Follow Up Visit to Baptist ~ June 9th

We met a very nice neurologist today - Dr. Reynolds.  We both really liked him.  He was trying so hard to find more reasons for Pete's strokes - to either know we are doing what we need to do or to lower his risk even more.

All of his labs were fine - the clotting ones, rheumatology, and others.  Pete asked him why he (Dr. Reynolds) was so intent on looking further.  He said that the high blood pressure should not do all of that damage to his brain - at least he did not think so.  So he wants to rule out other things, so that he does not see Pete again with a worse stroke and worse outcome.  On his MRI, there are many strokes.  They cannot tell if they are weeks or years old, but there are many.  I felt a little scared but thankful at the same time.  The doctor said Pete's activity level and running have probably helped him a lot over the years.  One of my prayers is that he will run again soon.  He wants to.  I timed a road race yesterday and thought that most of us take walking and running for granted.  I know I do.  And I pray he will be back to running soon.

His right side is still weak.  He still overcompensates to do a lot of things, including walking.  A plastic brace has helped his right leg.  Dr. Reynolds was very impressed with his progress and reminded him that he can improve over months and years.  But he has already come a long way in the little time since we left Baptist and thought he would need a ramp into the house.

So he came home with a heart monitor - for 30 days.  Fortunately, the nurse there and the person I talked to after we got home to activate it were both good at explaining it simply.  I am not a nurse.  We got it on him and activated.  If we want to do any other tests after this, he would have another test to look at the back side of his heart.  But right now, this is what he chose.  And I am thankful he agreed.

The doctor also increased one of his meds.

It was a long day with a lot of information given and received.  At times, I was a little frustrated; because Pete is not a good patient.  But God worked out his reluctance to test further.  And Pete agreed to do this.  So I am tired but thankful.

Thanks for all of the prayers.  We are just so thankful for all of you and all you have done.  I still feel like Moses a lot of days - with others holding up my arms in the battle when I am too tired.

We give God all of the glory for the healing that has taken place and the healing that is to come.  We trust Him and His plan for us.  And while this latest trial has come in a line of trials, we know He is right here with us.  We have no doubts.  It's hard, but we cannot imagine what it would be without Him.  We are turning over what is most precious to Him.

Thanks again!

Love,
Wendi

P.S.  He also preached Sunday.  So please feel free to visit our church near Tweetsie if you want to see this miracle in person!  (Middle Fork Baptist Church, Blowing Rock, NC)

Update on Pete ~ Sunday, May 31

Thanks to all of you who have asked about Pete.  I know I am so terrible at returning texts, calls, and emails right now (and am so sorry), but thanks for contacting us anyway!  And letting us know you are praying and how much you care.

We still appreciate prayers more than anything.  Pete has come a long way, but he still has a long way to go.  We are still praying that God will use all of this for His glory.  Sometimes that is in complete healing, and sometimes it is in other things.  So we are trying to be willing to walk whatever path we have ~ fully trusting Him every day.

This past week has been very busy.  Pete had therapy each day Tuesday through Thursday.  He won't return to speech.  He is almost all the way back there.  Time and practice will help.  He is slower than normal, but he is doing great.  Words are coming to him pretty normally.  He is just a little slurred when he gets tired.

His occupational therapy focused mainly on writing.  So we have writing pads, and Sam loaned him his best pencils; and he practices his name.  It takes a long time, but he can write very clearly with lots of effort.

Physical therapy was good, but he is compensating a lot by pulling his right side along.  He was already focusing on keeping his shoulders straighter, and knows as a runner to watch his form.  His back hurt some last night, so we might need to check into massage or something to help him while he is working so hard to get it all back.

Yesterday, Pete told me he wanted to mow.  I tried to go out and do it earlier, but he really wanted to.  He had to pick his leg up and put it over the steering wheel to get it in the right spot.  But he mowed the whole back and front yards, which meant he had enough strength in his foot and leg to push the pedal.  I took care of the other areas with the push mower and weed eater.  Not being the best weed eater operator, I ran out of string; so I can resume when Peter fixes that for me.   We also gave the dog a good bath in the driveway with the water hose.  Pete was trying to help me, and Lucy kept getting her leash tangled around his legs or my legs almost toppling both of us over!  She will be so happy this week to get groomed by professionals.

So last night, Pete was very tired; but a good weary tired that allowed him to sleep well.

