.

What i haven't mentioned is that Leah had experienced an occasional seizure but only once or twice every 2 years since 2013. We believe they were triggered by her broken/lack of sleep.She was on seizure medication and had taken her pill that morning i discovered.

Leah had seized for many hours that day with no help.Serious damage was done and we were lucky she is a strong person as she had neared death due to lack of oxygen from aspiration.

Leah had pneumonia, was barely conscious and on a ventilator for almost 2 weeks. Together, the paramedics, ER at RC and SM, then ACU at Surrey Memorial brought Leah back to us. Of course family love and support play a part in her recovery too.

Since this happened, Leah has slowly been improving, however she can barely move her right limbs (Apraxia) and can barely speak (Aphasia). Leah is now in a long-term care home. Our extended health plans have been a tremendous help. However, coverage for the intense physio that she needs has topped out for the year. LTC is a big monthly expense we must pay as well but is necessary for safety reasons.

The important thing is that we all believe in Leah's strength and that she will one day speak and walk like she could when this year began.

Those who know Leah, know that she's a beautiful person and deserves to take back the life she had. Leah doesn't deserve to lose her dreams again. 

Telling this story Isn't easy. Leah's road is still very challenging. Leah was told to stop working many years ago by her doctors. None of this, including asking people for help, is by choice. We cannot afford any more setbacks.