Tyrone’s Journey (WARNING CONTAINS GRAPHIC PHOTOS)
Ty Bean with Momma M
Tyrone’s journey began long before Beth and Myself(Maria) rescued him on August 19th 2013. His story prior to that date is not completely known. What we do know is that some time during the summer of 2013 something happened to Ty and it set in motion a series of unexplained events. We had no idea the phenomenal passage we were about to embark upon.
On august 19th 2013 Tyrone was rescued by All Souls Connected and taken to the Vet. The Doctor believed Tyrone had Squamous cell carcinoma and sent us to a specialist. The specialist agreed with squamous Cell and said he had perhaps a few weeks to month to live and we took Tyrone home to give him hospice care. Tyrone had a very different idea from what the doctors told us and so our amazing journey began.
The collage of pictures will certainly give you a good idea of why Beth and I had made the decision on more than one occasion that the time had come to help Tyrone move onto the next phase of his existence, whatever life after death here consists of. Tyrone was very good at letting us know when he was not feeling well and there was one point in September that I was away and Beth had gotten a hold of me to tell me he was not doing well. I of course told her that I did not want him to suffer so if she felt she needed to have the Veterinarian come and help him transition, then she should do so. Even though I wanted so badly to be there for both of them. She said she would monitor him through the night and give him pain meds as needed and make a decision in the morning. In the morning she texted me that he seemed to be over the worst and was again eating and no longer hiding and was asking for attention. This was the cycle that we went through over and over again between the end of August and the beginning of November.
There was just something, we can’t explain it, but something telling us he is NOT ready to leave. In November we started noticing a difference in Ty and that he would react to the movement of your hand near the injured area. As if he were seeing it. We did not know what to make of this. One Sunday morning in early November, Luann and her husband had come over so Luann could do a reiki treatment on Ty. At one point she looked at me and said “his eye is gone, right?” My response was, that is what both doctors told us. She said I feel like I see movement in the area and I stated that we also thought we had seen movement. Her husband suggested that perhaps it was natures way of fooling predators into believing he had two eyes. In other words, a mode of adaptation for an injured animal to survive. This actually made some sense, similar things are seen in the animal world often.
However two weeks later Beth frantically texted me and sent a picture(you will see it in the collage) and said I think Ty’s eye is there. The area where the wound was had opened slightly and the eye was beginning to reemerge. Now keep in mind that up until this point Tyrone had received no medical intervention other than Beth cleaning the necrosing tissue away as it died off and occasional pain medication because we were told he was 100% terminal and that there was nothing we could do to treat him. He was simply receiving frequent Reiki treatments and a lot of love and positivity from us and his Facebook family. When the eye area opened up we immediately called his specialist and took him back in. She stated that yes it was in fact his eye, but that it was not viable, simply a “dead” eye and that he still had the same diagnosis of cancer but since he had “lasted” this long maybe we could try some chemotherapy. We needed to do a culture on the area around the eye because it had a lot of pus and if there was infection we could not begin chemo until it had cleared.
The tests came back that he did in fact have two separate bacterias on the eye. We then decided we wanted to consult with his general Vet because we did not feel the eye was dead and to begin to treat the infections. When Beth took him to that appointment, His Veterinarian was absolutely stunned and said when she got the report from the specialist that Tyrone was still alive AND that his eye was there her jaw dropped. She then did light tests on the eye, and as we suspected, he was seeing with the eye. We began treating him with extremely potent antibiotic shots and ointment and things began 
improving even more. She then biopsied the abnormal tissue while doing surgery to detach the third eyelid from his eye. The results of the biopsy were negative for cancer. It showed only inflamed tissue. His X-rays(see photo) also looked normal and she suggested we keep the course of treatment with the antibiotic shots and that we should not proceed with any Chemotherapy treatment. That brings us to where Ty is today and the fact that we questioned both Doctors about the Herpes virus and both said he did not have it, but his new eye specialist believes that he does and we will pursue treatment to hopefully help clear that virus, if his blood tests come back ok for him to receive the treatment. Tyrone is also FIV positive but his specialist and Beth and i all agree that this is not something to be overly concerned with. His specialist said he rarely sees FIV cause issues that are life threatening and he owns several positive cats himself.
