Patriotism trumps politics .... and victory trumps challenge, no matter what that challenge may be.

According to Wikipedia ....

Presidents Day (or Presidents’ Day), is the common name for the federal holiday officially designated as Washington’s Birthday, and both variants are among the official names of a number of coinciding state holidays. It is celebrated on the third Monday of February.

Irene drove herself to and from dialysis this morning; below is a photo of Irene on the hemodialysis machine with Registered Nurse, Scott, who closely monitors Irene’s day to day progress.  The vertical “pink” colored device attached to the machine is the filter which acts as Irene’s kidney three hours on Monday, Wednesday and Friday of every week.

President’s Day brings out the patriotism in most of us and it also draws out the deeply protected FREEDOM that the United States of America represents not only in our homeland but around the world.

We deeply respect the dignity due to the office of the President of the United States but also realize that we aren’t dependent upon presidential leadership to grant us victory.

Paul exhorts us to live above our circumstances, even the colossal warfare engagement with the enemy identified as Primary Amyloidosis.

.... we are more than conquerors through Him who loves us.
Romans 8:37

If we are “more than conquerors” then victory is assured .... through Him who loves us and gives us strength.

Caminando con Fé

Dave

After breakfast, Kathy, Irene and Jocelyn went shopping while Joel, Dan and I took a 6 mile hike up to Hoffman’s Historic Site in Nicene Marks Forest.

All of us “crashed” this afternoon and later went to El Palomar Restaurant at the harbor ....

Nausea notwithstanding, Irene enjoyed a good day ....

Caminando con Fé

Dave

“Kicking back” in Aptos ....

A relaxing day on the bay ....

According to Wikipedia ....

In the beginning, various groups in India wrote eight more or less in one stroke as a curve that looks like an uppercase H with the bottom half of the left line and the upper half of the right line removed. At one point this glyph came close to looking like our modern five. With the western Ghubar Arabs, the similarity of the glyph to five was banished by connecting the beginning and the end of stroke together, and it was only a matter of the Europeans rounding the glyph that led to our modern eight.

What is 8?

• In physics, the second magic number
• There are eight known B vitamins
• All spiders, and generally all arachnids, have eight legs
• An octopus has eight tentacles
• Timothy Leary identified a hierarchy of eight levels of consciousness
• The atomic number of oxygen
• The Jewish religious rite of brit milah is held on a baby boy’s eighth day of life
• Hanukkah is an eight-day Jewish holiday that starts on the 25th day of Kislev
• A note played for one-eighth the duration of a whole note is called an eighth note, or quaver
• Eight ball billiards is played with 15 balls; the black ball numbered 8 being the most important one
• In liquid measurement (U.S. customary units), there are 8 fluid ounces in a cup, 8 pints in a gallon, and 8 tablespoons in a gill
• There are eight vegetables in V8 juice
• .... and the list goes on and on ....!!

Irene drove herself to and from dialysis this morning and has been preparing all afternoon for family visiting us this weekend.  She’s enjoying the longer days of daylight and is looking forward to daylight savings time so she can work outside even more often!  She’s been eating candied “ginger” the last couple of days and it appears to give some degree of nausea relief!  Yay!!!!!!

So, why all of the emphasis today on number 8?  It’s because today is Irene’s 8 month stem cell transplant birthday.  It’s hard to believe that the transfusion took place at UCSF on June 15, 2007.

As humans, we tend to measure just about EVERYTHING because it gives context to all that we’re constantly comparing and contrasting!!!

It’s also a way of gaining understanding and wisdom.

Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.
Psalm 90:12

We don’t know what the future holds, but we know WHO holds the future and we’re grateful that He numbers our days.

Caminando con Fé

Dave

Is it possible to literally EXPLOIT ADVERSITY?

In other words, can one take advantage of an adverse set of circumstances and, instead of becoming a victim of those circumstances, to actually PREVAIL upon them and influence a noteworthy and extraordinary outcome?

Irene enjoyed getting out of the house early this morning and accomplishing several items on her “to do” list.  The nausea and itching remained at a low roar so she was able to enjoy the day .... especially her time in the Wisteria Garden.  She prepared a wonderful Valentine’s Day dinner this evening and we enjoyed a romantic and amazing sunset on the Monterey Bay.  We also had a good conversation reflecting on the incredible journey that she’s on.

By any standard, Irene’s courageous response to her adversity has been remarkable.  Our goal has been to share the journey within the context of our faith.  Our primary public response has been through the website and ultimately through the recently released book, Irene’s Journey of Faith.  The website has been a means of transparency and vulnerability regarding many of the circuitous twists and turns on the trek.  We’re trying to get the book into as many patients’ hands and hospital chaplains as possible.  We’ve added a new “discussion forum” for people to share their own “journey of faith” story as well as the ability to add prayer requests as they’re led to do so.

