There’s an obvious SKIP in Irene’s step this evening ....

After visiting the dedicated team at the UCSF Blood Center, Irene met with nephrologists, Nisha Bansal and Stephen Gluck for the initial consultation of whether or not to pursue a kidney transplant. Both doctors previously treated Irene when she was hospitalized at UCSF.

You may also recall that Dr. Gluck initially approved Irene’s transfer to UCSF from Dominican Hospital in May of 2007 when she had been officially declined because of a mis-diagnosis.  A previous medical team at another hospital had identified Irene’s renal failure but wanted to discharge her and treat the matter as outpatient.  We obviously didn’t agree with that conclusion or recommendation and mobilized an army of people who began making telephone calls, one of which was made by our friend, Dr. Alan Buchwald, and answered serendipitously by Dr. Gluck @ UCSF.  If Dr. Gluck had not agreed to receive Irene and transfer her to UCSF, resulting in the diagnosis of Primary Amyloidosis, most likely, she would already be in Heaven.

Reminiscing for another moment, Dr. Gluck literally held Irene’s hand during the kidney biopsy at UCSF, giving her momentous consolation at a critical time in the process.  Unbeknownst to him, Irene was repeating the words of Jesus to herself, “I will never leave you nor forsake you”.  Irene remembers that occasion as if it was yesterday, referring to Dr. Gluck in that moment as the very “Hand of God”. 

Upon seeing Irene, Dr. Gluck was excited and exhibited rare emotion, beholding her glowing persona and buoyant optimism .... and recalling her three month colossal challenge in patient @ UCSF approximately 20 months ago.

Both Doctor’s Gluck & Bansal enthusiastically support Irene fully vetting the kidney transplant option.  We’ll be scheduling an appointment with the UCSF Transplant Center and will be working alongside the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS).

We’ve got a lot to learn on this next step of the Amyloid journey.

Kidney transplantation, or renal transplantation is the organ transplant of a kidney in a patient with end-stage renal disease. Kidney transplantation is typically classified as deceased-donor (formerly known as cadaveric) or living-donor transplantation depending on the source of the recipient organ. Living-donor renal transplants are further characterized as genetically related (living-related) or non-related (living-unrelated) transplants, depending on whether a biological relationship exists between the donor and recipient.

There’s an obvious SKIP in Irene’s step this evening .... and for good reason.

Thanks for praying .... and for caring.

Caminando con F&ecute;

Dave

REJECTION is, perhaps, one of the most challenging issues that we may face in life .... and all of us have faced rejection in some way, shape or form.  Most of us long for ACCEPTANCE, connection, community, and strong family relationships, going to almost any extreme to avoid rejection and division. 

God has faced more rejection than any other person who has ever lived.  This fact is particularly striking in the account of a son who demands an early inheritance from his father and ultimately squanders it. 

Jesus continued: “There was a man who had two sons. The younger one said to his father, ‘Father, give me my share of the estate.’ So he divided his property between them.

“Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living. After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need. So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs. He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything.

“When he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired men have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired men.’ So he got up and went to his father.
“But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.

“The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’

“But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate.

“Meanwhile, the older son was in the field. When he came near the house, he heard music and dancing. So he called one of the servants and asked him what was going on. ‘Your brother has come,’ he replied, ‘and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.’

“The older brother became angry and refused to go in. So his father went out and pleaded with him. But he answered his father, ‘Look! All these years I’ve been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!’

” ‘My son,’ the father said, ‘you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ “

Luke 15:11-31

So, how do you and I face the rejections in our life?  I see at least 4 elements of God’s heart illustrated in this passage.

1. The father saw him coming .... my interpretation?  He was watching for his son’s return.
2. The father was filled with compassion for him .... my interpretation?  He longed to help his suffering son.
3. The father ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him .... my interpretation?  He was willing to affectionately demonstrate his love toward his son.
4. The father, quickly deducing a repentant heart, accepted his son and celebrated his son’s return to the family with a feast .... my interpretation?  Unconditional love, forgiveness, healing and reconciliation cover a multitude of sins and allows a relationship to move forward.

