Help Ricky Garcia KJN Fight Amyloidosis

Hi! This is Jamie KSN and Connor PSBN.

Jamie KSN has been with Next Gen Mu Sool since the second year since they opened, and Ricky KJN and Meghan KJN are some of my bestest friends and family who have always shown support to all those around them. They are always there to help their students succeed and feel comforted and strong. Connor PSBN, like most of the black belt crew, has been training with Ricky KJN and Meghan KJN since he was 5 years old. They have such a strong friendship and family they have built with so many of us.

Many of you have noticed that Ricky KJN has not been at the Dojang as much lately, and we wanted to take the time to fill everyone in with what’s been going on. Ricky KJN has been dealing with heart issues for the past year, and has been seeing several doctors. After shifting to a more specialized crew of doctors, he has been diagnosed with Amyloidosis, which is a rare bone marrow disorder that can be accompanied by Multiple Myeloma, a type of bone marrow cancer. I will let Meghan KJN go into the details on the diagnosis and treatments after our statement. Ricky KJN has his bone marrow biopsy and cardiac specialist appointment this Thursday, May 18, and Meghan KJN or I will send an update afterwards. We will try to update weekly or as new information is learned.

The goal of this GoFundMe is to raise money to help relieve some of the stress of the current and upcoming medical bills, and also to keep the Dojang running as smoothly as possible. Ricky KJN and Meghan KJN’s goal has always been to make the Dojang a safe place that anyone can call their second home. It has been a steady rock for many individuals and families when they are going through rough times. Parents reach out to Ricky KJN for guidance on discipline, financial help, emotional support, and friendship and support for themselves and their children. Students both current and old know that even though things may be difficult or unsteady elsewhere, they can count on the Dojang as a place they can go and be surrounded by a loving community that always looks out for each other. They know they can count on Ricky KJN spending extra time with them before and after class. If they just need someone to talk to, need advice, or even just a sounding board they can vent to, they know Ricky KJN is always there.

Though Ricky KJN has always been the one helping others, now is the time he and his family can use help from us. Being a small business owner takes a big toll on Ricky KJN and Meghan KJN because they are as much the makeup of the Dojang as the martial arts itself. Our goal is to make it to where Ricky KJN can focus on the fight ahead and not have to worry about medical bills and the fate of the Dojang. Like Ricky KJN says “many hands make light work”, so we are asking that you donate what you can, or if you are unable to donate help show some love by spreading the word via email or social media.

I spoke with Ricky KJN and one of his main priorities is to make sure the students and the Dojang are not affected by his absence. Ricky KJN has a great group of black belts and DBNs that are already stepping up and helping run classes and assist with teaching. Ricky KJN always says “family takes care of family” and if you know Ricky KJN he considers the Dojang family.

We have set a goal not really knowing what to expect, whether it be a year of treatments, or to the extreme of a full on heart transplant. Meghan KJN will talk about the possible treatments, and will keep you all updated as we get information on the treatment path he’ll be following. Now is a great opportunity to show Ricky KJN how much we appreciate him, his lessons, and kindnesses, and that we are here and we believe that family takes care of family.

------------------------------------------------------------------

From Meghan KJN:

Since about April of 2022, Ricky KJN had been coughing a lot and had been having trouble working out. We had been excusing the symptoms as allergies, a cold, or something caught from working with the kids at the school. In Texas it’s easy to find a reason for coughing and feeling a bit off.

However, in October 2022, we were working out after class and trying out a few kicks, and I was holding the kick shield for Ricky KJN for spin back kicks. He did about 5 kicks and had to sit down for 10 minutes to get his heart rate back to normal. That’s when we decided it was time to visit a doctor. We took him to a family doctor who performed a few tests. When he got the results back from the EKG, he told us to go see a cardiologist that day. So that’s when our medical journey really began in earnest.

We found a cardiologist who was ready to take Ricky KJN’s symptoms seriously. Ricky KJN was then diagnosed with Congestive Heart Failure, but without a clear cause. He was given a bunch of medication prescriptions to fill and start taking.

However, in December 2022, and before we could fill the prescriptions, Ricky KJN took a turn for the worse and ended up in the ER. They started him on all the prescriptions at the hospital, and he lost 20 lbs of retained water in 24 hours. Turns out that his heart was working so poorly that he couldn’t keep up and all the water weight was stressing his body. Once he cleared the water he felt so much better!

The first cardiologist kept him on the meds and set a follow up for 3 months later. At the follow up in April 2023, the cardiologist realized that although the meds kept the water weight down, his heart wasn’t improving and was possibly getting worse. Because of this, Ricky KJN was referred to an advanced heart failure specialist to find the cause of his heart failure.

Right away, the advanced heart failure specialist came in with a couple of scary diagnoses that she felt strongly were the cause of his heart failure. Her thought was that amyloidosis of some form was the cause of the heart damage.

After a second echo, a second cardiac catheterization, a heart biopsy, and a lot more lab tests, she came to the conclusion that Ricky KJN had amyloidosis AL (light chain). So we were off to an appointment with an oncologist. It was news we didn’t want to hear, but being set on a path to treatment was at least a little reassuring. You know Ricky KJN likes to have a plan!

Amyloidosis AL is a malfunctioning of the bone marrow, which starts sending out defective, misshapen proteins. These proteins move through the body and settle in the organs, causing damage. In Ricky KJN’s case, they settled in his heart and have caused a major drop in strength and function of his heart (from a normal 65% ejection fraction to about 30% EF, and from pumping 5 liters a minute to about 3.5 liters per minute). Amyloidosis AL can be primary, where it is the sole disease, or it can be a consequence of a bone marrow cancer called Multiple Myeloma.

We met with the oncologist on Monday, May 16, 2023. She went over some treatment options, and ordered another bunch of tests to confirm the amyloidosis typing and the path of treatment needed. He was sent to the labs for a bunch of blood tests, and he’ll be going in on Thursday for a bone marrow biopsy. The doctor is still waiting on the heart biopsy results from the Mayo Clinic, and will also want results from the bone marrow biopsy to confirm whether it’s stand-alone or accompanied by multiple myeloma.

Based on what we know right now, the treatment options include several rounds of injections, chemotherapy pills, steroid pills, and most likely a bone marrow transplant. Additionally, depending on how his heart handles the cancer treatment, he may also need a heart transplant. We’re hoping this won’t be the case, but it’s a possibility. The oncologist is also putting together a team of doctors to work on Ricky KJN’s case, including a bone marrow specialist, and a heart transplant team on standby if needed.

He’ll need to meet with his cardiologist on a regular basis to keep his heart in the best shape possible while the chemotherapy attacks the defective bone marrow. This seems to be the biggest worry of the oncologist, since she feels very confident in her treatment methods for the bone marrow itself but knows that treatment can be hard on a weakened heart. Luckily, most people who get amyloidosis are over 50 years of age, so Ricky KJN’s young age and otherwise good health should help him through these treatments.

I’ll be updating you all on his finalized diagnosis and treatment plans once we get them. We’re hopeful, and so is the oncologist. It’s been reassuring to feel like we are in good hands, despite the seriousness of the situation. This is a rare disease that most doctors see maybe once or twice in a career, but the oncologist says that in her specialty she sees this disease all the time, and for Ricky KJN’s case “failure is not an option”.

Thank you for your support, and I’ll keep you all up to date!

Meghan KJN