Although the Lord gives you the bread of adversity and the water of affliction, your teachers will be hidden no more; with your own eyes you will see them. Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, “This is the way; walk in it.”
Isaiah 30:19b-21

Through it all, our ultimate objective is pointing people to Jesus Christ as the way, the truth and the life.  We have much to learn as we walk along Irene’s Journey of Faith.  Our purpose isn’t to respond as a victim of this hideous disease, but rather expose it, overcome it, give HOPE to people and glorify God through it.  For we know that God gives eternal life, and with that, He also gives the Crown of Life.

As Irene walks through each day, we, together, are attempting to PREVAIL upon the adversity in order to influence a noteworthy and extraordinary outcome.

And that, in my humble opinion, is one way to EXPLOIT ADVERSITY.

Caminando con Fé

Dave

According to Wikipedia ....

Valentine’s Day is a holiday celebrated on February 14. It is the traditional day on which lovers express their love for each other; sending Valentine’s cards, or offering confectionery. It is very common to present flowers on Valentine’s Day. The holiday is named after two among the numerous early Christian martyrs named Valentine. The day became associated with romantic love in the circle of Geoffrey Chaucer in High Middle Ages, when the tradition of courtly love flourished.

The day is most closely associated with the mutual exchange of love notes in the form of “valentines.” Modern Valentine symbols include the heart-shaped outline and the figure of the winged Cupid. Since the 19th century, handwritten notes have largely given way to mass-produced greeting cards.

Irene drove herself to and from dialysis this morning and received the Creatinine Clearance test results measuring kidney function which remains at 5.9.  It’s exactly the same reading as that of one month ago.  Scott, one of the attending RN’s at the Satellite Dialysis Center, commented that one notable observation is that the recent increase in amyloid value has not adversely affected the kidney function…at least up to this point.

The HEART is the seed of human emotion.  Valentine’s Day is a “one day” holiday designation where we express “romantic” love to those who are dear to us.  In my humble opinion, EVERYDAY should be designated for expressions of “agape” love to all those around us and we don’t need the commercialization of a holiday as the matrix to do so.

Agape love, in the original Greek is defined as ....

• the love of God for humankind
• unselfish love of one person for another without sexual implications; brotherly love

Above all else guard your heart for it is the wellspring of life.
Proverbs 4:23

Caminando con Fé

Dave

.... we walk by faith, not by sight.
2 Corinthians 5:7

Sometimes Irene’s Journey of Faith poses a treacherous intersection of what one sees .... and what one doesn’t see .... versus what we fear “could be” ....

UCSF called Irene today with the amyloid blood test results from last week’s blood draw:

Cappa Light Chain count: 56.7

For perspective, the value on the stem cell transplant date of June 15, 2007 was 652. In July, the Cappa Light Chain value was 78.5 and in October the value was 33.1. The value represents milligrams of Amyloid per liter of blood. What’s the “value” goal? Simply put, “ZERO” equals remission. So, what does the current value of 56.7 represent since it’s obviously higher than what it was in October? We’re not really sure. Our consultation scheduled with Dr. Damon at UCSF on March 13 will offer enlightenment to that question.

In summary, the Cappa Light Chain counts have been the following:

June, 2007		652
July, 2007		78.5
October, 2007		33.1
February, 2008		56.7

.... we walk by faith, not by sight.
2 Corinthians 5:7

Thank you for walking alongside of us on Irene’s Journey of Faith. It’s a gift from God to “not see” all of the potential pitfalls that surround each of us everyday. If we did, perhaps seeing those potential pitfalls would stir the human fear factor.

It’s a gift from God to walk by faith and not by sight.

Caminando con Fé

Dave

Hi Dave,

There’s a verse, “train up a child in the way they should go, and when they’re old they won’t depart from it.”  You and Irene have done that brother — the biggest blessing in reading your book is the deep and heartfelt response to the very difficult circumstances from your daughters .... worth more than gold.

You guys remain in our prayers friend.

Dave McQuade

According to Wikipedia ....

Hypertension, most commonly referred to as “high blood pressure”, HTN or HPN, is a medical condition in which the blood pressure is chronically elevated

Hypertension can be classified as either essential (primary) or secondary. Essential hypertension indicates that no specific medical cause can be found to explain a patient’s condition. Secondary hypertension indicates that the high blood pressure is a result of (i.e. secondary to) another condition, such as kidney disease or certain tumors (especially of the adrenal gland). Persistent hypertension is one of the risk factors for strokes, heart attacks, heart failure and arterial aneurysm, and is a leading cause of chronic renal failure. Even moderate elevation of arterial blood pressure leads to shortened life expectancy. At severely high pressures, defined as mean arterial pressures 50% or more above average, a person can expect to live no more than a few years unless appropriately treated.