Friday, he went to work for a few hours.  His boss took him, and I picked him up.  He wanted to get some things organized and see one of their guides who was visiting from Israel.  After that, he insisted on going to the store by himself while I went to pick up Sam.  Walking around Lowe's for 30 minutes wore him completely out.  So he slept well Friday night too!

Thursday, I came home from work very sick and dizzy.  I am sure it was lack of sleep and my sinuses.  Pete was trying to get into the bathroom to check on me.  I told him we were the most pitiful pair.  But at least we were laughing, sort of.  I could not lift my head off the pillow once I finally got settled and got the spinning to stop.  Peter was at work, so Andrew took Pete to get Sam and then dropped his dad off at PT.  He also went back to get him.  We are so thankful for the help of these boys.  Sam has helped us so much too, and I wanted to do something special for him.  I know all of this has been hard on him, even though he asks things; and we reassure him.  We were going to take him to the Incredible Toy Company on Saturday but went and bought him all the Playmobil our neighbor had at her yard sale instead.  So he was tickled with that.  And I prayed to wake up Friday with no dizziness, and God worked all of that out so I could do what I needed to do Friday.

Yesterday afternoon, I was determined to start working in the basement.  We have a neighborhood yard sale Saturday, so I wanted to get part of it cleaned out and use it to start setting things up.  I thought I was doing pretty well, but working in the basement reminded me of missing my child and how things are going there.  So I cried, prayed, and kicked a few pieces of stuff over onto the trash pile.  I wondered why it hit me then.  But I know why.  It's still hard.  I am still in the midst of this toughest time.  It's one of the hardest struggles I have ever had in my life.  But God was also right there with me in the basement.  He knows my heart.  He knows my hurt.  And He cares about every single tear that I cry and have cried over my child.  Psalm 56:8 says that God puts all my tears in a bottle.  So they are all important to Him, because He loves me so much.  And putting more and more in the trash pile let me let go of more and more hurt.  I have a long way to go, but He will help me get there.

Philippians 4:19 says that God will supply all my needs.  He will, and I believe that.  I have seen it time and time again.  It doesn't mean I don't start worrying about some things, but I know where to turn when all of that starts.  And He uses a lot of you to help supply those needs.  So thank you.

This morning, Pete was able to go to church.  He had gone Wednesday night and did the Bible study and saw a few people.  But today, it was so wonderful to have him back in the service.  Pastor McCoy preached for him, but he was able to be there and speak to us and let us know how God is working.  Two weeks ago, he could barely move his hand on his right side; and we were cheering as he moved his foot and leg.  He has come so far already.  It's hard to see him struggle to get around or do simple things, but I saw him when he could not do any of it.  It was taken away.  So I am seeing him get these things back with God's help and healing.  And I have to let those thankful feelings rule.

Thanks again for all of your prayers.  Pete goes back to Baptist on June 9, so I will update after that visit.  Again, we appreciate you all.

I am putting the words to a Kari Jobe song below.  It's "I Am Not Alone" ~ now the Christian radio stations are playing it.  It's a great reminder that He is with us and goes before us.  Because He loves us.  Not only has He made a way for us to have eternal life, through His Son Jesus Christ, but He will walk with us through this world, our temporary home.

Love,
Wendi

"I Am Not Alone"  Kari Jobe

When I walk through deep waters

I know that You will be with me

When I'm standing in the fire

I will not be overcome

Through the valley of the shadow

I will not fear

I am not alone

I am not alone

You will go before me

You will never leave me

In the midst of deep sorrow

I see Your light is breaking through

The dark of night will not overtake me

I am pressing into You

Lord, You fight my every battle

And I will not fear

You amaze me

Redeem me

You call me as Your own

You're my strength

You're my defender

You're my refuge in the storm

Through these trials

You've always been faithful

You bring healing to my soul

Update on Pete - First update

We visited Dr. Murrey today.  It was not on our schedule, but God had me call this morning to ask another question; so I found out about his appointment on time!  They were so kind to us from the moment we got out of the car.  I was able to park right near the door - on the opposite side of handicapped spots.  We walked into the building and into the elevator.  He was doing well, but his shoe was getting caught a lot as his leg does not lift his foot high enough all of the time.

