Tysons Emergency Medical Fund
Donation protected
WE NEED YOUR HELP:
HELP SAVE A HERO:
Tyson is my dog, he is my best friend. He is my brother and my guide. Tyson lives an active life and loves anything nature. He loves to swim, take long hikes in the mountains, and he loves the art of the chase. Having just turned only 7, Tyson is young and has many seasons ahead of him. He is a strong and compassionate dog, a comforter and a protector. He loves all toys that squeak, games of tug a war, enjoys scenic drives with his face in the breeze, and loves to bring home sticks from our daily excursions. Tyson is a service animal, and is at my side at all times. Tyson saved my life, and at this very moment we are fighting for his life.
On Monday, October 24, Tyson and I received devastating news. After noticing a change in his appetite I took Tyson to the veterinarian for a check up. He was quickly admitted to the hospital and is in critical condition. Something is attacking Tyson from the inside. His red blood cells are being destroyed. This is very serious and, if not rectified, will be fatal.
Tyson is currently undergoing extensive treatment for a multitude of potential culprits.
He is in the care of a phenomenal medical staff at a highly revered hospital known for their compassion and outstanding medical expertise. These doctors have my full confidence and I would trust his care to no other.
HOW YOU CAN HELP:
Please help me give my puppy and his doctors everything they need to confront this tremendous obstacle. Tyson is currently undergoing extensive treatment for a multitude of problems. Doctors are working tirelessly to get to the bottom of this complex illness. Medical costs are climbing and we are asking everyone to please donate so Tyson can receive the continued treatment he needs. Tyson is currently hospitalized. We have already performed a life saving blood transfusion, x rays, ultrasound, and many other tests and aggressive treatments. It is imperative that Tyson have the resources needed for further treatment and testing, for without this, medical care will be discontinued. I have exhausted my life savings in this crisis. With your generosity and compassion, we can beat this horrible illness.
Please help give Tyson a fighting chance.
CLICK DONATE NOW
I have detailed below Tyson's heartbreaking story to this point, and given you a background into how special he is to me. I thank you so much for taking the time to read.
For those of you who can find it in your heart to contribute, there are no words to describe my gratitude.
Tyson's Health Journey:
The speed and severity with which the following events unfolded would give any pet owner the chills. After a routine day of work and play, topped off with a nice early evening swim, we embarked on the scenic ride home to endulge in our favorite meal of the day. Only, on this day, Tyson had no desire to eat, not even his long-time favourite, chicken and gravy. Curious, but not alarmed, I went about my usual chores, and we climbed into bed. The next morning I awoke to the usual licking of the face and "hammer tail" (when Tysons wags with so much excitement that if I taped a hammer to it I swear he could drive nails), took our early morning walk, and headed home for breakfast - but again Tyson had no urge to eat. Over the course of the day his water intake quadrupled and he was urinating frequently, but still with no desire for food.
That evening I decided that a trip to the vet would be out first stop in the morning. By 8am the next day, rigorous testing was under way: bloodwork, urinalysis, x-rays, and still more bloodwork. They put Tyson on intravenus fluids and antibiotics to address the most common culprits, and in the meantime we waited on lab results while I took Tyson home to rest. The theory was Leptospirosis (a bacteria common in rural areas and transfered by animal urine) contracted by ingesting water while taking a daily swim. Given Tyson's rapid decline, however, the Doctors were concerned it could potentially be another issue, and so continued testing and measuring his responses to the treatments. Within 48 hrs of our swim in the creek, Tyson was gravely ill. By this point he had not only lost the urge to eat, but the very smell of food was a turn off. His weight began to drop at a frightening pace, so we headed to the hospital every day for two weeks for twice-daily fluid injections. X-rays revealed Tyson's liver was swollen and toxicity levels were off the charts, so they began medication for liver support. By day 7, Tyson had shed 11 lbs, and still there was no diagnosis. On the second week his appetite slowly came back while we continued fluid treatment and retested liver values. An ultrasound was finally prescribed.
I decided to take Tyson to a specialist for a follow up, and they immediately pointed to pancreatitis, a very painful but treatable problem. We began treatment and within a week things began to seem somewhat normal.
Tyson's appetite was in full swing, but his energy levels were very low which, given the circumstances, was to be expected.
Just a bump in the road, right? Wrong....
The Crisis
On Saturday 10/22 I began to notice Tyson's gums were very dry. I attributed this to the pain medication he was periodically taking for the pancreatitis he'd experienced just 2 weeks prior. His appetite was also slightly off (not cleaning the bowl after dinner). As we got into Sunday he started to show signs of jaundice - his gums were still dry, and now becoming yellowish. As I examined his eyes they appeared to be yellowing as well. Again, it was decided that evening, the first stop in the morning would be the veterinarian.