Thank you all for loving Ty as much as we do and being with us along the way. We have learned so many things from this little blond ginger and I don’t think he is done teaching us yet. And now for the collage. Click on the X-ray or photo collage to enlarge. I have also included a slideshow at the end of this post with these pictures in it if you would like a closer view.. click on the dots to move to the next slide.
The top photo is the photo taken the day he was rescued in August
The second photo is in September. At this point the tissue was necrosing rapidly and I must tell you that the smell was absolutely nauseating and encompassed the entire room, but Beth continued to sleep with Ty at night for his comfort and he would actually rub the area on us which was really quite gross, but we didn’t let him know that 🙂
The third photo was at then end of October and you can see the area was beginning to fill in, which we believed at the time was the cancer growing internally.
The fourth picture is the end of November moments after the area opened up and revealed his eye.
The fifth picture is of course, December.
and the large picture is our Bean NOW!
You can follow tyrone on his Facebook page Tenderness for Tyrone(his page is silly and fun) or our All Souls Connected page which is Tyrones non profit and if you would like to donate to ALL Souls Connected to help us continue our mission you can donate directly through this site
Ty Bean is such a handsume boy regardless of his condition. I am very thankful that he was able to heal in a home that provide love, patience and care from two wonderful mums. I loved seeing the transformation and I believe that it was love that helped Ty begin to see again. Thank ye Beth and Maria for all that ye are doing and am thankful the decision for him transit to the other side did not happen. thank ye both for giving Ty a second chance. Who knows how many other people turned the other direction when they saw him…it just shows that ye and Beth saw past the ugliness and saw the beauty inside him <3
Thank you ladies so much for giving Ty a chance to have to have the life he deserves. He is such am amazing kitty and an inspiration for all of us. You never fail to brighten my day with your awesome personality and I love you Beanie!
Thank you Sherri, it has been such a wonderful, scary, sad, happy, you name it journey so far and we feel so joyful that it has brought Ty and ourselves so many wonderful people. Thank you for being here with us. Love you
Hai Auntie Maweea..mum read da bwog and eben do I couldnt see da photos, it just proves dat mew see wif yur heart, not wif yur eyes…I wub mai couzin Tywone and wun mew and Auntie Beff fur gibbing Ty a second chance.
Wub mew frum here to do moon and bak…
Wub Aero <3 <3 <3
I love you baby Aero. I bet you could see the pictures in your heart. You are such a special part of our life
I will pray
He looks so much better and it’s so good that it is not cancer.
Keep up the great work. I especially like the Ty texts, they make me laugh out loud !!!!!!!
You both are truly special people and all the animals you help are thankful I am sure !!!!
Maria…. those are amazing pictures. I have been through a year of RN training and a bunch of other medical stuff as stuff like this completely intrigues me. I am very interested in the science of it all so thank you so much for sharing. His transformation has been nothing short of miraculous. I only have one question that I do not recall ever seeing addressed: Where, and under what circumstances, was it that Tyrone was actually found?
Ty was being fed by a neighbor of mine and they had a bed set up for him in their garage where he could come and go and they noticed the injury and at first it just appeared that he had a simple eye infection so they did get him ointment for the eye but him being a stray he was not always there and not all that cooperative and so the medicine was not administered as regularly as it should have been. he then disappeared for a few weeks and when he came back the eye looked like it did in the august picture and the neighbors called for us com and get him to neuter him and get his eye checked, we were quite shocked when we saw how he looked.
Oh and I forgot the part about when Beth went to get Ty he came into the garage to eat and got startled and ran off and the neighbor said. Oh well there is no way you are getting him tonight he won;t come back for a while. so Beth went and sat on the deck and Tyrone climbed right into her lap as if he knew help had arrived
Amazing!
Wonderful!!!! He knew Beth could help him. Funny how they can sense this in certain humans. Great Story. I totally love this little guy.