The HEART of our Heavenly Father fills scripture from Genesis to Revelation.  God longs for a relationship with each of us.  Although we also have the gift of “free will”, His desire is not that we would use that free will to reject Him, but, rather, to ACCEPT Him.

For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in him would not perish, but have everlasting life.
John 3:16

Our hope and prayer this Christmas season is that you would see Him for who He is by accepting the gift of His Son and being fully reconciled to Him.

Caminando con Fé

Dave

Hello Dave and Irene,

WOW!!  What a journey you are on!  Please forgive me for not sending you my prayers and love in such a long time!  I think of you often and my beautiful daughter JoAnna!  I would look forward to the times at President council when I could see you and JoAnna.

I too, have been on a journey during 2007 (but nothing like yours).  I was diagnosed with breast cancer and experienced a mastecomy of the right breast.  During my series of chemo I experience a setback in December 2007, the chemo triggered an attack on my liver causing hepatitis B.  Through prayers and our Savior’s great healing powers I was able to return to work in June 2007.

I would describe your journey as a world class trip, in comparison my journey which would classified as an insignificant domestic trip!  Irene, you are such a beautiful and gracious person - I can truly see God’s grace all in your continence. 

Well, God will be taking me on another journey soon, due to our economy and the condition that this world is in, I will be joining the ranks of many unemployed people.  I know God has a plan for me so I wake up each morning trusting Him.  You and Dave are truly a union made in heaven.

Love you both,

Helen Bush

Today we met for lunch with ministry pioneers, Dave & Laura Gschwend at Palappas Restaurant in Seascape.

Dave & Laura lead Gathering by the Bay, a house church movement.  Laura is a breast cancer survivor (clean for 5 years) and continues to reach out to many in her capacity as a mentor-teacher within the University of California system.

We had a GREAT time together; before we departed Dave & Laura prayed with Irene and for her physical healing.

Thanks for caring.

Dave

8 a.m.

Thanks for checking in.

We finally got the telephone call late Friday afternoon from the nurse liaison at UCSF regarding the most recent blood test results. 

Here’s the quick story…


The lab did not test for amyloid.

We did not press them for an answer but either the amyloid test wasn’t originally ordered with the blood panel or the lab simply didn’t complete the ordered amyloid test.  Either way, it wasn’t done and it’s now been re-ordered.

So, on Monday, December 22, when we return to UCSF to meet with the nephrology team to consult about the prospects of a kidney transplant, Irene will be tested for the amyloid level.

One note of encouragement is that the balance of Irene’s blood panel looked good.  All results were within acceptable norms.

Irene’s nausea RAGED last night causing her gross discomfort.  She’s resting now and we hope the nausea will subside as the day wears on…

Thanks for caring.
Dave

As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth. His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” “Neither this man nor his parents sinned,” said Jesus, “but this happened so that the work of God might be displayed in his life.
John 9:1-3

For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.
Colossians 1:13-14

On December 8th, I shared an update with some very powerful verses related to the matter of generational sin and its consequences.

Now, as Paul Harvey would say, here is the “rest of the story” ....

The thread of continuity throughout scripture speaks emphatically that Jesus the Son of God, bore ALL of our sins on the cross.

God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
2 Corinthians 5:21

Why did Jesus become sin ....?

The answer is so that we would become the righteousness of God in Christ.

Now, follow this logic and series of verses ....

Later, knowing that all was now completed, and so that the Scripture would be fulfilled, Jesus said, “I am thirsty.”  A jar of wine vinegar was there, so they soaked a sponge in it, put the sponge on a stalk of the hyssop plant, and lifted it to Jesus’ lips.  When he had received the drink, Jesus said, “It is finished.”  With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.
John 19:28-30

It is prophesied that Jesus would drink vinegar or sour wine:

They gave me also gall for my meat; and in my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink.
Psalm 69:21

What is the significance of the sour wine?  Why is this detail given in all four gospel accounts?  The detail is there to show us that because of Jesus’ redemptive work on the cross, no more shall our sons pay for the sins of their fathers.