Primary doctor recommended Tyson see the specialist immediately. Upon arrival, Tyson was admitted to critical care. Given Tysons recent illness, a case of jaundice was considered to be very serious and indicative of something more sinister, and the specialist performed the ultrasound within the hour. Further testing began immediately, and priority status was issued to all staff. I was initially told to return at 5:30pm when testing would be completed, but was called back to the office just after 12, as most testing had been expedited and there was a lot of ground to cover.
This is about the time I swallowed my heart. The doctor's sat me down and explained their findings up to this point: they were now performing life sustaining measures. Tyson's blood counts were, and continue to be, at very dangerous levels. His liver toxicity was literally off the charts (they said that "the machine doesn't print out a number that high"). Tyson's ultrasound has revealed his liver, spleen, kidneys, and gall bladder are all enlarged. It's assumed his pancreas is as well, but the other organs prevented imaging. The ultrasound was being sent to the lab for further analyses.
At this point I had to approve the pricing for further testing and treatment to continue, which I did. By that evening, the doctor sat me and my family down and began a very thorough explanation of their findings and the complex nature of this case. Several tests were performed and, so far, the results bore more questions than answers.
The leaning was toward an auto immune disease. Tyson would require an immediate blood transfusion and begin treatment with steroids. If Tyson had an adverse reaction this would eliminate certain possibilities and turn treatment toward the other multitude of potential culprits.
It was made very clear that Tyson, with such a vast array of issues, is a high risk to "crash and burn" as the doctor put it. We opted to go with the doctors best judgment and willfully put his life in her hands. The blood transfusion was performed that evening.
Tyson was responding well to the recommended treatment. However, his red blood cell count, while it did begin to elevate, remains dangerously low at this time. The transfusion made a big impact: red blood cell count went from 12.5 - 20 (still low, but something at least). This is very important in understanding our approach to Tyson's treatment.
It's important to note that, should Tyson's red blood cell count go any lower, we will have to transfer him to another facility where more sophisticated monitoring is available. For an animal to receive one transfusion, blood matching is not required, however to receive multiple transfusions it is required, and that blood matching is not an available treatment at the facility Tyson's in right now. The doctor believes Tyson is suffering from something known as Immune Mediated Hemolytic Anemia (IMHA). I will attach a link.
The concern is that the IMHA is a secondary problem which means that it's likely that something else is going on in the body to cause this reaction, so further observation is required. How Tyson continues to respond to the treatment will be important in determining if this is a primary or secondary issue.
The lab review of the ultrasound arrived that evening. No signs of internal hemorrhage or cancer, which is awesome.
There was an 3x5mm anomoly on a few images - we are hoping this is a blood clot, which would break down with treatment. If not, more invasive measures will be needed to determine the exact nature of the mass. Tyson would not survive such a procedure at this time.
I went and sat with Tyson this morning in the hospital. He's been through so much. His bloodwork is in for the day and his red blood cell count has elevated to 25. Still very low, but making progress. He has tremendous fight in him.
The doctors called for a chest x-ray to eliminate possiblity of cancer in that area, or any other underlying issue that may be causing this reaction. Tyson's bone marrow will also be tested for its ability to regenerate red blood cells, as this is paramount considering his current blood count and condition.
Financial Details:
It is important to know how your donations will assist in Tyson's treatment and recovery. As of now I'm financially indebted $1,600, and this amount rises every day (this crisis comes right after the three week outpatient treatment he received in September which cost $2,300). All treatment and tests mentioned are paid for at the time of service, while monitoring and hospitalization have been paid at a fixed price for a three-day stay. While we have made tremendous progress in decyphering the complexities of this illness, it is apparent that Tyson will not be coming home today. Such a decision would be reckless and possibly fatal. Tyson has faced odds like these before and come out victorious, and we are so fortunate and honored to share this arduous task with such stellar medical practitioners. Their professionalism and compassion is unmatched, and we ask for you to help us ensure they have every resource available to perform this miracle. We thank you in advance. God bless....."
One is none, two is one".
Tyson's Life Story:Tyson, a name some of you may know. I would like to tell you about the Tyson that I know. A story that, I hope, will touch your heart, and has changed my life forever.
In 2010 a puppy entered my life. A puppy who found himself in heartbreaking circumstances.
Tyson was born into the kind of nightmare of abuse and neglect that makes us all shriek when we see the commercials or hear the stories.