Thank you for putting this blog post together for us, I have cried watching his videos where he’s playing with his bird toy, thinking he is at least comfortable enough to play and have fun. I wonder if the initial wound was from a fight that infected him with an aggressive herpes virus on top of being a stray cat with lower immunity/stress. The infection enclosed into a cyst like puncture wounds do and the pressure pushed his eye back. The cyst wound burst about the time you found him which is why the September necrotizing wound is so black compared to the August condition. The reason I think this is because one of my cats had a deep puncture wound from a fight in one cheek and with the first round of antibiotics the surface wound looked healed, but within a few days things got almost as bad as Ty. He didn’t have herpes, tho. We had a patient vet who repeatedly irrigated and did not bankrupt us so we could see it through for our little guy. The fur growing back on the new skin is a great sign for Ty, keep up with Reiki, I will distance Reiki him too, and what ever nutritional things to boost his immunity might help like spirulina/green algae, so lower the risks of upper resp infections hanging around vet offices. Thank you for loving and staying with this fine boy !!
Thank you Laura for the wonderful comment and tips. Ty is FIV positive so he odes have a compromised immune system to begin with and what you described is just about what the latest specialist thinks may have happened. I guess we will never know but we want to look forward not backwards anyway and Ty’s future looks bright
Ty has not only touched everyone’s heart but proves to us that miracles come in many different aspects of life. As the ambassador of All Souls Connected, he has reached out to many and continues to create his own little miracles within all of us. The founders of this organization have the passion, heart and soul to share with the world. I am so proud to know each of these girls and the commitment they have. I am also lucky enough to be able to visit with Ty as I live close. Just being there to see him, possible get to pet him or watch him play is an inspiration. Sometimes it takes time and patience with lots of love to reach a goal you never expected. Although things seem rough at times, being positive and taking the time can give you that unexpected reward. Ty will always be an inspiration to me in anything that I may have to face as it is the friends, love and support that will see you through the challenge. God bless you TY for being who you are, and the same to Maria, Beth and Amy.
Thank you Marie, you have been a wonderful friend for many many years and I am so glad you are sharing this with us Love you, Maria
I can’t begin to tell you how much I love Ty’s story and seeing how much you love him. Y’all’s story is one of the things which has inspired me to adopt special needs kitties in the future. Keep up the great work!
Thank you! I think TyBean was put through this with a very specific goal and that was to bring awareness and to teach compassion and perseverance when facing the worst times.
I just can’t believe the transformation. He embodies every reason why someone should never give up hope when it seems like all else is lost. He simply is the epitome of strength. I am so thrilled to see his healing, and know he will only continue to do better. Thank you for never giving up on him. You guys rock! Keep on trucking Ty!
no problem I edited it for you. Thank you for the wonderful comment
What a wonderful story! It was already inspirational when it simply seemed that you two had taken in a terminally ill cat to provide love and care. But Ty’s astounding transformation shows his courage and persistence, the value of life and your remarkable grace and charity. Like anyone else, he thrives on affection.
The pictures of Ty’s wound show a remarkable course of healing. Without your commitment, your determination and Ty’s will we would never have had the chance to see him heal.
I kept thinking of a yiddish work “bashert” that I’ve always used when I meant something was meant to be. I just looked for a better definition and this is what I found:
“Bashert is a wonderful Yiddish word which has many intricate layers of meanings. In it’s basic form it means “meant to be” but that alone doesn’t really give you the full character of the word.
Meeting a soulmate, running into an old friend at the grocery store, rescuing an animal or not getting a certain job can be as I call “bashert moments”.
How fitting that rescuing an animal was included in that definition. So, to use another Yiddish term, “L’chaim,” which means to life.
Love that word and meaning, thank you for sharing
Thank you for sharing Ty’s journey with all of us. I have been watching your Facebook page since the beginning. My kitties and I love sweet Ty.
thanks for staying the course with us Valorie
God Bless you Beth and Maria! Your heart and love for Ty is inspiring! Every creature small and large deserve to be loved and valued. I look forward to your posts and updates of Ty Ty Kingcat. I keep him and you in my prayers. May God Bless you and All Souls Connected, the work you do, the message you are spreading and the inspiration you are to others who have a heart for God’s creatures. Thank you and keep up the amazing things you are doing!