In those days people will no longer say, ‘The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children’s teeth are set on edge.  Instead, everyone will die for his own sin; whoever eats sour grapes — his own teeth will be set on edge.
Jeremiah 31:29-30

There was a time when children would pay for the sins of their fathers.  This is no longer the case.  Jesus took those curses upon Himself.  What a Savior!  He left nothing unaccounted for.  He took it all .... for us .... on the cross .... and is that not Good News? 

We look to the cross.  We look to Jesus.  As followers of Christ we are under the new covenant of grace.  We are individually accountable to Him.

Fathers shall not be put to death because of their children, nor shall children be put to death for their fathers.  Each one shall be put to death for their own sin.
Deuteronomy 24:16

Behold the days are coming declares the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah .... For I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.
Jeremiah 31:31-34

Why have I shared in this way ....?

Is the season that we’re spending in prayer, fasting and confession of no avail ....?

John McArthur has written powerful commentary on the topic of generational sin:

“Moses made it clear that children were not punished for the sins of their parents (Deuteronomy 24:16), but children would feel the impact of breaches of God’s law by their parent’s generation as a natural consequence of its disobedience, its hatred of God. Children reared in such an environment would imbibe and then practice similar idolatry, thus themselves expressing hateful disobedience.  The difference in consequence served as both a warning and a motivation. The effect of a disobedient generation was to plant wickedness so deeply that it took several generations to reverse.”

I am a pretty simple guy and this is how I rationalize all of this.  Heartfelt prayer and supplication before a Holy God are a matter of sanctification and consecration .... not salvation.

We long for Him; we long for His intervention in every aspect of our lives.

As a deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, O Lord.
Psalm 42:1

I encourage you to muse and meditate on the words SANCTIFICATION and CONSECRATION .... In other words, how are they defined, what do they mean, and how are they applied to my life?

If our life purpose is a growing desire to be conformed to His image, becoming like Him, even unto death, then all of the spiritual disciplines we practice help us deepen and broaden our intimacy with Christ.

For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.
Colossians 1:13-14

Caminando con Fé

Dave

Junior’s Cheesecake all the way from Brooklyn, New York ....!!!!!!!!!!!

Our new friends, Ben and Debbie Bernstein, special ordered a cheesecake which arrived via Fed Ex today ....

.... and following dialysis this evening Irene enjoyed every morsel of the slice she devoured .... enthusiastically exclaiming, “You know what I’m having for breakfast ....!!!!!”  It was, without question, the BEST cheesecake we’ve ever eaten!!!

Please remember to pray for Ben and Deb .... see the update dated December 4th.

Thanks for checking in .... and for caring.

Dave

Do not hold against us the sins of the fathers; may your mercy come quickly to meet us, for we are in desperate need.
Psalm 79:8

Have you ever felt that the STRUGGLE of LIFE is fierce, unrelenting and absolutely beyond our ability to grasp, see or comprehend ....?

At times, we believe so, and this belief is affirmed by the following:

.... our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.
Ephesians 6:12

Irene and I have felt for some time that the amyloid journey has been as much a spiritual battle as that of being a very physical one…

We were discussing OUR sinful nature and the “sins of our fathers” that pass from generation to generation.  Scripture is abundantly clear about that reality ....

Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished; he punishes the children and their children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation.
Exodus 34:7

Those of you who are left will waste away in the lands of their enemies because of their sins; also because of their fathers’ sins they will waste away.
Leviticus 26:29b

The Lord is slow to anger, abounding in love and forgiving sin and rebellion. Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished; he punishes the children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation.
Number 14:18

You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me…
Deuteronomy 5:9

We take scripture very seriously.

We also take sin very seriously.  Sin is separation from God; our sinful and willful disobedience is an abomination to the living God.

