Irene is bleeding, has low blood pressure, and is being moved to ICU stat.

What a day!  Irene underwent the dialysis and stem cell harvesting!!  She was very lightheaded and weak from the treatment and from not eating because of nausea the last 24 hours.  She is now in her room recovering!!! We hope she will sleep well tonight because she will go through the same process tomorrow!!!!

She is also beginning to experience pain and discomfort in her bones from the bone marrow shots she received a few days ago.  This was anticipated; she’s certainly got a lot going!!

She is grateful for your prayerful support.  Enjoy the two pix that I took today while she was attached to the machine and going through the process!! She gave me a thumbs up!! One photo is with the two attending nurses; the other is Dr. Catherine Smith, her Hemotology specialist.  The team at UCSF has been extraordinary.  They’re smart and they care…

Stay tuned…
Dave

Irene and Dave,

We were just brought into this communication thread and also brought to our knees with your situation. We are so grateful for this website; what a wonderful way for you guys to keep everyone informed with a site especially for you Irene; and it allows us to be part of your journey!  Please know that we both make the journey with you and will continue to include our prayers with so many others that are surrounding you and your family as you journey down this path you have been given. We also trust that God is in control and His sovereign purpose will come to perfection because of your faithfulness and obedience. Dave, please give Irene a warm loving hug and kiss from us and know that our prayers include you for strength and guidance as a care giver knowing your obedience is honored by God. Our love and admiration for you Irene goes back a long time when we worked together and your reputation was then the same as it is today; loving and giving. We haven’t seen you folks since we relocated back to So Cal; but you remain a positive and sweet part of our No Cal experience. Something like this certainly brings home the reality that we shouldn’t let time distance us from expressing our care and admiration for special people. Stay strong in your faith and know that ours and many others will continue to envelop your situation with prayers for comfort, strength, courage, dignity, miracles, and purpose; may God give you exactly what you need, exactly when you need it. We trust He will bless your countenance and honor your witness as you battle for quality of life with dignity, demonstrating to all your faithfulness; for you are truly His saints serving in His kingdom, now and forever.

With Warmest Love,
Merry & Bob Bullard

Dear Irene,

Karen and I want you to know that we lift you up, daily, to the throne of our Almighty God!  We know that He already has an answer to the many prayers that had been said on your behalf and we wait patiently, with you, for that answer to come!

He is a Faithful GOD!!

I am sending the lyrics to a song that I first heard in 1979.  I was so moved by the words that I framed a copy and keep them in my room as a constant reminder of who it is that we serve.  I find
great comfort in them...I hope you will, too!

PRAISE THE LORD

When you’re up against a struggle
That shatters all your dreams
And your hope has been cruelly crushed
By Satan’s manifesting scheme
And you feel the urge within you
To submit to earthly fears
Don’t let the faith you’re standing in, seem to disappear

(Chorus)

Praise the Lord
He can work with those who praise Him ,
Praise the Lord
For our God inhabits praise,
Praise the Lord
For the chains that seem to bind you
Serve only to remind you that they drop powerless behind you
When you praise him

Now satan is a liar
And he wants to make us think
That we are paupers
When he knows himself
We’re children of the King
So lift up the might shield of faith
For the battle has been won
We know that Jesus Christ has risen
So the work’s already done

Praise the Lord
He can work with those who praise Him,
Praise the Lord
For our God inhabits praise,
Praise the Lord
For the chains that seem to bind you
Serve only to remind you that they drop powerless behind you
When you praise him

Blessings to you, Dave, and the girls

John and Karen Barton

Dear friends...After reading through the medical updates and the procedures you have already walked through, we are struck with the awareness of your strong faith. 

Irene, the posted pictures are so beautiful. They actually aide in our prayers as we gaze upon your kind, gentle and lovely smile. To meet you has been our great pleasure, and now to pray for you and your family, feels like our great purpose.

We send our love and support to each of you, and please let us know if there is anything we can do for you. We will continue to look for updates, as to how we should pray.

You, beloved friends, are on our hearts.

Joe and Sally

Irene:
Jacquie and I want to tell you that our thoughts and prayers are with you friend. We pray for you and the pilgrimage that you, Dave and God are on and that you will know God’s presence in every circumstance of your day. Tell Dave that we pray for him too as he gives support and encouragement to you.

All our love to you, Ron and Jacquie Demolar

It’s 11.30 a.m. on Thursday morning. 

Irene is just completing two hours of kidney dialysis.  They are immediately transitioning her to three (3) hours of stem cell collections.  This is excellent news!  Her White Blood Cell count is over 73,000.  After the stem cells are harvested they will be frozen until needed for the transfusion.