Irene drove herself to and from dialysis treatment and received some good news today!  Because Irene’s blood pressure is coming down, Dr. Kumar, her kidney specialist, is reducing her blood pressure medication from two prescriptions down to one.  Yay!

After going to Starbucks on the way home for her classic tall, soy green tea latte, no water or melon, and four scoops of tea, she worked leisurely in the Wisteria Garden, enjoying the sunny day on the bay.

Irene is very grateful for the calls, cards, emails and other expressions of concern for her along her journey of faith.  She looks forward to prayerfully supporting others who share their journey of faith in the newly created “discussion forum”.

We are anticipating a report later this week which will indicate the degree of amyloid remaining (or not remaining) in Irene’s bloodstream.  We also hope to learn the level of her current kidney function.  Stay tuned ....

We’re grateful that Irene’s hypertension is moving in the right direction, that her blood pressure medication is being reduced and hope that the trend continues.

Caminando con Fé

Dave

According to Wikipedia, FRIENDSHIP is a term used to denote cooperative and supportive behavior between two or more humans.

Consider these perspectives ....

A despairing man (or woman) should have the devotion of his friends
Job 6:14

If one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up!
Ecclesiastes 4:10

Many family members and friends have supported us on Irene’s Journey of Faith, and for that, we are eternally grateful.  It is actually very humbling to realize the infinite number of ways that we have been sustained.  Thank you!!!

Today, I want to highlight the support of one particular friend who has put literally thousands of hours of daily thought and work in supporting us.  This friend is Frank Johnson. 

Frank is a servant leader.  Frank quietly toils behind the scenes as the administrator of IreneDias.com.  He takes that commitment very seriously.  Since we launched the website on June 2, 2007, Frank actively supports the online presence everyday.  I write the blog content and Frank places photos or strategically places sidebar support.  I come up with brainstorming ideas and he tirelessly turns the concept into reality and creates a strategic online presence for the user which is both easy to use and elegant.  He also adds his own creative ideas to supplement the effort!!!

His personal support was “mission critical” as we collaborated on the publishing of Irene’s Journey of Faith.  Prior to the book’s release, we met every weekend in the early morning hours to make sure the book formatting and technical requirements were just right.

He just added the “discussion forum” to the website which we hope will serve as a place for others to express their own journey of faith.  Frank does all of this while still maintaining a full time job.  In the midst of it all, he recently lost his sister and is facing some other unspoken adversity himself.  All of his commitment is an expression of love and support for Irene and our family.  Frank’s bride, Bobbetta, and their “soccer star” daughter, Emily, are also supportive of Frank helping us during this challenging season.  You can read more about Frank at www.strategicdigitaloutreach.com.  Thanks Frank!!!!

Irene enjoyed another good day!  The nausea and complete “body itch” from high phosphorous levels notwithstanding, she was able to move through the day and accomplish many items on her “to do” list.  Shirley Churchill graciously worked with Irene for 2+ hours on physiology techniques designed to wake up the kidneys while Ken and I watched the Pro Bowl!!!  Perhaps we’ll physically attend the Hawaiian Pro Bowl next year!!

Jesus Christ is also our friend.

.... there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.”
Proverbs 18:24b

Greater love has no one than this .... that he lay down his life for his friends.  You are my friends if you do what I command.
John 15:13-14 (Jesus speaking)

FRIENDSHIP, according to Wikipedia, is a term used to denote cooperative and supportive behavior between two or more humans.  FRIENDSHIP, according to The Word, and our testimony, is a term we use to denote loving behavior between humans and God.

Irene and I are grateful for Frank’s support and especially for that of our Friend, Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Caminando con Fé

Dave

My dear friend, Jack McCall, writes a weekly email “challenge” that he distributes to his constituency...I share it with you today… With tears flowing, Irene promptly printed and put Jack’s heartfelt prayer under the glass on her desk…

“Challenge”

“Hear my prayer, O LORD; let my cry for help come to you. Do not hide your face from me when I am in distress. Turn your ear to me; when I call, answer me quickly."

A friend of mine Dave Dias writes the above scripture in a book titled “Irene’s Journey of Faith”. Dave’s wife Irene was diagnosed this past year with a rare blood disease called Amyloid disease. Irene’s incredible faith in God is no doubt evident throughout Dave’s writing, but so is the faith of Dave and their two daughters.

Dave is in the insurance business like me and by all rights we would be viewed as competitors. ;>) We are not competitors though. We are friends.

