Go Irene Go !!!

Getting Better!!

Love Ya!!

Uncle Bob and Aunt Ginny!

Irene, while we have not met you, and I know Dave only a bit, the Lord brings you to mind for prayer quite often.  I’m grateful for such
an incredible web site that allows me (and now Sue) to follow your journey.  Please know that you faith is an encouragement to many and the love you and Dave share is so honoring to God.

May the love and peace of the Father sustain you each day,
Bob (and Sue) Andringa, Phoenix, AZ

Hello Mr. Dias.  I don’t know if you remember me.  My name is Brian Burrone.  I’m an old friend of Jocelyn’s from Mt. Hermon.  I came down and visited a couple of times when you lived in Soquel and once when you lived somewhere else.  I was saddened to discover via irenedias.com that your wife has taken ill.  But I was encouraged to see you & your family’s increasing faith in the Lord through the ordeal.
I just wanted to let you know that you & your family were extremely kind and welcoming to me whenever I came to visit Jocelyn, and I haven’t forgotten that after all these years.  I hope & pray for Irene’s full recovery.  God bless.
Brian Burrone

Dearest Irene,

I can’t begin to tell you how shocked I was to learn of your illness.  It’s amazing how life when seems to be going well, it can bring such devastating circumstances and can change so much.  I realize that most circumstances that families may face, in comparison, don’t come close to the crisis you and your family are facing… I know that you are facing them with spiritual faith, with strength, grace and dignity, accompanied with a little humor, and a smile on your face, surrounded by the loving hands of your Father, a staff filled with His Spirit, your family and a multitude of friends who all love and admire you.  I am sending you a verse you can add to your list: Psalm 139.13-18.

13 For you created my inmost being;
    you knit me together in my mother’s womb.

14 I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
    your works are wonderful,
    I know that full well.

15 My frame was not hidden from you
    when I was made in the secret place.
    When I was woven together in the depths of the earth,

16 your eyes saw my unformed body.
    All the days ordained for me
    were written in your book
    before one of them came to be.

17 How precious to me are your thoughts, O God!
    How vast is the sum of them!

18 Were I to count them,
    they would outnumber the grains of sand.
    When I awake,
    I am still with you.

Before I close… Irene, I have to tell you that the entry Dave wrote about you is, without a doubt, the most beautiful acknowledgment a husband has ever written about his wife.  The most important part about it is that I know Dave meant every word of it, and that you deserved every word of it.  You have been pure in heart, mind and spirit…I must say, even with all the tribulations that accompany the enormous battle that you and your family are facing, you are still the envy of all women! 

Sending you loving wishes and prayers to you, Dave and the girls,

Margie and Dennis Anderson

Beloved Dias Family,

I love you all so much, and I am incredibly blessed for you to be a part of my life. Irene, you are in my thoughts and prayers daily. I know that God is doing amazing things today. He is our strength and is forever faithful.
I again feel truly blessed to share our lives with one another. Dave, I am off to Haiti again on Sunday. I greatly appreciate all the interest you take in my trips. I always say that it’s the friends and family that love and support me that keep me going. I realize that without all the loving people that have poured into my life over the years, I wouldn’t be where I am today. I’ll ask everyone I can in Haiti to pray for you Irene. They are amazing people of faith.
I love you all so much and I’ll be sure to stop by when I get back.

David

8.30 p.m…

Greetings everyone!!

While I was doing a load of laundry and running errands in Aptos today, Irene enjoyed a short and refreshing visit and prayer time with Rene’ and Lena Mendoza.

Other developments… Irene had another short round of physical therapy and was told by the therapist that he won’t be returning because she is so physically strong!! Yay!!! Irene had another round of kidney dialysis and enjoyed some soup and a short walk with me after dinner. So far, no nausea!! Yay again!! The medical team removed the TPN and lipids (IV nutrients) today. We hope that her “tummy” diet will continue to advance daily…

The most pressing prayer request is for Irene’s LIVER counts to go down. Currently, they are going the wrong way...an obvious impact of the primary amyloidosis. The normal reading is 1.5; Irene’s reading was 7.6 yesterday and is 8.6 today…

We’re once again humbled at the commitment of our friends and family to donate blood… Pastor Larry Acosta flew in today from Orange County with the sole purpose of donating blood for Irene. He had his friend, Pastor Angel Ruiz of Gilroy, pick him up at SFO and drive him to UCSF where both of them donated… Larry oversees the largest urban youth ministry in the U.S… and has over 300 representatives in the bay area. He sent an email blast to all of them yesterday challenging them to donate blood for Irene in the coming weeks! Impressive...yes, but here is the most interesting part of this story: neither Larry nor Angel know Irene. They read about her story on the website and were inspired by her life and testimony...!! Now, that is amazing!!!!!!!!!!!!




