Ver Beek Blog

Yes friends it’s that time of year again. Time to lace up your tennis shoes, tenny-boppers, kicks, high tops, low tops, whatever you have and get ready to crawl, walk, jog, run or race.

Jill and Jen have organized a For The Love of Lindy team to support Race for the Cure. This is our third year and I hope you can make it. We had a great team last year. Thank you for signing up in the years past and I hope you’ll do it again. It’s a lot of fun.

Click on the following link to sign up:

http://westmichigan.info-komen.org/site/TR/RacefortheCure/GRR_WestMichiganAffiliate?pg=team&fr_id=2147&team_id=177464

It’s pretty obvious 2010 hasn’t been our best year.  In many ways, we’re glad to see it go.  Still, we reflect back the journey and the ways that you’ve all come along side us during this time.  We thank God for blessing us through your kindness and support. 

I don’t think everyone will understand exactly what I mean, so I’ll give you a few examples from just the last three weeks: 

A few weeks ago a group of special Ridge Point Community Church members dropped off a huge box of food.  So much food, I couldn’t even lift it.  They circled us and prayed for us and showed such love and compassion. 

At the Ensing Family Christmas party, we were presented with a couple dozen sizable gift cards to use to offset takeout food expenses.  When Lindy is nauseous the last thing she can do is cook, so these come in so handy.

There’s been a group of 2nd graders from Holland writing letters to Lindy and coloring pictures and cards.  We get a new envelop filled with more of them every week.  It’s hard to be sad when you read/look at these honest and uplifting expressions by these little people. 

Yesterday, I was presented with an over-flowing gift basket from my Marketing coworkers at Herman Miller.  Inside, in addition to several goodies and movies, there was a certificate for a weekend away to Great Wolf Lodge and $500 cash to use for the trip.  Our instructions were to make memories and enjoy the time together.  Amazing. 

This past summer and fall, we were the benefactors of several fundraiser efforts.  Once again, we’d like to thank the For the Love of Lindy Committee for organizing the bake sale, our friends at Dutch Studios, Crazy Horse, Elhart Collision (Community FUNDay), Kibler’s Kreations, Beechwood Restaurant, Avon, Dress Code, Englesman’s Greenhouses and the list goes on and on. 

Also, for all those that have sent us money or other assistance this past year, we thank you all.  Your gifts had made life easier and allowed us to focus on what really matters.

Patty, your daily messages of love are so appreciated.  What a gift you are from above. 

Thank you to our family for helping care for our kids and for taking us meals.  We could not do this without your loving care. 

In the midst of an unimaginable situation, we are so blessed.  This Christmas holds a new meaning for our family; we pray it does for you too.  Merry Christmas. 

We just heard that the MRI scan showed no new tumor activity, so we’re dealing with something far less serious.  Praise God–this is such welcome news!  Thank you all for your prayers of intercession for Lindy and my family.  

I thought a lot about life today and about cancer and what large part of our lives “it” has become.   Here’s what I do know: 

What cancer cannot do

Cancer cannot weaken our faith.

Cancer cannot steal our will to live.

Cancer cannot keep us down; we will get back up.

Cancer cannot diminish the love we have for each other.

Cancer cannot erase our memories.

Cancer cannot make us forget where we’ve come from.

Cancer cannot cause us to loose hope.

Cancer cannot crush our dreams.

Cancer cannot ruin this day.

Cancer cannot overcome God’s plan for us.

After several days of vomiting, fever and more intense headaches, Lindy’s doctor at University of Michigan requested that she get an MRI of her brain today.  She’s currently at Spectrum-Butterworth awaiting that test, which is scheduled for 4 PM.  Please pray that this is just simple stomach flu and not more tumor growth causing the symptoms.   Our hope is that she’ll also be able to celebrate Brooklyn’s 7th birthday tomorrow.    Please pray for us, we need to feel peace. 

Today we celebrate the twins, Maxwell & Samantha, who turn 2!  It seems like yesterday they were born. 

Happy Birthday Max and Sam!

Here’s a couple of videos of this past Saturday’s Community FUNDay hosted by Elhart.  
We made some great memories together.  Thank you to all who took time out of their schedules to drop by.

Five tumors were “zapped” today.
The comprehensive MRI today picked up remaining tumor tissue that didn’t show in the last scan. We’re so thankful that these additional tumors could get the Gamma Knife as well. Lindy is resting and doing quite well considering what just happened.

Due to inbound nasty weather, we are flying back home late this afternoon. it’s amazing that we’re able to leave so soon. We’ll have to wait a couple of months to know if this worked, but at least it’s done. Now we live.

For all those that are praying for Lindy today, we thank you. Her surgery is underway. They called up to me and said it was going to take longer than previously thought. Not sure what that means, but will not speculate until I hear more.

I’m typing on dusty’s blackberry so this will be short and sweet.

Good news: 4 of the 6 tumors are no longer visible. Praise God for good news.

Two tumors remain. 1 very small and may go away as the radiation continues to work. Time will tell. Overall the neurosurgeons were impressed with my response to radiation. The second tumor is bleeding slightly. They suggest having Gamma Knife Surgery on the tumor. Details to come.

We arrived safely at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota yesterday evening.  Due to the high winds, we were not able to fly as originally planned.  Instead, we had a nine hour road trip here.  We had a good time watching the country side and reflecting on life.  By the way, where are all the cows in Wisconsin?  Lindy napped (even with me driving), so I must have been well-behaved.   For those that have rode with me,  you’ll understand how big this is. 

Lindy is in getting a MRI as I write this post.  We’ve been here about 10 hours getting several tests ran and meeting with medical professionals.  Mayo runs a tight ship.   This MRI will tell us how well Lindy’s brain received the radiation and if the tumors have shrunk at all.  This is pivotal to next steps determining treatment.   Please pray the tumors have shrunk or are gone completely.   We hold out hope for a miracle.  

Tomorrow we meet with a famous Neurological Oncologist (they were booked six months out yet still got us in to see them).  Amazing how God opens doors.  Depending on the results of the MRI, there may be special clinical trials that she may qualify for.  We have a summary meeting late in the day with Dr. Goetz, her Oncologist to discuss possible next steps. 

The gravity of this situation is sinking in for us.  Seeing all the sick people here is scary.   It’s too real.   Gravely ill people from all over the world coming together here for one thing: HOPE.  We were greeted by a man vomiting all over himself and the lobby when we arrived.   This is where we are.  Here. 

Tonight will be difficult.  It’s hard to wait until tomorrow afternoon for MRI results.   Satan has a way of putting doubt in your head.  He plants anxiety and ignites fear.   There’s too may ‘what-ifs’ that pop into your head when you wait for these test results.  

We will post more information as soon as we can.  We love you all and thank you for supporting us in so many ways.  We are so blessed.