The very first time I met Dave was about six years ago. We thought we were meeting to talk about a possible merger. Not! Dave and I met to have lunch. As I shook Dave’s hand, I couldn’t help but sense that there was a great human being behind his big smile. We sat down and my cell-phone rang. It was my wife Joanne and I asked to be excused. My wife needed me and I apologized to Dave for having to leave so abruptly after such a brief introduction. Dave said, “You can’t leave until I pray with you.” We sat there in the middle of the restaurant and Dave prayed for my wife. It was a time of distress and God turned His ear to me through Dave Dias. Two hours later my cell-phone rang again. It was Dave following up to see if Joanne was okay. I didn’t know that day if he and I would be partners, but I knew that he and I would be friends. (please join me in the prayer below this weeks Challenge and consider reading their story- link is attached) Thanks in advance.

“Challenge” When others are going through trials, are we God’s ear for them? Are we moving too fast to hear the cry of the lost, lonely, rejected, persecuted or broken? We cannot detect wolves in sheep’s clothing if we are not among them.

Father

Amyloid is only a name and the name above all names is Jesus. You have given us authority through Your Holy Spirit to trample on the enemy – “I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you. Luke 10:19 – So, we appropriate by faith this authority and command Amyloid to leave Irene’s body. We pray for normal blood pressure, normal weight gain, nausea to cease and desist, Amyloid to be completely eliminated, kidneys to be restored to that of a healthy thirty year old, and for Irene’s miraculous recovery to shock the medical community. We are grateful for the continued strength afforded to Irene, Dave, Jocelyn and JoAnna. Allow Your healing mercies to wash them anew. We pray all this in love and pray it in the precious name of Your son, Jesus.

Amen

Irene had a great Saturday.

Irene’s nausea remained at a low rumble but we worked in the yard and planted a Wisteria plant in the garden.  While I went on an extended bike ride, she shopped at Home Depot, Beverly’s and Safeway, enjoying a tall, soy, green tea latte, no water, no melon and four scoops of tea.

Make sure you check out the new online DISCUSSION FORUM you can access through the sidebar and post your own JOURNEY OF FAITH or that of a friend or family member .... or simply log a prayer request or praise!!

It was a clear, sunny day on the Monterey Bay, and, despite all Irene’s facing along the journey, she’s still smiling through it all ....

Caminando con Fé

Dave

We’ve added a NEW discussion forum!!!

The purpose of the FORUM is to provide an opportunity for you to tell the story of your own journey of faith and/or share a prayer request.

Use the forum to your heart’s delight and post as often as you’re led to do so!!! You can access the forum from the sidebar menu as a registered member of the website.

We look forward to “doing life” with you within the context of this virtual community.

and may God be glorified,

Dave

We’ve been asked by many people HOW they can pragmatically help “spread the word” about the recent release of Irene’s Journey of Faith.  In response, we have created a “landing page” which you can send to your family and friends.

Feel free to cut and paste this link into an email and forward it to the people in your email address book along with your encouragement for them to check out the book and the blog.

http://www.irenedias.com/index.php/site/irenesjourney/

We hope this is a helpful resource.  As we’ve told many people, our goal is to make spiritual lemonade out of lemons and bring good out of a very challenging assignment.

One of our key motivations is our desire to bring HOPE to people facing dire circumstances.

And we HOPE that Irene’s Journey of Faith does just that.

Thanks for caring,

Dave Dias

Do you ever find yourself subconsciously negotiating with God?

Here are just a few examples to prime your thinking…

• If only this certain “challenge” would go away, then life would be so much better
• If only I could do such and such, then I could enjoy ....
• If only I had more money, then I could do this or that
• If only people would listen to me, then order would be restored
• If only…

Irene drove herself to and from dialysis today.  The nausea remained at a low roar and she was also able to accomplish several chores around the house, even working outside enjoying the beautiful, sunny day.  Considering she had a dialysis treatment, which usually translates into severe fatigue, she did well.

Ultimately and perhaps subconsciously, we want to be in control.  “If only” I could have things my way, in my time, on my terms.  It’s a slippery slope and easy to slide into that type of thinking.  Ultimately, however, we have learned, especially along the Amyloid journey that “control” is merely a perception.  Ultimately, we are never in control and “if only” negotiating, which is really a subconscious desire to “be like God”, needs to be radically removed from our lives…at all costs.

.... take captive every thought and make it obedient to Christ
2 Corinthians 10:10

Perhaps you never slip into negotiations with God, but I confess that I do.  Perhaps you can’t relate to what I’ve shared today.  The next time that I find myself negotiating with God, however, I will endeavor to accept and actually embrace the set of circumstances in front of me.  I will turn the circumstances into a journey of discovery.  I will ask myself how to turn the set of challenging circumstances into an opportunity to explore new horizons and examine the possibilities.  I will intentionally re-direct my thoughts and heart to a reckless abandonment for Him.

.... above all things, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life.
Proverbs 4:23

The next time that I find myself negotiating with God, I will attempt to respond with the courage and focus manifested by Irene.

Caminando con Fé

Dave