We want to thank ALL OF YOU for your continued friendship and support...your kind words of encouragement are inspiring to Irene and our family!!!

We are...Trusting Him,

Dave

7.30 p.m…

By 9.15 p.m. last night, Irene was in her new room on the 11th floor and we were enjoying the SF Fireworks at Fisherman’s Wharf from a distance..

Today she completed a long dialysis session, had physical and occupational therapy sessions, took a walk and had soup for both lunch and dinner without feeling overly nauseated…

Our consultation with the UCSF medical team went well, with obvious conversation still focused around her kidney and liver functions. 

I was at the UCSF Blood Bank today donating platelets…we’re thrilled and overwhelmed with the number of people who are still donating blood and platelets for Irene… our humble thanks to all of you.

I ran into Mike Fitzgerald at UCSF this morning donating blood and saw Hugh Chalmers this afternoon donating platelets (for the second time!!).  I understand that today there were 11 more friends and associates from our Merced InterWest office donating blood as well!!  Wow!!!

Irene is incredibly humbled and encouraged by all the support for her during this season of her life… and sends her heartfelt thanks and a great big smile…!!! 

By faith,
Dave

Hi Irene and Dave,

Well Wishes from the crew at the UCSF blood center.

You are in our thoughts daily and we feel blessed to be meeting all the wonderful blood and platelet donors that are giving the most precious gift of life.

Irene you sure are in the UC family and we feel we know you due to the great stories the donors are telling us. It is amazing how unselfish these great donors are to drive so far to help and give a little of themselves to help you out.

Also your husband Dave endlessly stops by to thank the donors for helping. Amazing also that he gives platelets also and has educated himself on Amyloid to be the best advocate for you and your family.

We make wishes in our imaginary well daily for you and others and look forward to meeting you.

Fondly,

The UCSF Blood Center Crew

I just heard about Irene.  I am not the most holy and faithful person in the universe but I want you to know that Irene and your family will always be in my prayers.  You have always been there for me and I will be forever grateful for your friendship and guidance.  You have helped me get through some difficult times.  I want you to know that I am here for you.  If you need anything no matter how big or how small please call on me at any time day or night 24/7 and I will make it happen.

When you are in Merced again let me know and we can have coffee and talk.

Love you brother…hang in there…I am with you!

Dave

What a strong, precious family you have, Irene.  In my “twilight” days here at MPD (two days to go before retirement) I was simply heart-sick to hear about this devastating illness that you are facing with such dignity and bravery.  Even your pictures show your wonderful smile and strength.  I remember your girls when they were just babies and see how they have grown and matured into such lovely, vibrant adults.  My prayers are with you and yours.

Love,

Diana DuPont

Dear Mom,

Over the last three weeks I have found immense comfort in Steven Curtis Chapman’s song His Strength is Perfect

Specifically, the verse ”We can only know/the power that He holds/when we truly see how deep our weakness goes/His strength in us begins/where ours comes to an end/He hears our humble cry and proves again/His strength is perfect when our strength is gone/He’ll carry us when we can’t carry on/Raised in His power, the weak become strong/His strength is perfect”

I truly saw how deep our weakness goes as I saw you struggle through the last week. I am so blessed to see you raised in His power as you continually become strong.

I woke up from a dream sometime around 4:30, this morning and pictured you sitting in your hospital bed with a banquet table spread out before you, anything you could imagine to eat was there before you, and you were feasting. When I got in the shower this morning I kept singing:

He brought me to his banqueting table
His banner over me is love
He brought me to his banqueting table
His banner over me is love
He brought me to his banqueting table
His banner over me is love
His banner over me is love
I am my beloved’s and he is mine
His banner over me is love
I am my beloved’s and he is mine
His banner over me is love
I am my beloved’s and he is mine
His banner over me is love
His banner over me is love

...and I was reminded that DAVID means BELOVED. God, and Dad, have faithfully seen you through this, and I am grateful from the bottom of my heart for my two Fathers who demonstrate unconditional love - true love - to you, and to our family.

Soon Dad will be picking up Spicy Tuna from Sushi on the Run in Aptos for you, Mom, and you will feast on it and whatever else your heart desires.