At only six months old, he had already survived the horrors of the underworld, and endured the unimagineable. Battered but not broken, malnourished and suffering from mange that stripped his body of most of his fur, his face bore the scars of abuse by both his guardians as well as the dogs who were being trained to kill (Tyson was used as bait for these dogs). He had never known the security of a home, or the comforts of a bed to call his own. He had no family to cuddle, no games of fetch, and most sadly, he didn't even have a name.
Shuffled from house to house like used furniture, Tyson was finally rescued when a raid was performed on a fighting house in Brooklyn, NY.
Free from the bondage and abuse, Tyson was now confronted with the dilemma that thousands of dogs face when entering the system: be placed in a new home in a timely manner, or be euthanized ("put down"). My cousin, Danny, was trying to find this nameless dog a new home, and he came to me and asked if I could take him for the weekend while he went out of town. Danny later admitted this was his plan all along saying, "I knew if you had him for a few days you would fall in love with him". I doubt anyone could have predicted how strong of an impact this dog would have on my life. After that first weekend, July 4th 2010, this puppy was with me to stay. Aside from the bowls, beds, food, and the toys and the treats, there were two very important things that had to be done: the adoption process and, most importantly, a name. My family and I tossed around names for a week, came up with a few, but it needed to be right. It needed to be a name that befitted a warrior. How does one describe an animal born into adversity, physically and emotionally beaten down again and again, with no end in sight but still only has love and affection in their heart? How do you sum up such strength and endurance in one word?
Finally, one morning I awoke to paws on my face and a playful nibble at my ear. My response, "What do you think, you're Mike Tyson?". I quickly jumped out of bed, "That's it! Tyson!" Upon saying it, he hopped up on all fours in excitement, almost as if I'd finally deciphered his puns in a game of charades. It was a name befitting a warrior.
When the adoption process began, Tyson and I had a moment that resonates in my heart to this day. It's customary for the adoption agency to interview prospective families wishing to adopt, and then there's an acclimation period. The agency felt we were a great fit, but said they would need to take Tyson for a few weeks then bring him back periodically to get him adjusted. I told them clearly that they were welcome to leave, but that Tyson would be staying because he had finally found his home. From that very moment, Tyson and I have had an understanding: under no circumstances will I ever leave his side, nor will he leave mine. Interestingly, it was when the people from the agency left without him in tow that he began to open up, and I like to think that he knew the days of uncertainty had finally passed him.
HELP SAVE A HERO:Tyson is my dog, he is my best friend. He is my brother and my guide. Tyson lives an active life and loves anything nature. He loves to swim, take long hikes in the mountains, and he loves the art of the chase. Having just turned only 7, Tyson is young and has many seasons ahead of him. He is a strong and compassionate dog, a comforter and a protector. He loves all toys that squeak, games of tug a war, enjoys scenic drives with his face in the breeze, and loves to bring home sticks from our daily excursions. Tyson is a service animal, and is at my side at all times. Tyson saved my life, and at this very moment we are fighting for his life.
On Monday, October 24, Tyson and I received devastating news. After noticing a change in his appetite I took Tyson to the veterinarian for a check up. He was quickly admitted to the hospital and is in critical condition. Something is attacking Tyson from the inside. His red blood cells are being destroyed. This is very serious and, if not rectified, will be fatal.
Tyson is currently undergoing extensive treatment for a multitude of potential culprits.
He is in the care of a phenomenal medical staff at a highly revered hospital known for their compassion and outstanding medical expertise. These doctors have my full confidence and I would trust his care to no other.
HOW YOU CAN HELP:
Please help me give my puppy and his doctors everything they need to confront this tremendous obstacle. Tyson is currently undergoing extensive treatment for a multitude of problems. Doctors are working tirelessly to get to the bottom of this complex illness. Medical costs are climbing and we are asking everyone to please donate so Tyson can receive the continued treatment he needs. Tyson is currently hospitalized. We have already performed a life saving blood transfusion, x rays, ultrasound, and many other tests and aggressive treatments. It is imperative that Tyson have the resources needed for further treatment and testing, for without this, medical care will be discontinued. I have exhausted my life savings in this crisis. With your generosity and compassion, we can beat this horrible illness.
Please help give Tyson a fighting chance.
CLICK DONATE NOW
I have detailed below Tyson's heartbreaking story to this point, and given you a background into how special he is to me. I thank you so much for taking the time to read.
For those of you who can find it in your heart to contribute, there are no words to describe my gratitude.