Love and prayers,
Sincerely,
Tina
Thank you Tina
I have followed Ty since the beginning and it has been an adventure! I especially love the Ty King texts. You ladies have been extraordinary mommas to this lucky little guy. I feel blessed to be able to follow his adventures. Ty is an inspiration to us all. Love you guys
Thanks Tina. Yes Ty’s texts really reflect his personality. He is quit the buster sometimes, but it’s all part of his charm.
Bless you both for all you do and all you have done for Ty. It just goes to show you to never give up hope. He is so lucky to have you caring for and loving him. Thank you for sharing his story.
Mary
Thank you Mary
Thank you Maria & Beth for loving Ty & believing in him. His eye & face look fantastic! I can’t believe the transformation with his eye, until you group all the pictures together. Your Ty has a new outlook on life & it’s all because of you 2 ladies. Thank you again for loving & believing in this big ginger fellow I loving think of as TyBeanie. If only he could talk, it would be so interesting to hear what he would say about miracles & 2nd chances at life.
We were just saying the other day. I wish Bean could tells his version of what happened before we came upon him. He does tell his story just not with our words. But his has still managed to communicate so many things to thousands. Thanks for being with us from the beginning.
The transformation in Ty, from the moment you rescued him to how he is now is nothing short of miraculous. Anyone who doesn’t believe in miracles or what the power of love can do, should come and have a look at this blog. Ty is a very special boy, but he wouldn’t be here now if it wasn’t for the love and care you’ve both lavished upon him. Thank you for taking him in. Thank you for giving him this chance of a better life. For not giving up on him. For lavishing so much love and care on him. For setting up his facebook page and this blog and allowing us to join you on this amazing journey. The world could certainly do with more caring compassionate people like you.
Thank you Sarah.
Maria the care and loving that you and Beth have given Ty is the big factor in Ty’s healing process. I love reading Ty’s posts and seeing his pictures and videos. Thank you both for what you have done for Ty and all the other animals you help
Thank you John. We’re so glad you enjoy Ty and his antics 🙂
You took ty Into your hearts on my birthday !! he is such a handsome boy and thank you both for seeing his INNER beauty as well as outer he has come so far since 2013 and to think they didnt give him long well , he and you 2 are proving them all WRONG it just shows what compassion and love can do !!!
Thanks John! Wow Ty shares a special date with you
God Bless you both for Loving Ty even though you thought he was terminal and your hearts would both be broken in two. I have NEVER given up on any animal and I’m so glad you didn’t give up on Ty. I look forward to his posts every day and I smile and I feel so much Love for him in my heart 🙂 THANK YOU for sharing every aspect of his life with us, the good and the bad. Love and Hugs to you all and a Special Snuggle and Kiss for Ty <3
Thank you Kat
Such an amazing transformation. Love you, Ty!
Thank you…for believing, for trusting, and for loving Ty Bean.
He looks wonderful. Have been following his journey from the beginning. Great job Maria, Beth and the rest of your “team” for taking care of this little angel.
Thanks Vicki and thank you for caring for your special needs boy too
I love this wee guy and to see the improvement he has made since August is truly amazing. It is down to the good work and care of his mommas and I think the Reiki he received. He is loved all over Facebook by everyone that has liked his page. It just proves that vets can be wrong sometimes and this wee cutie just proves it.
Thank you
Loooove Ty, especially his texts! But I am confused……does he have cancer or not? Thanks for saving him 🙂
His biopsy that was done in January during surgery came back negative for cancer. We believe he is cancer free but there is always the possibility that cancer is still present in an area that was not biopsied. But without very invasive procedures we will not know that and we have opted not to put him through those procedures because we believe he was simply misdiagnosed from the beginning and also because he will hopeful be getting some grafting surgery on his eye to restore some function to the eye lid, so we feel to do a more invasive biopsy by actually going through the skull to gather tissue is more than we need to subject him to.
Maria and Beth….This is just a tremendous write-up and testimonial to the incredible job you both have done with Ty. How far you 2 have brought him along is just so inspiring. You never gave up on him and he never gave up on life. Bless both of you for all you do for Ty and all the other animals you come in contact with. Seeing the picture from August and then the current one is just such a transformation. Thank you for sharing these with us and thank you for never giving up on Ty. Following him is just such a pleasure.