Here We Go Again

Hello everyone, this is Dawn's youngest daughter, Alyssa, writing. 

As some of you know, Mom found out recently that she will have to undergo more chemotherapy treatments over the next eight to nine months. After hearing this news, we decided that creating a blog would be the most efficient way to pass along information to friends and family.

For some history on Mom’s journey, in August 2021 our Mom, Dawn, was diagnosed with AL Amyloidosis. This disease is rare, and it is therefore difficult to diagnose.  When mom was diagnosed she already had several complications from the build up of the disease.  She was in heart failure, she had fluid on her lungs which required draining procedures, her gastro tract was damaged, and she was overall very run down.  Her treatment for Amyloidosis was chemotherapy, and so she began treatment. Amyloidosis can cause blood to become “sticky”, and Mom suffered a major stroke shortly after her first chemotherapy treatment.  Damage from the stroke was minimal which was shocking to medical staff at the hospital.  While it was a traumatizing experience, Mom gave all the praise to God, and she used her time in the hospital to talk to those around her of His goodness and her faith in His plan.

After months of more chemo treatments, procedures, more complications, and long hospital stays during Covid lockdowns Mom was given the report that her Amyloidosis was now considered “stable”.  Life could begin to return to normal after her last chemo treatment in April of 2022.

Between then and now, Mom will be the first to tell you about just how blessed she is for every moment she's been able to experience since that stressful part of our lives. Last year we travelled to Nova Scotia, and she took Dad and me to all the places she remembered visiting when she was younger and would travel with her family to visit her grandmother. We've also enjoyed multiple camping trips and simply living a "normal" life. Her health has drastically improved. Although she still has damage in her digestive system, her lungs have recovered and she is no longer in heart failure!  She has seen birthdays and anniversaries that for a time she never thought she would live to see, and she even saw the arrival of three new grandchildren! God has been so good!

Over the past few months, Mom’s bloodwork has been showing some rising numbers which would indicate that Amyloidosis is becoming more active again.  Now, in August 2025, her doctor has recommended beginning chemotherapy treatments to regain control of the numbers and to bring the disease back into the “stable” range.  There is still a lot that is unknown about Amyloidosis, and a significant aspect is not knowing when it begins to cause damage to the body. Mom's doctors have been happy with the amount of healing her body has accomplished from the damage it previously sustained. Her doctors don't want to jeopardize this healing by pushing off treatment, which could allow it the time to cause further damage. Treatments are scheduled to begin in the middle of the second week of September.

Mom has wonderful doctors and an amazing medical team at Jurvinski Hospital, and we are so grateful to them for the care Mom has and continues to receive there. While we are disappointed that chemo is needed, we are so thankful that there are treatment options available. 

Many of you have asked how you can be of help to ease the burden.  Above all, we desire your prayers as we prepare for the road to come. We thought we'd include some specific things for prayer here:

1. For Mom as she prepares for chemo and all that that entails. That she may cast all her anxieties on God, and that He may give her peace. 

2. That God will bless the treatment and that it will provide healing to Mom's body. 

3. Praise God that although she must have chemo, she does qualify for a new drug this time that is supposed to help her remain in the "stable" range for a longer period of time (It wasn't approved in time for her to have it with the previous chemo treatments)

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If you would like to know more about what Amyloidosis is, I've attached a video that offers more information.

What is Amyloidosis?