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Fighting for Hope with Dawn M. Blair
By Samantha Skelton
For anyone that challenges the connection between man’s best friend and humans, Dawn M. Blair is here to prove everyone wrong.
Her connection between her foster-turned adopted dog Mr. Monks changed not only her illness, but her entire life moving forward.
From struggling with Lyme disease to life with Mr. Monks, and understanding her grief post-his passing away, Dawn shares her biggest hope for people trying to overcome seemingly insurmountable circumstances and dives into her new book, Me and Mr. Monks.
I’d love to hear about your life’s journey leading up to you becoming an author. What was it like growing up?
Well, I’m originally from Richmond, VA. I was born and raised here in a more rural area called Mechanicsville, VA.
I went to Catholic school and then I went to Virginia Commonwealth University where I have a degree in mass communications.
I graduated from there in 1997 and then went back to school in 2009 to get my degree in nursing, which has been quite an experience!
What was the impetus behind that kind of career move?
I had a lot of friends that were going to nursing school, so I started thinking seriously about it. The other reason was also that my mother had been chronically ill for thirty years. My entire life since I was three years old, revolved around her illness.
We didn’t have the best relationship for a long time until right before she died. I grew to understand why she was the way she was through my career change. She was mentally ill, and all her medications led to strokes and she was continually hospitalized for her mental illness.
I credit her with the main reason I went to nursing school.
How did her mental illness and chronic illness affect your life?
I’ve been through a lot of therapy because it was very difficult. It’s amazing that I didn’t wind up in a terrible place. My mother was in such a bad place herself.
What saved me was I got into horseback riding as a ten-year-old. I started riding horses and showing ponies and there were so many positive adult role models in that sport, that it really saved me.
You talk about how your life was turned upside down when you found out you had Lyme disease. When was that?
I found out in August of 2020. It took three and a half years to get diagnosed but I was having symptoms for three years prior.
I first noticed the skin lesions because they were not only on my skin but on my face too. I had open sores on my face for three and a half years. It was a living nightmare.
As a woman, who wants open sores on their face? I had to have bandages covering my face.
Along with those physical issues, I have terrible insomnia, migraines, dizziness, and fatigue. I eventually found a functional medicine doctor who knew exactly what it was.
Your book Me and Mr. Monks is so heartwarming. What led you to finding Mr. Monks?
Mr. Monks was already in my life prior to finding out about my Lyme disease. I rescued him in February 2015 on Valentine’s Day.
Me and my husband volunteered a lot at a Pitbull Rescue called Ring Dog Rescue. They’re the biggest Pitbull rescue in Virginia.
We were at an adoption event at the Chesterfield County shelter and at that time, the shelter was run by the police department which meant that the dogs were never seen, they never got out and got any exposure.
They would get euthanized especially if they were a Pitbull. So, on that Valentine’s Day, my husband and I went into the shelter.
My friend and president of Ring Dog Rescue, Amanda Taylor walked out with this little dog in her arms. I thought he was so cute, but she wanted him for herself. She called me about 45 minutes after getting home that day to tell me she was bringing him to me. He was meant to be mine.
Mr. Monks was in bad condition. He was starving at that point, missing hair on his back and belly, and had open sores all over him. But it was a love affair between us from day one, although I was only wanting to foster him at first.
Six months into fostering him and I decided there was no way I could let him go. When I started getting sick, I couldn’t really work. I got so sick that I had to quit working because I couldn’t leave my house. And he was always by my side.
What inspired you to write the book?
Mr. Monks died on October 12th, 2021, and it sent me back into full blown Lyme’s disease. I was and am still in so much grief over him. He was my best friend. I still haven’t fully grasped that he’s not here anymore.
When I had to quit working because I couldn’t go out in public because of my disease, I used to think about killing myself every week. But eventually I realized that for him, without me, he wouldn’t survive either.
So, I went on and kept fighting for him. When I say that he rescued me, he really did rescue me from myself. I feel like he had a job to do, and he did his job.
What’s something you hope someone takes away from reading this book?
I really hope that after reading it, people find it enjoyable to read but also that they know they can find some of themselves in it, and some of their own experiences.
Anyone that’s going through something difficult, I hope they understand how strong the human and animal bond can be. You may have to fight for hope, but there is hope.
I also want people to realize that they are their greatest advocate when it comes to their health.
Are you working on any other novel yet?
I am working on my second book, My Name is Bradley, which is about my rescued Pitbull Bradley. I rescued him off the euthanasia table.
He was also our foster dog who had special needs from being physically beaten. He had severe neurological deficits; he would have seizures constantly.
He’s the sweetest thing and the kindest dog. He was a dog with no name who had no worth to anyone until he met me. He’s very special.
Where can people read more about your story and get your novel, Me and Mr. Monks?
You can head to https://MrMonks.com for more info!
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