5 p.m.

Thanks for checking in.

Irene completed her 2 hour make-up at dialysis treatment today and experienced a second day of blood pressure dropping to extremely low levels.  She’s home, exhausted and nauseated…but now resting…and gets to go back for another 3 hour session tomorrow.  Another new needle entry point today…her arm is more like a pin cushion…

She’s enduring a rugged journey…with a quiet, gentle and faithful spirit.

Thanks for caring,
Dave

4 pm

Irene had another setback today and was unable to complete the dialysis treatment do to intense pain and discomfort in her arm…even with using a new entry point.  She returns tomorrow for a 2 hour session.

Irene is tustling @ home ...

An appointment with UCSF surgeon Dr. Charles Eichler is scheduled for this coming Monday @ 3.30 pm.

Stay tuned ... and thanks for caring.

8.15 p.m.

Thanks for checking in. 

@ dialysis today, the technicians abandoned one of the “button holes” and created a new needle entry hoping to mitigate the ongoing, late developing pain.  Irene was able to complete the three hour session without much disruption.  I took a photo and lifted it to Facebook earlier today. 

This evening Irene’s tustling through the normal course…still smiling and looking forward to the mercies of a new morning.

Thanks for caring!
Dave

“Who will separate us from Christ’s love? Will we be separated by trouble, or distress, or harassment, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword?  But in all these things we win a sweeping victory through the one who loved us.”

—Romans 8:35,37

7 p.m.

The defining word today is “BOUNCE” which is what Irene did after a grueling Monday night.  Her cheerful and bouyant spirit filled the day…what a SWEETHEART…!!!

...glad she’s on our side…!!!

Happy SweetHeart’s Day…!!!

Thanks for caring.

8.15 p.m….

Thanks for checking in…!

Irene’s tustling through another rough evening…almost same song, same verse…and for those of you who check in regularly, you probably wish that there was another track to to run on…

Hopeful she bounces back tomorrow….......

Thanks for caring,
Dave

7.15 p.m.

Thanks for the many many well wishes and prayer support for Irene.  She had someone of an off and on day yesterday and today was a better recovery day…ups and downs not withstanding. 

...back to the drill tomorrow….......and hoping for a non eventful dialysis treatment…

Thanks for caring,
Dave

7 p.m.

Thanks for checking in.

It’s been a BRUTAL week for Irene and it’s ending on a crescendo.  She experienced challenges today @ dialysis when her blood pressure dropped to 88/40 and they had to add more fluids into her system because her heart was laboring so heavily.  As a result, she was unable to remove the targeted amount of fluids.  The nausea is raging this evening…because it looks like it’s going to be a long night…she’s fighting for that comfortable, relieving position, bouncing back and forth on her bed like a fish out of water.

I continue to be amazed at her perseverence…and hoping she’ll recover and bounce by morning.

Thanks for caring,
Dave

3.30 p.m.

Thanks for checking in. 

Irene did some heavy lifting today during dialysis treatment, enduring a series of cramps in her kidney, abdominal region and both legs.  The session lasted 4 hours. For the first timein 4.5 years, she required oxygen assistance during the last 30 minute duration of the treatment.

She cautiously drove home and is battling ongoing cramps and raging nausea.  It looks like a tough evening ahead.

...hoping for a better tomorrow…

Thanks for caring,
Dave

9.15 p.m.

Thanks for checking in.

Irene rebounded from a very tough Friday night following dialysis and enjoyed yesterday and today's recovery.

Tomorrow she's back at it with dialysis where the technicians are establishing a new buttonhole in her fistula region per the direction of UCSF's medical team...thank you, Scott Bush and Dr. Charles Eichler...!!!

We're reflecting on the reality that our experience today is preparation for tomorrow's uncertainty.

Thanks for caring,
Dave

8.30 pm

Thanks for checking in.

Irene's had the usual week of ups and downs relative the surreal journey of non dialysis days being somewhat normative and the dialysis days being brutal from a NAUSEA perspective. She just shared that it's a 10 on a 1-10 scale.

Hoping the the new day...and thanks for caring,
Dave

This devotional thought is provided by the late Oswald Chambers:

"Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?" — Acts 26:14

Are you determined to have your own way in living for God? We will never be free from this trap until we are brought into the experience of the baptism of “the Holy Spirit and fire” (Matthew 3:11). Stubbornness and self-will will always stab Jesus Christ. It may hurt no one else, but it wounds His Spirit. Whenever we are obstinate and self-willed and set on our own ambitions, we are hurting Jesus. Every time we stand on our own rights and insist that this is what we intend to do, we are persecuting Him. Whenever we rely on self-respect, we systematically disturb and grieve His Spirit. And when we finally understand that it is Jesus we have been persecuting all this time, it is the most crushing revelation ever.

Is the Word of God tremendously penetrating and sharp in me as I hand it on to you, or does my life betray the things I profess to teach? I may teach sanctification and yet exhibit the spirit of Satan, the very spirit that persecutes Jesus Christ. The Spirit of Jesus is conscious of only one thing— a perfect oneness with the Father. And He tells us, “Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls” (Matthew 11:29).

All I do should be based on a perfect oneness with Him, not on a self-willed determination to be godly. This will mean that others may use me, go around me, or completely ignore me, but if I will submit to it for His sake, I will prevent Jesus Christ from being persecuted.

7.30 p.m.

Thanks for checking in.

Irene's appointment was very productive today...our friend and UCSF technician, Scott Bush, performed the ultra sound, and she had a good office visit with Dr. Eichler. They are recommending a mitigation strategy at the dialysis center which hopefully addresses the challenges that Irene's been facing.

Thanks for caring...!!!
Dave

8.30 p.m.

Thanks for checking in.

Irene's really tustling through this evening after an extended dialysis treatment today which lasted 3.5 hours on the machine. The nausea is raging, she's fatigued and can't find that comfortable position.

We'll be up and out of the house by 6 am tomorrow for an 8 am appointment @ UCSF with Dr. Charles Eichler. She's hoping to learn more about why she's beginning to once again experience pain in the fistula region which is now enlarged and has taken on a different shape than the surgery was first realized.

On Friday, Irene will again endure 3.5 hours of dialysis treatment (30 minutes beyond the norm) in order to make up for the early withdrawel from treatment yesterday.

Her comment this evening..."I can't believe it's been almost 5 years..." The first hint of trouble was in February, 2007. This surreal journey gives new definition to the word marathon.

Thanks for caring,
Dave

5 p.m.

Thanks for checking in. Irene was relieved early from her dialysis treatment today when the pain in her arm became unbearable. She'll have to make up the time on Wednesday. We have an appointment @ UCSF on Thursday with Dr. Eichler who performed the FISTULA surgery. The timing is good since that 's where Irene is experiencing the challenge today.

She's resting, recovering, nauseated and fatigued.

Thanks for caring,
Dave