Bless the Lord, O my soul
And all that is within me
Bless His holy name
Bless the Lord, O my soul
And forget not all His benefits
Who heals all your diseases
Who redeems your life from destruction
Who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies
Who satisfies your mouth with good things
So that your youth is renewed like the eagles
The executes righteousness
And justice for all those who are oppressed
He made known His ways to Moses
His acts to the children of Israel
The Lord is merciful and gracious
Slow to anger and abounding in mercy
He will not always strive with us
Nor will He keep His anger forever
For as the heavens are high above the earth
So great is His mercy toward those who fear Him
The Lord has established His throne
In heaven and His kingdom rules over all

Love, Jocelyn

Dear Dave and Irene -
It’s so good to read of improvements and progress.  Your strength and faith are beautiful and inspiring.  Debbie and I pray for your comfort and complete healing, wisdom for your doctors, that this experience grows the faith of fellow believers, leads the seekers to know our God, and ultimately glorifies His kingdom. 
God bless you -
Michael and Debbie Ireland

“So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed.” John 8:36
“Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.” 2 Corinthians 3:17
“Where the spirit of the Lord is there is freedom. If you’re tired and you are thirsty, there is freedom. Freedom reigns in this place, showers of mercy and grace falling on ev’ry face. There is freedom. Jesus reigns in this place, showers of mercy and grace falling on ev’ry face. There is freedom.” (song by Jason Upton)

As I hear the distant boom of fireworks at the Rose Bowl and we celebrate the freedom of our country, the Dias’ (and our friends ) celebrate a huge freedom for my mom – freedom from the ICU into a single room in the oncology ward.

I keep thinking about how year after year people have begun to forget the true meanings of holidays, but my mom never has. She loves Fourth of July, she loves our country, and she appreciates our freedoms.

My mom has been a prisoner to the pain of her own body. Inside, she has been herself all along, but this pain has kept her captive. We pray that, as God heals, He will bring freedom – freedom of health and freedom of physical ability. As I lay in bed this morning enjoying a day off, I was thinking about how four friends lowered their lame friend on a mat to see Jesus because they believed Jesus could free him from his physical “prison.” Jesus knew what the man needed most, and instead of healing him, He forgave Him from the prison of sin – the true merciless prison. But Jesus didn’t stop there. He granted physical healing as well – physical freedom. (Mark 2)

As we celebrate Independence Day, we thank God for the freedoms that our country has. We thank God for the people who have fought for us and the people who continue to do so. We thank God for our liberties in this country, but we also thank Him for the liberty that He gave us through His Son Jesus. We are free from the chains of sin and of death. We are free from guilt. We are free from the sin that entangles us.

And, most of all tonight, we acknowledge that Jesus has already set my mom free from what she really needs – freedom from sin. And now we hope in expectation that Jesus will bring physical freedom to my mom – that she will be healed of the amyloid and feel free in her body …And that she will leave UCSF Medical Center “jumping and leaping and praising God.” (Acts 3:8)

8 p.m… Happy 4th of July!!!!! 

Irene’s smile says it all…!!! 

She’s an amazing person, isn’t she!!????!!!?? 

Zach was her attentive ICU RN for the last 3 dayshifts…

More good news…

This very hour they are preparing Irene to leave ICU and transfer her back to the Oncology Ward on the 11th floor!  Her vital signs are stable and she was able to digest chicken broth and a hospital milkshake today without any apparent side effects!!  Yay…!!!!!  UCSF will continue to advance her diet everyday… we continue to hope that there will be no nausea or other adverse side effects… UCSF wants her off the TPN (IV nutrients) as soon as possible.  TPN is hard on the liver (which we know has amyloid) and the longer Irene is on TPN, the greater risk there is for infection.

Irene had dialysis today and also a limited physical therapy session to work those muscles which haven’t been exercised for a long time!!

Tomorrow more dialysis and fluid relief from the edema…

We appreciate everyone’s support in more ways than words can adequately express…

Walking by faith,
Dave

Dearest Dias Family,

We have just read through your entire website (again), and are in awe of the evidence of God’s grace in and through each one of you.  There are really no words that can express what you each must be feeling.  We pray often for you, Irene- that God comforts and heals you- you are truly so brave.  We also pray for you, Dave, and your beautiful girls.  We can only imagine how weary your hearts must become as you feel so helpless at moments. 

Our prayer this day is that God’s grace overwhelms each of your hearts as you rest in His love and protection.  Know that you are prayed for and loved by sooooo many!!

Sincerely,

Troy and Traci (For the entire Galloway Family)