Tyson's Health Journey:
The speed and severity with which the following events unfolded would give any pet owner the chills. After a routine day of work and play, topped off with a nice early evening swim, we embarked on the scenic ride home to endulge in our favorite meal of the day. Only, on this day, Tyson had no desire to eat, not even his long-time favourite, chicken and gravy. Curious, but not alarmed, I went about my usual chores, and we climbed into bed. The next morning I awoke to the usual licking of the face and "hammer tail" (when Tysons wags with so much excitement that if I taped a hammer to it I swear he could drive nails), took our early morning walk, and headed home for breakfast - but again Tyson had no urge to eat. Over the course of the day his water intake quadrupled and he was urinating frequently, but still with no desire for food.
That evening I decided that a trip to the vet would be out first stop in the morning. By 8am the next day, rigorous testing was under way: bloodwork, urinalysis, x-rays, and still more bloodwork. They put Tyson on intravenus fluids and antibiotics to address the most common culprits, and in the meantime we waited on lab results while I took Tyson home to rest. The theory was Leptospirosis (a bacteria common in rural areas and transfered by animal urine) contracted by ingesting water while taking a daily swim. Given Tyson's rapid decline, however, the Doctors were concerned it could potentially be another issue, and so continued testing and measuring his responses to the treatments. Within 48 hrs of our swim in the creek, Tyson was gravely ill. By this point he had not only lost the urge to eat, but the very smell of food was a turn off. His weight began to drop at a frightening pace, so we headed to the hospital every day for two weeks for twice-daily fluid injections. X-rays revealed Tyson's liver was swollen and toxicity levels were off the charts, so they began medication for liver support. By day 7, Tyson had shed 11 lbs, and still there was no diagnosis. On the second week his appetite slowly came back while we continued fluid treatment and retested liver values. An ultrasound was finally prescribed.
I decided to take Tyson to a specialist for a follow up, and they immediately pointed to pancreatitis, a very painful but treatable problem. We began treatment and within a week things began to seem somewhat normal.
Tyson's appetite was in full swing, but his energy levels were very low which, given the circumstances, was to be expected.
Just a bump in the road, right? Wrong....
The Crisis
On Saturday 10/22 I began to notice Tyson's gums were very dry. I attributed this to the pain medication he was periodically taking for the pancreatitis he'd experienced just 2 weeks prior. His appetite was also slightly off (not cleaning the bowl after dinner). As we got into Sunday he started to show signs of jaundice - his gums were still dry, and now becoming yellowish. As I examined his eyes they appeared to be yellowing as well. Again, it was decided that evening, the first stop in the morning would be the veterinarian.
Primary doctor recommended Tyson see the specialist immediately. Upon arrival, Tyson was admitted to critical care. Given Tysons recent illness, a case of jaundice was considered to be very serious and indicative of something more sinister, and the specialist performed the ultrasound within the hour. Further testing began immediately, and priority status was issued to all staff. I was initially told to return at 5:30pm when testing would be completed, but was called back to the office just after 12, as most testing had been expedited and there was a lot of ground to cover.
This is about the time I swallowed my heart. The doctor's sat me down and explained their findings up to this point: they were now performing life sustaining measures. Tyson's blood counts were, and continue to be, at very dangerous levels. His liver toxicity was literally off the charts (they said that "the machine doesn't print out a number that high"). Tyson's ultrasound has revealed his liver, spleen, kidneys, and gall bladder are all enlarged. It's assumed his pancreas is as well, but the other organs prevented imaging. The ultrasound was being sent to the lab for further analyses.
At this point I had to approve the pricing for further testing and treatment to continue, which I did. By that evening, the doctor sat me and my family down and began a very thorough explanation of their findings and the complex nature of this case. Several tests were performed and, so far, the results bore more questions than answers.
The leaning was toward an auto immune disease. Tyson would require an immediate blood transfusion and begin treatment with steroids. If Tyson had an adverse reaction this would eliminate certain possibilities and turn treatment toward the other multitude of potential culprits.
It was made very clear that Tyson, with such a vast array of issues, is a high risk to "crash and burn" as the doctor put it. We opted to go with the doctors best judgment and willfully put his life in her hands. The blood transfusion was performed that evening.
Tyson was responding well to the recommended treatment. However, his red blood cell count, while it did begin to elevate, remains dangerously low at this time. The transfusion made a big impact: red blood cell count went from 12.5 - 20 (still low, but something at least). This is very important in understanding our approach to Tyson's treatment.
It's important to note that, should Tyson's red blood cell count go any lower, we will have to transfer him to another facility where more sophisticated monitoring is available. For an animal to receive one transfusion, blood matching is not required, however to receive multiple transfusions it is required, and that blood matching is not an available treatment at the facility Tyson's in right now. The doctor believes Tyson is suffering from something known as Immune Mediated Hemolytic Anemia (IMHA). I will attach a link.
