Help Tiffani Beat Amyloidosis
Donation protected
Hello Family and Friends,
I need your help on this journey.
Let me share with you how it started. October 2016, I began feeling exhausted and noticed swelling in my legs. This was a new feeling that I never felt before. I began to see doctors and specialists to see what I was experiencing. Initially, I was told it was a byproduct of aging. This didn’t seem normal as I knew my body and this new feeling was something I’ve never experienced. Roughly six months later (March 2017) and several doctor visits, I was given a diagnosis…it was AL Amyloidosis.
AL amyloidosis disease is caused by a bone marrow disorder. The bone marrow in the center of bones produces cells in the blood system, including “plasma cells.” These plasma cells are the part of the immune system that makes antibodies for fighting infections. The term “immunoglobulin” refers to the class of proteins that function as antibodies. Immunoglobulins are composed of four protein chains: two light chains, either kappa or lambda light chains, and two heavy chains, of which there are several types.
These proteins are produced by the plasma cells in the bone marrow. In AL patients, these plasma cells produce an abnormal antibody (immunoglobulin) protein. For AL amyloidosis, it is the “light chains” that become misfolded, and the abnormal, misfolded result is the forming of amyloid. With AL amyloidosis, the “A” is for amyloid and the “L” is for light chain.
These misfolded amyloid proteins are deposited in and around tissues, nerves and organs. As the amyloid builds up in an organ, nerve or tissue, it gradually causes damage and affects their function. Each amyloidosis patient has a different pattern of amyloid deposition in their body. It often affects more than one organ. AL amyloidosis does not affect the brain" - http://amyloidosis.org/facts/al/
What does this mean? This condition is causing my body to incorrectly produce these proteins at an aggressive pace. These malformed proteins are deposited throughout my body. The swelling I experienced initially was from the original protein deposits (October 2016). Since then, I've had a bone marrow transplant and chemotherapy (December of 2017) to bring my L down and now I'm taking maintenance therapy. However, even after these procedures, the Amyloid has deposited proteins in my heart and kidneys where my doctors have concluded that I need transplants. They are insisting that these transplants take place very soon. They’re advising within the next couple of months.
So here is where I am. I am in need of a heart, kidneys and now a lung. As you can imagine, this is a trying time for me, my family and friends. I never thought I would ever be in this situation, but here I am. I have been fighting this since my initial diagnosis in 2016 and will continue to fight this with every fiber of my being and will share my journey with you…so we can beat this TOGETHER!
My medical expenses are steep, which include doctor visits, medication, testing, hospital stays and of course the transplant procedures. I am fighting this and I need your help. This GoFundMe initiative is designed to help me on this journey. Please help me beat this…together we will WIN!
Thank you for your time reading this and your consideration in helping me.
With love and sincerity,
Tiffani
I need your help on this journey.
Let me share with you how it started. October 2016, I began feeling exhausted and noticed swelling in my legs. This was a new feeling that I never felt before. I began to see doctors and specialists to see what I was experiencing. Initially, I was told it was a byproduct of aging. This didn’t seem normal as I knew my body and this new feeling was something I’ve never experienced. Roughly six months later (March 2017) and several doctor visits, I was given a diagnosis…it was AL Amyloidosis.
AL amyloidosis disease is caused by a bone marrow disorder. The bone marrow in the center of bones produces cells in the blood system, including “plasma cells.” These plasma cells are the part of the immune system that makes antibodies for fighting infections. The term “immunoglobulin” refers to the class of proteins that function as antibodies. Immunoglobulins are composed of four protein chains: two light chains, either kappa or lambda light chains, and two heavy chains, of which there are several types.
These proteins are produced by the plasma cells in the bone marrow. In AL patients, these plasma cells produce an abnormal antibody (immunoglobulin) protein. For AL amyloidosis, it is the “light chains” that become misfolded, and the abnormal, misfolded result is the forming of amyloid. With AL amyloidosis, the “A” is for amyloid and the “L” is for light chain.
These misfolded amyloid proteins are deposited in and around tissues, nerves and organs. As the amyloid builds up in an organ, nerve or tissue, it gradually causes damage and affects their function. Each amyloidosis patient has a different pattern of amyloid deposition in their body. It often affects more than one organ. AL amyloidosis does not affect the brain" - http://amyloidosis.org/facts/al/
What does this mean? This condition is causing my body to incorrectly produce these proteins at an aggressive pace. These malformed proteins are deposited throughout my body. The swelling I experienced initially was from the original protein deposits (October 2016). Since then, I've had a bone marrow transplant and chemotherapy (December of 2017) to bring my L down and now I'm taking maintenance therapy. However, even after these procedures, the Amyloid has deposited proteins in my heart and kidneys where my doctors have concluded that I need transplants. They are insisting that these transplants take place very soon. They’re advising within the next couple of months.
So here is where I am. I am in need of a heart, kidneys and now a lung. As you can imagine, this is a trying time for me, my family and friends. I never thought I would ever be in this situation, but here I am. I have been fighting this since my initial diagnosis in 2016 and will continue to fight this with every fiber of my being and will share my journey with you…so we can beat this TOGETHER!
My medical expenses are steep, which include doctor visits, medication, testing, hospital stays and of course the transplant procedures. I am fighting this and I need your help. This GoFundMe initiative is designed to help me on this journey. Please help me beat this…together we will WIN!
Thank you for your time reading this and your consideration in helping me.
With love and sincerity,
Tiffani
Organizer
Tiffani Murphy
Organizer
Houston, TX