Last evening Irene and I entered a season of prayer .... confessing and renouncing our sins, iniquities and transgressions before a Holy God.  We confessed our sins of commission .... and those of omission.  We implored His absolution.  We pled for cleansing and purity.  We sought sanctification and forgiveness from the generational sins in our family heritage.  We prayed scripture back to God.

Our confession and extended time of calling upon God resulted in significant emotion, weeping and, in many ways, regret for how we have lived our lives .... even as followers of Jesus for the last 28 years.

Why did we enter such a season ....?

We are praying for a spiritual BREAKTHROUGH.

We long to break the stronghold of SIN in our lives.  We endeavor to break the foothold of generational sins .... those sins that we may or not even be aware of in our family of those who have come before us .... our parents, grandparents and great-grandparents .... those sins that we don’t want passed in our lineage.

• We are praying that our children will not have to forebear the sins of their parents.
• We are praying that our daughters will not be oppressed and tormented by the evil in this world.
• We are praying to loose the chains of injustice.
• We are praying for the yoke of spiritual slavery to be broken.
• We are praying that our progeny will not be punished for our sins.
• We are praying that God will not hold OUR sins against our family and that His mercy will come quickly .... for we are in desperate need.

Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen:
to loose the chains of injustice
and untie the cords of the yoke,
to set the oppressed free
and break every yoke?

Isaiah 58:6

Then you will call, and the LORD will answer;
you will cry for help, and he will say: Here am I.

Isaiah 58:9

As we concluded our extended time of intercessory prayer, the Lord showed me a miraculous image in my mind’s eye which I immediately shared with Irene .... that image was that of a chain and shackles .... literally shattered.

Do not hold against us the sins of the fathers; may your mercy come quickly to meet us, for we are in desperate need.
Psalm 79:8

Caminando con Fé

Dave

It was a beautiful “birth” day on the Monterey Bay .... celebrating my 51st ....

We dined for breakfast outside on the deck at Zelda’s in Capitola Village and took a casual stroll afterward ....

A vain and photogenic pelican poses with a somewhat apprehensive Irene later in the day at the harbor.

We enjoyed a terrific prime rib dinner at the Crow’s Nest Restaurant and this evening observed with fascination the annual Christmas Boat Parade.  By nightfall the background in the harbor photos above were filled with brilliantly decorated crafts cruising and displaying their holiday creativity with a HUGE crowd of onlookers.

It was a beautiful day on the Monterey Bay.

Dave

Hello everyone… we received this email from Deb Bernstein related to Ben’s UCSF consultation yesterday. 

Please pray that God will comfort them during this time…

Hi Dave and Irene,

The results of our visit…it was a very long day, we weren’t seen until noon and ended up waiting in that office for 2 hours!  We got home at 2 pm and were wiped out.

Below is a blurb of where we are at after yesterday’s visit plus a few other updates that are older…

With love,
Deb

December 4th, 2008

The Bone Marrow Test for primary Amyloid came back positive and shows Amyloid in his tissue and other organs and that his heart is extremely damaged.

He doesn’t qualify for a BM Transplant because he couldn’t survive the procedure based on the severity of his heart condition. He doesn’t qualify for a new heart because the Amyloid is in multiple organs so it excludes him from being considered.

The doctors consider his heart disease to be pretty advanced given the symptoms that went undiagnosed for over a year.

At this point all he can do is some intensive on-going chemo starting the 15th of this month consisting of Melphalan with Dexamethasone.

There is no cure but this combined treatment will buy us some time.  Statistics say months to 1 year with treatment so we’re just going to take it one day at a time and not worry about tomorrow.

There are only 1200 cases a year diagnosed. We also learned today that Ben’s Hep C is back in full force even after 6 months of grueling Inteferon a 2nd time, the first in 2002.  This was a huge blow but it could be years before the new liver gets attacked by the Hep C.  Prior to transplant and 2 months into treatment, he had tested negative for the virus but like back in 2002, it reared its ugly head as it always does.

The bigger concern is the primary amyloid (also known as Al Amyloid) which attacks all vital organs and fairly rapidly once it’s in full force.

