Irene’s Updates

Philip Yancey has observed, “Jesus did not come into the world to explain suffering—or to take it away—but to fill it with His presence in His time” (1984)

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I have been joyfully rejoicing, worshiping and singing this song all day long ….

I can count a million times
People asking me how I
Can praise You with all that I’ve gone through
The question just amazes me
Can circumstances possibly
Change who I forever am in You
Maybe since my life was changed
Long before these rainy days
It’s never really ever crossed my mind
To turn my back on you, oh Lord
My only shelter from the storm
But instead I draw closer through these times
So I pray

Bring me joy, bring me peace
Bring the chance to be free
Bring me anything that brings You glory
And I know there’ll be days
When this life brings me pain
But if that’s what it takes to praise You
Jesus, bring the rain

I am Yours regardless of
The dark clouds that may loom above
Because You are much greater than my pain
You who made a way for me
By suffering Your destiny
So tell me what’s a little rain
So I pray

Holy, holy, holy
Is the Lord God Almighty

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He gives grace to the afflicted.
Proverbs 3:34

I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.
John 10:10b

It is hard to believe that it is ONE YEAR since my UCSF discharge (officially July 20, 2007).  What a colossal journey of faith!!!!  And yes, this is the first UPDATE that is coming directly from me …. and I hardly know where to begin.

However, here are some reflections ….

I have a grateful heart and deeply regard the prayer and support from so many.  The outpouring of support has been humbling and overwhelming, and I know the Body of Christ is at work in our midst.  Your website well wishes, visits, flowers, cards and other expressions of love and support mean more to me than words can express.
I am grateful to the InterWest Team and loyal clients supporting Dave so he can support me.
I call Dr. Alan Buchwald, my “Fairy God Father”.  He fervently supported me in the spring of 2007, when all of this began, and he was the first to diagnosis nephrotic syndrome (kidney failure) prior to my transfer from Dominican Hospital in Santa Cruz to UCSF.  His phone call to Dr. Stephen Gluck in the Nephrology Department at UCSF was also instrumental in successfully securing my UCSF admission.
The Dominican Hospital nursing team was amazing.
I am grateful to Don Thomas who also aggressively intervened in securing my successful admission into UCSF.  His telephone call to Mark Laret, the CEO of UCSF, was instrumental.  Ultimately, the UCSF admission led to the diagnosis of Primary Amyloidosis.  And, without that diagnosis and treatment, I wouldn’t be writing this today.
And to the UCSF team itself…words cannot express the abundance of caring support from their entire team, from the admissions office, to the nursing team, to the blood center, to the physicians who tirelessly supported my nearly three month hospitalization.
With the incomprehensible 45 blood transfusions during my UCSF hospitalization I have deep appreciation for the many faithful blood donors who supported me during some of my darkest and literally blurred hours from the two detached retinas.  And, for Janette Bruffey, who stepped up as the coordinator

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