It should be no secret to the reader of these posts that our day-to-day is plagued by the lurking of a shadowy figure who, far too often, is successful in his plot to steal our joy.
We worry about Brouwer.
The triggers that give rise to the fears oftentimes come without warning: A commercial touting random hospital’s advanced cancer care, complete and punctuated by MRI images of a brain. Or perhaps the prompt might be an otherwise innocent moment in which we notice Banner’s increasing agility in contrast with one of Brouwer’s current limitations.
Yes, the worries and fears are real and never far off.
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This past Tuesday, November the 29th, at 11:29 am, the chains of our consternations were (at least temporarily) loosed.
Wilhelmina Faith Voogt, our dark-haired beauty and Brouwer and Banner’s much anticipated baby sister, put forth irrefutable evidence of a Creator that controls all things, surely even brain tumors.
“Willa” measured 19 1/2 inches, weighed 7 pounds 8 ounces and, along with Ginger, is healthy in every documented way.
We are thrilled to welcome this sweet girl into our home. Brouwer and (particularly) Banner are very excited. Undoubtedly Willa has and will bring much joy and richness to our lives and accordingly we will never be the same.
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Tomorrow we’re back at Lurie’s to check Brouwer’s platelet and hemoglobin counts. If the counts are high enough, we’ll press on with cycle seven of TPCV. If Brouwer’s counts are too low tomorrow, we’ll give his body one more week to sufficiently recover to receive round seven. If at that time (next week) Brouwer’s blood counts are still too low we’ll consider his time on TPCV complete and thus forego cycles seven and eight. If this scenario unfolds, due to certain risks of additional tumors and secondary cancers, Brouwer will never again be allowed to receive TPCV.
If Brouwer does not receive cycles seven and eight of TPCV he will stay off chemo for the time being until (and only if) the tumor grows again. Our doctor estimates that there is a 30% chance of the tumor never growing again (and thus a 70% chance that the tumor will grow).
Pray that Brouwer is strong enough to continue tomorrow to receive cycle seven of TPCV.
*****
“I’ve been waiting for the sun / to come blazing up out of the night like a bullet from a gun / ’til every shadow is scattered, every dragon’s on the run / oh I believe, I believe that the light is gonna come / this is the dark, this is the dark before the dawn.” A. Peterson
Wilhelmina Faith Voogt
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December 7, 2016 at 9:32 pm
Oh! She is absolutely adorable! With that little tongue out she definitely has some Sluis blood! Is her name Wilhelmina by any chance after her (is it )great, great,great grandma Brouwer? (Betty’s mom) If so, I just know she would be so thrilled! It brought tears to my eyes.
Congratulations to all of you!!
December 7, 2016 at 5:22 pm
Congratulations on such a beautiful little girl (I bet is she sticking her tongue out at Grandpa Voogt), and we will continue.to pray for precious Brouwer
December 7, 2016 at 3:10 pm
What a beautiful little girl. God is so very good and looking after all of you.
Love is in the air and many prayers.
December 7, 2016 at 12:47 pm
Congrats on Willa, and am looking forward to meeting her. Praying for Brouwer today, and trusting that his counts are up, but whatever happens , knowing that he and all of us are in the hands of our Almighty God.
December 7, 2016 at 8:25 am
Congratulations!!! What a beautiful little girl! She looks so much like Ginger!!
December 6, 2016 at 10:28 pm
Congratulations!! She is truly beautiful!! What a blessing to your family! We will continue to pray for Brouwer and all of your family.
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December 6, 2016 at 9:16 pm
Congratulations guys! She is just beautiful!!
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December 6, 2016 at 5:06 pm
Beautiful children. Praise God for Wilhelmina! As always, praying for Brouwer!!