Irene's Journey of Faith
Compiled from selected blog entries at IreneDias.com, this is the inspiring story of Irene and Dave Dias and their courageous battle against a rare, incurable and terminal disease, Primary Amyloidosis. Although the suffering they face is severe, this is not a story of despair, but of an incredible faith and even more of an incredible God who sustains His followers with lavish grace, extravagant kindness, and unrelenting love. Now Available at Amazon.com!
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Irene was hospitalized at Dominican Hospital on April 30, 2007, and two weeks later was transferred to UCSF. Following a stem cell transplant, Irene is now recovering at home after being discharged from UCSF on Friday, July 20, 2007.
Irene and I are eternally grateful for the outpouring of love and support expressed by people literally around the world.
I am inspired and humbled by Irene’s courage and sense of purpose surrounding this journey. Her life exudes joy despite the tremendous challenge ahead. She blesses every person that she comes in contact with. Her smile continues to be contagious. Simply put, she is amazing!
Here is a high level view of the journey Irene and I have been on for almost a year:
- Hospitalized for 12 weeks (Dominican Hospital in Santa Cruz, California and UCSF Medical Center in San Francisco)
- Initially diagnosed with Nephrotic Syndrome (2 blood clots, severe edema, high cholesterol, loss of protein from blood)
- Ultimately diagnosed with Primary Amyloidosis
- One Bone marrow biopsy
- One Kidney biopsy
- Several CAT scans
- Chemo therapy
- One Stem cell transplant
- Two emergency trips to ICU
- Bone pain so significant, that even under heavy sedation, the blood pressure arm cuff, when inflated, would cause excruciating pain
- An unusual and very significant amount of internal bleeding
- Approximately 45 blood transfusions
- One Code Blue
- 2 detached retinas from steroids used in treatment protocol (still has blurred vision)
- Several X Rays & ULTRA Sounds
- Her skin has turned very dark, almost black, from chemo therapy and a medicine rash
- Skin biopsy in multiple body locations
- Experiencing chronic nausea
- Has high levels of bilirubin
- Had a “Quinton” placement in her neck (temporary blood port for dialysis)
- Has a Tesio placement in upper chest (permanent blood port for dialysis)
- In dialysis 3 days a week because of End Stage Renal Disease (ESRD)
- Amyloid is in the following organs: kidneys, liver, stomach & intestines
- Weight loss: 28 pounds
An Excerpt From The Introduction
My bride of 27+ years was viciously kidnapped in April of 2007 and is still being held hostage. No amount of ransom will satisfy the kidnapper. The abductor is content with nothing less than having 100% of her strictly for narcissistic gain. Irene has been forced to go where no human being should ever have to go. Trailing the kidnapper has been confounding because most of the circuitous route has been very covert. There have been many bizarre tangents along the way as they have dangerously trekked up the insurmountable Mount Everest. The abductor is a formidable, daunting and treacherous predator.
This abduction has been a dreadful disruption. There was no advance warning; Irene was unsuspecting and ill prepared. She didn’t have cold weather clothing or any of the appropriate equipment needed to trek up the mountain. As to why Irene was chosen as the hostage is still unknown.
The most significant challenge to this surreal experience is this .... that the kidnapper is not of human means or of ruthless imagination .... but rather that of an incurable and terminal disease named Primary Amyloidosis.