Ben wishes to act aggressively and will fight and not give up.

I wish I had better news to share around the holidays.  We will be spending our time left together doing a lot of nesting and reflecting on our past 20 years together and all we’ve accomplished and all we’ve experienced.  We are both feeling strong and are grateful for our time together and for our strong and loving relationship.


Ben faces this adverse news with incredible courage and optimism and is now reaching out to us...!!! 

Having just found out that Irene LOVES cheesecake, he and his wife, Deb, are special ordering her a cheesecake from Junior’s Restaurant in Brooklyn, NY...their favorite place to eat cheesecake!!!!

Thanks for caring,
Dave

Today we had the privilege of meeting Ben and Debbie Bernstein, from San Rafael, in the waiting room at UCSF. They have been married for 20 years. Ben has been recently diagnosed with Primary Amyloidosis (only 2 in 1,000,000 people contract Primary Amyloidosis and he is the first person we have met with the disease). Ben has been on a 10 year struggle with health related issues which includes a liver transplant last month.

The medical team is now weighing Ben’s options including the potential of undergoing a stem cell transplant.

You would never know the hardship they have endured over the last 10 years .... their optimistic and positive attitude was very uplifting!!!

Please pray for both of them as they continue on the challenging road ahead.

Irene met with Dr. Lloyd Damon @ UCSF today for her blood draw and examination. It was once again overwhelming for Irene to hear comments from multiple nurses about how great she looks now .... and how very, very sick she was when hospitalized last year.

Their consistent message is that she is a living and breathing MIRACLE ....!!

Dr. Damon wants to see Irene again in three months. We hope to receive the AMYLOID blood test results sometime next week.

Stay tuned ....!!

As we were leaving the Outpatient Oncology Department we ran into a radiant Scott and Lynn Halverson!! As you’ll recall, Scott is battling cancer and is being treated at UCSF. He joyfully perseveres with buoyant enthusiasm!!!!

It is very humbling .... and inspiring .... to see sooooo many .... with sooooo much courage.

Caminando con Fé

Dave

Monday Night Infiltration!

Okay, so it’s not Monday Night Football....and this evening Irene is dealing with a needle infiltration which occurred at dialysis today.  The technicians discontinued her treatment one hour early and they were unable to remove the usual and customary amount of fluid.  They will try again on Wednesday.

She is spending this evening icing her very swollen arm.

Thanks for checking in...and for caring.
Dave

Now we see but a poor reflection ....
1 Corinthians 13:12a

We’re grateful this Thanksgiving Day that we “walk by faith and not by sight.”

No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him.
1 Corinthians 2:9

Our sinful state of humanity obscures our vision.  We’re unable to see clearly all that God has in store for us but we rest in the promises of His Word.  Only in eternity will all be made known and our faithfulness fully rewarded.

Now we see but a poor reflection; then we shall see face to face.  Now I know in part; then I shall know fully….
1 Corinthians 13:12

May you experience a JOYFUL and BLESSED Thanksgiving Day.

Caminando con Fé

Dave

Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.
James 4:14

Our long time friend, Ed Hamill, was tragically killed in an automobile accident last Saturday.  Ed was alone in the car when an oncoming vehicle swerved into his lane and hit the car he was driving head-on.

Ed was an amazing man.  He and his wife, Diane, are pictured above when they came for a visit and to pray with Irene last February.

I call Ed a friend, a colleague, and mentor.  He counseled me for years when I was making critical life and career decisions.  I spoke to him on the telephone last week and he once again spoke wisdom and encouragement into my life.

We also call Ed a zealous follower of Jesus Christ.  He served an audience of One.  Ed has “graduated” and is in Heaven with God .... now and forevermore.  He finished strong .... loving and serving God with all of his heart, mind, soul and strength.  We will miss him but will see him again when the Lord sees fit to call each of us home.

Ed’s tragic and untimely death is a reminder that this earth is not our home.

We love you Ed, and look forward to our great reunion with you someday.

Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.
James 4:14

Caminando con Fé

Dave