More later…
Dave

Irene, Dave’s bride of 27+ years, I share with you the verse that Dee, my bride of 42 years, gave me for my birthday this year. 

But I’ll take the hand of those who don’t know the way, who can’t see where they’re going.  I’ll be a personal guide to them, directing them through unknown country.  I’ll be right there to show them what roads to take, make sure they don’t fall into the ditch.  These are the things I’ll be doing for them--sticking with them, not leaving them for a minute.  Isaiah 42:16 (The Message)

Irene, I taught students English and literature for four years and would ask my students what phrases jumped out at them or meant something to them.  In the above verse, I love the following:

* I’ll take the hand
* I’ll be a personal guide
* I’ll be right there
* (I’ll) show them
* (I’ll) make sure
* sticking with them
* not leaving them for a minute

Isn’t it fantastic to know that you, Dave, Jocelyn and JoAnna are never alone!  Dee and I will continue to place you at the feet of our wonderful God.  We are asking Him to completely heal you.  He’s in the business of doing that, you know.  Irene and Dave, many people love you, but no one loves you more than God because so many years ago you embraced God at the foot of His Son’s cross and became part of His eternal family.

Your friends,

Dave & Dee Neely

Hopefully this will work...I’m not too good with the computer. Just wanted to let you know you and Dave and the girls have been constantly on our minds. We love you and hate there is so much distance between us.  We have been praying for you daily since the beginning and know that when you wake up in the morning you have already been prayed over here in Atlanta. Love you guys, Nancy and Price.

Dear Irene,

I prayed for you and Dave tonight. Unfortunately I am not very much of a computer person, but please know you will continue to be in my thoughts, prayers, and heart.

I missed the May A.P.U. board meeting because of a mission trip to Ethiopia.  I heard your news after my return.  I am very relieved to have this website address, and to be able to send this message to you.

With love in Christ,
Jeannie

“A smile is a curve that sets everything straight.”

Your smile Irene, does just that! We always remember you fondly from our MVCS days. You were the “face of MV” and what a wonderful one at that! Your smile, friendliness, kindness and sweet spirit always lifted our spirits and all those with whom you spoke.

“The Lord is faithful to all His promises and loving toward all He has made.” Psalm 145:13

May you rest in our Lord’s faithfulness to His promises.

Praying for you!

Warmly,
Caroline and Mike

Dear Irene,

We are so saddened to hear of all you are having to withstand, yet gladdened by your assurance that God is standing with you in all of it.  Your courage in this trial is also your ministry to us.  Our love and prayers, Walt and Dee.

“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, Who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God”. 2 Corinthians 1:3-4

Dave:

Charles Spurgeon once said, “The Lord’s mercy often rides to the door of our heart upon the black horse of affliction.:

I pray this will be the case for you and Irene.  You are certainly in the furnace of affliction.  We’re praying for you both.  Praying for mercy.

Reed Jolley

Dave, Irene, Jocelyn and JoAnna:

Five years ago we were privileged to have JoAnna sing at our wedding.  Just last summer JoAnna gave her senior recital and ended her concert with the same song she sang at our wedding.  The arrangement / melody JoAnna uses for this song is so very beautiful.  The words are moving, inspiring, powerful! 

Take my life and let it be
Consecrated, Lord, to Thee;
Take my hands and let them move
At the impulse of Thy love.

Take my feet and let them be
Swift and beautiful for Thee;
Take my voice and let me sing,
Always, only for my King.

Take my lips and let them be
Filled with messages from Thee;
Take my silver and my gold,
Not a mite would I withhold.

Take my moments and my days,
Let them flow in endless praise;
Take my intellect and use
Every pow’r as Thou shalt choose.

Take my will and make it Thine,
It shall be no longer mine;
Take my heart, it is Thine own,
It shall be Thy royal throne.

Take my love, my Lord, I pour
At Thy feet its treasure store;
Take myself and I will be
Ever, only, all for Thee.

I continue to praise God for making us His children and letting us be used of Him. 

To God be all the glory,
Marsha

Hello Dave and Irene,

This is Amanda Clausen. I’m using Tina Mac’s login. You have a lot of Idahoans praying for you now, and you know we’re closer to God up here. Ron and I are taking good care of Mom and Dad, but they miss you guys a lot.

Mom has already started shopping for her new dream home. She bought a red bedspread and now she wants a red couch. Pretty soon, Andy will be living in a red house.

We are all praying for you. Hopefully soon, you’ll be giving Tina Mac decorating tips and planning a visit to Idaho. We love you both so much!

Amanda