Dr. Murrey had quite a bit of his information, and we went over a timeline to let him know what has been going on.  Pete's blood pressure was great, and his cholesterol is great; so that is a relief.  There are some abnormal labs, but they are not clear cut.  Those are things we will discuss when we go back to Baptist in a couple of weeks.  So we left there with assurance we are on the right track.  But we have no reassurance this will not happen again.  However, Dr. Murrey said things seem to have calmed down.  He is not the first doctor to say that the stuttering of the strokes is not common.  Sometimes not being textbook is a good thing, I have learned.

We have physical therapy, speech therapy, and occupational therapy to start next week.  He will have one on each day, and he will not start the physical until Thursday.  Baptist wanted him to go into an inpatient program.  The outpatient was a compromise.  We are praying he gets the best therapists for him.

This was the first time Pete has been out since last Saturday when I took him to the ER.  I won't count going from a wheelchair to the car and into the house on Tuesday evening.  So he is worn completely out.  We are getting ready to watch Shark Tank.

To give a short summary of what has happened:

On May 7th, I talked to Pete around 7:40 am.  I dropped my car off to be serviced as Sam and I were supposed to leave for Gulf Shores, AL, at lunch to go see Andrew run conference.  I called again around 7:50 with no answer.  That was not unusual as he uses his cell to talk to many people and pastors.  I took his car and went on to work.  Right before 8:30, his friend and co-worker Maria found him on the floor.  She thought he was dead.  She called 911 and ran next door for help.  A man came over and put an aspirin under his tongue (that he had just started carrying two weeks before) and prayed over him.  Maria called me as the paramedics were on their way.

She was crying and said he had collapsed and that she had called 911.  It would not register for a few seconds, but I yelled to the girls on my hall and ran out of the building.  As I ran out the back door, I heard the sirens as Pete was not far away.  I just started crying to God to help him.  One of my friends jumped in the car with me, and we drove over.

When I got to the office, there were a few men working with him; so I could not get very close.  I told him I was there, and he lifted his head.  He could  not move anything else nor could he speak.  I could  not believe it.  I told him not to move and that it would be okay.  I gave information to the paramedic and went on to the hospital as they loaded him in the ambulance.  When I last saw him, he could look at me; but he could not speak.

After he had talked to me at 7:40, he said he reached for his coffee, but his hand would not work.  Then he realized he was slumped in his chair.  Next he rolled on into the floor, realized he could not move, and then did not know anything until the paramedics were shining a light in his eyes and calling to him.

Once in the ambulance, he had oxygen and noticed he could  move one hand and then the other.  He was talking when I heard them bringing him in.  My friend heard him first and told me to listen.  He had no effects that day and spent one night in ICU.  His blood pressure was high, so he started medicine.

****I thought this post was lost, so I continued this part at the bottom of the 2nd update.

Thanks for checking on Pete!  And for praying for him!

Update on Pete - 2nd Update

Today was much better than last Sunday.  It was so good to be at church with so many who love us.  And while Pete stayed home today, it was so good to be home and not at the hospital.

He starts his therapy this week.  Miscommunication, etc, messed up last week, so he has been doing his own physical therapy.  What he cannot do in the morning, he has accomplished by evening.  He is picking up things and putting them down and trying to gain more control of his right hand.  He walks around the house.  For his occupational therapy, he washed the sheets, put them on the deck to dry, and then made the bed.  This morning, he unloaded and reloaded the dishwasher after we went to church.  Then he goes and rests for a while.

He goes back to Wake Forest the first part of June.  We saw Dr. Murrey Friday who went over a few things with us.  The office and doctor could not have been kinder to us.  We were able to park near the door and walk right in and onto the elevator.

Pete's blood pressure is good, and his cholesterol is great; so we are probably dealing with something hereditary.  There may be cause to test the boys for something, and we will find that out when we follow up.

We cannot thank everyone enough for their prayers.  We have appreciated the food, the visits, the help, the yard mowing, the calls and texts, and everything else.

For those of you who don't know what happened, here it is in a nutshell.

On Thursday, May 7, Pete's friend found him unresponsive at work.  He had been out for over 40 minutes and had a stroke with no lasting effects.  He spent one night in ICU at Watauga and then came home on Friday.

The next Tuesday, he had another which resulted in weakness on his right side and slurred speech.  He had TPA and stayed in ICU and the hospital two nights.  He came home on Thursday and just seemed very tired that night.

Friday, Peter noticed that his dad's mouth was crooked when he came home for lunch.  I took him back to the ER, and they added a med and wanted him to stay; but he would not.

