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Ver Beek Blog

Our young family battling stage IV breast cancer one day at a time
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Hats and Halos

posted by:
Lindy

Look out proper ladies of London with your fabulous, whimsical hats that are precariously perched on your heads which defy gravity and the slightest breeze.

Stand guard you Fashion Houses of Milan.  Tip:  Begin working on your hat collection of 2013.

Look out Lady Gaga.  You have dared to wear the most outrageous hats, but have you ever worn…..

The Stereotactic Radiosurgery Halo?!?!

Lindy Ver Beek in Halo - March 2012 - with Lois VanderZwaag

I bet not.  Notice the steel frame.  This will stand up to the strongest gale force winds.  The silver will match nearly any outfit.  There is also plenty of room for a straw to fit between the hallow and your face.  The designers thought of everything.  I recommend having your make up applied before the halo.

In all seriousness, I’m very thankful yesterday is done.  It was a grueling day both physically and emotionally.  I was happy that Dusty could be there with me during the halo placement process.  Especially his hand – I’m surprised I didn’t break his fingers I was squeezing SO HARD.

My parents also came along and during the six hours of waiting we watched The Help and chit chatted while I was in a light, blissful fog.

The treatment lasted a couple of hours.  They treated two tumors.  Both in the cerebellum – one on the right and one on the left.  The radiation works immediately and continues to work for the next several months.  I will have a follow-up MRI in three months to see the results.

Currently I have pain in the four pin sites where they attached the halo to my skull.  I’m also quite tired.

When it was over, it was time to give back the crown or as they call the halo.  I won’t miss you crown.  I can’t wait to never see you again.  I’d much rather have a precariously perched hat that doesn’t scare small children and could fly away in the slightest breeze.

Our family and my parents cannot thank you enough for the prayers that have been said for us over the last few days and night.  I know yesterday would not have gone as smoothly without them.  So thank you for not forgetting about us and taking time out of your busy day and lives to remember us.

22 Responses to “Hats and Halos”

  1. Cara Maat says:

    yesterday over the noon hour I was singing over you at the piano sister. I have been thinking of you tons!

  2. Jana Ver Beek says:

    You continue to amaze me.
    Praying that the tumors dissolve away in the next few months and you do not have a lot of side-effects due to the radiation.
    Prayers and hugs!!

  3. dad ver beek says:

    WOW Lindy…… I still think your one of God’s Angels !! So proud to have you as my daughter. (in-law)

  4. Matthew Bradley says:

    I have been reading your blog for the last year or so. I think I stumbled across it from a google search one day. I have been so impressed with your outlook, strong faith and how you take each step in this journey. You have been a blessing to me and I continue to pray for complete healing for you. God is using you in so many ways.

  5. Jane Williams says:

    I am so thankful that this torture hat has been given back, Lindy. I continue to pray for the Ver Beek family that is so special to our daughter, Angie! With love, Jane

  6. julie s says:

    Praying! That halo/crown looks HEAVY! I’ll pray for the painful areas to heal and for the procedure to work and for you to sleep restfully and feel well. Praying daily, all the time!

  7. Livvy says:

    Lady Gaga’s got nothin’ on you and your halo! How you still manage to have a sense of humor through all this, I have no idea. But I’m glad you do. I was thinking about you yesterday, praying for you. Glad to know everything went okay. xoxo

  8. Jim t. says:

    Praying for less pain, and great results, and positive attitude, your husband and kids, mom and dad, God’s continued promise that He will not leave us nor forsake us!
    You are touching many lives Lindy, thank you….

  9. Amy Sluiter says:

    You crack me up, Lindy! You are one of the strongest and bravest women I know! (And I think you look amazing in your halo!). We praise God for giving you strength and peace to get through Thursday. We continue to pray for relief from pain, comfort, and for Him to erase all the cancer from your body. Trusting HIM to do immeasurably more than we could ask or imagine! Love and hugs to you!

  10. Anita says:

    Only YOU could have written a blog post like this after such a scary and painful experiece. Your strength is admirable and how I miss your insight and positive perspective. I LOVE YOU and will keep praying that your cancer will go away and stay away!

  11. Barb Dannenberg says:

    Love your writing style which reflects your awesome attitude – prayed for you OFTEN on the procedure day and since – STAY STRONG!

  12. Megan VK says:

    Wow, you are so brave Lindy and you still have a great sense of humor! Thanks for posting. I was praying throughout the day. Thinking of you often and praying this erases all cancer!!

  13. Oh lindy… U are freaking hilarious!!!
    Thanks for posting the halo pic. My kids all came along w me to pray cause it was a homeschool day and that was the biggest question they all had after reading the prayer sheet. Now I can show them the infamous crown 😉
    Praying often…

  14. Michelle says:

    Halo or no halo, you and your attitude make me smile more than any Kate Middleton hat any day of the week. And you’re WAY prettier too :0)

    Praying for you today and always.

  15. Niki says:

    You are amazing and so so beautiful – praying always…

  16. Tina Amaya says:

    Classic Lindy-isms! Love you girl and you and your family are never far from my heart, mind, soul and prayers!

  17. Marianne Coughenour says:

    Lindy, first I was thinking that there must have been an angelic halo above your halo…and then discovered that ‘halo’ isn’t even in the Bible! But, oh, ‘crown’ is! Isaiah over and over says “Everlasting joy will crown their heads,” speaking of the redeemed. I pray that the pain of that miserable medical crown will subside in record time. And that the treatment is amazingly effective. You are surely one of the stars in God’s crown!

  18. Dad says:

    Lindy,

    You know how I like my baseball cap collection, but I just praise God how he brought you through this and how you can relate to so many others with your faith and how beautiful you are in your halo!

    Love,

    Dad (Sent from Inez)

  19. barb baumann says:

    thinking of you…praying for you

  20. Jennifer Cousins says:

    Your courage is amazing! You are one of the most brave women I know!

  21. cindy curtis says:

    You Are An Angel. I have been reading your blog since the benefit for you in zeeland. You are one Amazing Lady. I am Praying for you Lindy. You Have Endured So Much ! Your Family Is Amazing. Your Faith and Strength Blow me Away ! God Is Good, And I Pray All Your Cancer Goes Away !! I Wish I could do so much more for you !! Prayer is Powerful so I Will Continue To Do That For You ! God Please Heal Lindy Amen !!

  22. Laurie Menken says:

    Lindy,
    I am so glad your treatment is behind you. We continue to pray for your healing. I must say you actually brought a chuckle to me. I went to your website about 4 times and all I saw was the hats and kept thinking it was the wrong website and searched again and again. Until I scrolled down far enough to see yours. 🙂 Hope this can make you chuckle a little too.

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