REFLECTIONS ….

It’s hard to imagine that it’s been almost ONE YEAR since embarking on Irene’s Journey of Faith.

The genesis was on February 12, 2007 when Irene’s routine physical examination revealed that her cholesterol had jumped from 200 to 400.  We perceived her to be in excellent health prior to this date.  Over the next several weeks her cholesterol jumped to over 500, she experienced two blood clots (one pulmonary and one in her left calf), an extreme case of edema and was losing protein in the urinary tract; classic symptoms of nephrotic syndrome …. or kidney failure …. even though it seemed to take forever for that diagnosis.

But as we subsequently learned, this was just the beginning.  The ultimate diagnosis of Primary Amyloidosis at UCSF didn’t come until the middle of May and the kidneys were merely victims within the context of the disease itself.

There’s much more to the story …. including how our primary care physician and the treating nephrologist at the local hospital told us that it was entirely up to us to get Irene admitted to Stanford Hospital or UCSF because their collective attempts failed.  It was only after Dr. Alan Buchwald and another good friend, Don Thomas, advocated for Irene that she was ultimately accepted and transferred to UCSF for treatment.  Dr. Alan Buchwald made direct contact with Dr. Stephen Gluck, the Professor of Medicine, Division of Nephrology, at UCSF, and Don Thomas paved the way through his personal friend, Mark Laret, the CEO of UCSF.  We are forever grateful.

We firmly believe that had it not been for Dr. Buchwald and Don Thomas advocating the way that they did, Irene would already be in Heaven today.  Anecdotally, when Dr. Buchwald called UCSF he did not have any existing relationships to lean upon.  He simply made the call to UCSF.  Dr. Stephen Gluck picked up the telephone number dialed by Dr. Buchwald.  What are the odds that would happen?

Irene now has a NEW primary care physician and a NEW local nephrologist.  As I said, there was much more to the story.

Irene stayed home today and carefully worked through chores and her favorite subject …. TAXES!!  Just kidding, it isn’t her favorite job but she did spend some time pulling together the 2007 tax filing.  Her nausea remains; she’s fatigued and moved slowly through the day.  The one consolation of her day was that there was no dialysis treatment!!

Obviously, it’s been an incredibly challenging 12 months.  As an additional point of reference the stem cell transplant was June 15, 2007.  My quick math calculates that we’re approaching eight months since that procedure.

The colossal journey is far from over …. we have much more to learn as we traverse the way.  Irene’s response to all of this has been nothing short of remarkable.  We would have never envisioned this trek and could not have traveled it alone.  And we know that we’re not ….

King David asserts …. “For You, Lord, have never forsaken those who seek You.”
Psalm 9:10b

Jesus affirms: “I am with you always.”
Matthew 28:20b

God avows, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.”
Hebrews 13:5b

…. and thanks …. for the many ways YOU have also been with us along the way.

Caminando con Fé

Dave