About Teddie's Tribe
Teddie's Journey
Shortly after Teddie’s third birthday she started to complain of headaches so we made an appointment for an MRI to be “safe”. On August 9, 2019 we drove into Boston for Teddie to have a “6 minute rule out” MRI. Those 6 minutes turned into 15, then 30, then 45….my husband tried to reassure me to stay calm and maybe they got backed up. I called my mom, who tried to calm my nerves as well. After an hour… panic started to set in, I asked to talk to someone…anyone!
It wasn’t for another hour that someone came out and we heard the words that would change our lives forever, “we may have found a reason for her headaches”. Over the next few hours we met with radiologists, doctors, surgeons, brain surgeons. After attempting to digest this information while Teddie lay still under anesthesia in front of us they told us to go home and they would be in touch in a few days with next steps. We didn’t want to leave, we wanted our baby to stay under the watchful eyes of experts. The next few days we traveled in and out of Boston for opinions and second opinions. One week later we went back into Boston for Teddie to have a brain tumor biopsy and chiari surgery, where they removed her top vertebrae of her spine to relieve pressure. Her surgery went into early hours of the morning. After a scare during the surgery we found out that all went well. Exhale. The first hurdle of this nightmare was over.
Recovery wasn’t easy and two weeks later we were back for Teddie to get a port placed in and her first round of chemotherapy. Over the next 379 days, 33 chemotherapy treatments, 6 middle of the night trips to the ER, 3 bouts in the PICU, her body could not take treatment anymore so we moved to what they call the “wait and watch” stage. We have been in this stage getting MRIs every three to six months. Just as we hoped to get back to normal, well a “normal” as our new normal has become, covid came in full force and the world shut down. This was the first time I felt like everyone in the world kind of got a glimpse into what a cancer family goes through. The worry, the isolation, the reality that life is shutting down and you have your family to protect. Thankfully we all got through covid times pretty healthy. Since then we have been staying on the path of the “wait and watch” stage. Teddie has had a few scares since entering this new stage of her journey, but all in all we are so grateful for how she is doing today. We could not be more thankful, grateful and blessed for our amazing tribe.
About us
Mom & Dad
Lucyanna Mae
Lucyanna Mae
We met in 2003 at a small bar called Teds (insert Teddie's namesake) at University of Connecticut. We have gone through some amazing highs and really tough lows as a couple due to our family's medical issues, but we have come out stronger through it all.
Lucyanna Mae
Lucyanna Mae
Lucyanna Mae
Lucy is our silly, sooo silly, makes you crack up with the things that come out of her mouth, girl! She literally can put a smile on anyones face no matter the occasion. She is a snuggle bug, a homebody, and early riser! She is so inqusitive and has memory like nobody I have every met.
Mia Rae
Lucyanna Mae
Mia Rae
Mia is our empath...our calm, caring, loving, feels every feeling, girl. She is reserved and quiet, but she shines when on the stage! She will be the first person to help someone else and make sure everyone feels included. She has had to grow up way to fast due to circumstances but has done it all with grace and love.