The concern is that the IMHA is a secondary problem which means that it's likely that something else is going on in the body to cause this reaction, so further observation is required. How Tyson continues to respond to the treatment will be important in determining if this is a primary or secondary issue.
The lab review of the ultrasound arrived that evening. No signs of internal hemorrhage or cancer, which is awesome.
There was an 3x5mm anomoly on a few images - we are hoping this is a blood clot, which would break down with treatment. If not, more invasive measures will be needed to determine the exact nature of the mass. Tyson would not survive such a procedure at this time.
I went and sat with Tyson this morning in the hospital. He's been through so much. His bloodwork is in for the day and his red blood cell count has elevated to 25. Still very low, but making progress. He has tremendous fight in him.
The doctors called for a chest x-ray to eliminate possiblity of cancer in that area, or any other underlying issue that may be causing this reaction. Tyson's bone marrow will also be tested for its ability to regenerate red blood cells, as this is paramount considering his current blood count and condition.
Financial Details:
It is important to know how your donations will assist in Tyson's treatment and recovery. As of now I'm financially indebted $1,600, and this amount rises every day (this crisis comes right after the three week outpatient treatment he received in September which cost $2,300). All treatment and tests mentioned are paid for at the time of service, while monitoring and hospitalization have been paid at a fixed price for a three-day stay. While we have made tremendous progress in decyphering the complexities of this illness, it is apparent that Tyson will not be coming home today. Such a decision would be reckless and possibly fatal. Tyson has faced odds like these before and come out victorious, and we are so fortunate and honored to share this arduous task with such stellar medical practitioners. Their professionalism and compassion is unmatched, and we ask for you to help us ensure they have every resource available to perform this miracle. We thank you in advance. God bless....."
One is none, two is one".
Tyson's Life Story:Tyson, a name some of you may know. I would like to tell you about the Tyson that I know. A story that, I hope, will touch your heart, and has changed my life forever.
In 2010 a puppy entered my life. A puppy who found himself in heartbreaking circumstances. Tyson was born into the kind of nightmare of abuse and neglect that makes us all shriek when we see the commercials or hear the stories.
At only six months old, he had already survived the horrors of the underworld, and endured the unimagineable. Battered but not broken, malnourished and suffering from mange that stripped his body of most of his fur, his face bore the scars of abuse by both his guardians as well as the dogs who were being trained to kill (Tyson was used as bait for these dogs). He had never known the security of a home, or the comforts of a bed to call his own. He had no family to cuddle, no games of fetch, and most sadly, he didn't even have a name.
Shuffled from house to house like used furniture, Tyson was finally rescued when a raid was performed on a fighting house in Brooklyn, NY.
Free from the bondage and abuse, Tyson was now confronted with the dilemma that thousands of dogs face when entering the system: be placed in a new home in a timely manner, or be euthanized ("put down"). My cousin, Danny, was trying to find this nameless dog a new home, and he came to me and asked if I could take him for the weekend while he went out of town. Danny later admitted this was his plan all along saying, "I knew if you had him for a few days you would fall in love with him". I doubt anyone could have predicted how strong of an impact this dog would have on my life. After that first weekend, July 4th 2010, this puppy was with me to stay. Aside from the bowls, beds, food, and the toys and the treats, there were two very important things that had to be done: the adoption process and, most importantly, a name. My family and I tossed around names for a week, came up with a few, but it needed to be right. It needed to be a name that befitted a warrior. How does one describe an animal born into adversity, physically and emotionally beaten down again and again, with no end in sight but still only has love and affection in their heart? How do you sum up such strength and endurance in one word?
Finally, one morning I awoke to paws on my face and a playful nibble at my ear. My response, "What do you think, you're Mike Tyson?". I quickly jumped out of bed, "That's it! Tyson!" Upon saying it, he hopped up on all fours in excitement, almost as if I'd finally deciphered his puns in a game of charades. It was a name befitting a warrior.
When the adoption process began, Tyson and I had a moment that resonates in my heart to this day. It's customary for the adoption agency to interview prospective families wishing to adopt, and then there's an acclimation period. The agency felt we were a great fit, but said they would need to take Tyson for a few weeks then bring him back periodically to get him adjusted. I told them clearly that they were welcome to leave, but that Tyson would be staying because he had finally found his home. From that very moment, Tyson and I have had an understanding: under no circumstances will I ever leave his side, nor will he leave mine. Interestingly, it was when the people from the agency left without him in tow that he began to open up, and I like to think that he knew the days of uncertainty had finally passed him.
Organizer
Ian Rosko
Organizer
Chambersburg, PA