Saturday (a week ago), he woke up and could not move his right side at all.  He could not get anything to move, so I drove him to the ER at Baptist.  He stayed there until Tuesday, and we got home around 6:00 pm.

While there are still pending labs, his neurologist feels he had a stroke deep in his brain where the blood vessels are small.  It was unusual that he had so many episodes.  One of the doctors in the ER was convinced he had an autoimmune disorder that triggered a stroke that triggered seizures.  They are still looking at that possibility, but no one really mentioned it after we left the ER.

We are so thankful for his progress, and we know that is God.  He has worked in so many ways during this time.

We appreciate the continued prayers as Pete continues to heal and regain his right side.  Seeing all he can do today can only be attributed to God and His goodness.

Snow Day Update

This is a recent email I sent adding to the post below:

Just an update on the boys.  I did not send one after Sam and I got home from the hospital and testing, but I have not updated my blog since that last post about him either.  Thanks to those who pray for them and ask about them!

This is a pretty much a repeat for those who read my blog, so sorry!  The EEG was good.  No signs of seizures.  He did so well.  They did not need anyone to help get him hooked up, and he actually talked and joked a little bit with the tech.  She told him that she would give him a blue bandana to cover his head and a green backpack for his cords.  She asked if that was okay.  He said, “Yes.  I love green backpacks.  My mom always gets me blue.”  That tickled her.

Cindy went with us and had to make a few trips to the car to bring in all of the fun people sent for him/us.  He had puzzles, games, books, Playmobil, and Legos, among a lot of other goodies.  Thank you to all who sent those with snacks and things to keep us busy.  He could order movies from a huge list.  They brought in a Wii with loaded games that he played and played and played.  He was so good and was never bored.  Since he was on the neuro part, he received a Joy Jar when we checked in (the organization started by a little girl who died of a brain tumor – her dad was a pastor at one of Rick Warren’s churches at the time.  It’s NEGU.) and a small monkey (that he gave to Peter for Valentine’s Day).  A therapy dog came to visit.  It was the biggest Golden Retriever I have ever seen.  His name was Jacob, and he was huge and beautiful.  He came right after Cindy and I were wiping our eyes from watching Marley and Me.  Sam was excited, but he was really missing Lucy (his own white golden retriever).

So Sam was not bored.  He did not complain at all until they took the leads off.  They used something like fingernail polish remover, so it was hard for him to breathe.  It was hard for me to breathe it in too!

We know he has an increased chance of seizures at some point, but there is no sign now; and we are so so thankful for that.

Since he does have a place like Andrew has on his brain (just in a different spot), we did decide to try him on some medicine that will help with focus (one of the areas where his brain is affected per the MRI).  He has missed school for weather since we started it, but he is picking up work at home and doing it without being asked.  Now Peter has started to bribe him, so he is working even harder.  We are hoping and praying this will help.  And we are hoping it is temporary until his brain takes over and does what it should, per the neurologist.  We have not seen many side effects – except not as much grazing eating which is good since he is diabetic.  He is in a sweet little mood all of the time and has not changed there.  I just cannot wait until he curls up with a good book to read alone.

Andrew was sick the other week with bronchitis.  He saw one of the docs and got an antibiotic.  Later that day, he got worse and ran a pretty good fever until late at night.  Since we are so concerned with seizures with fever, I got up in the middle of the night to check on him.  (He had told me sleeping on the little couch in his room was not necessary – though he felt so terrible.)  His fever had broken, and he had not had a seizure.  However, he felt so much worse that I took him to the doctor again, at his request.  It is amazing that he did not have pneumonia, but he was just very very sick with something that was going around.  It took a few days, but he felt much better after that.  Sam had something similar the weekend before and actually ran a high fever.  So we think they caught the same thing.  They don’t usually share illnesses, and they don’t usually pick up viruses going around.  Sam had very low blood sugars through his – which is the opposite of strep.  So we knew this was certainly something different.  Andrew has lost some weight again, but we are thankful he is feeling much better and did not suffer any seizures.

Andrew and Peter both have been going out of their way to spend time with Sam.  We have been having game night every Thursday.  They love it and are quite competitive.  They are planning on going out in the snow today – for maybe five minutes or less!

Thanks to those of you who pray for Will.  We have not seen him much, but I have seen him some.  These last few months have been the hardest of my life.  It’s hard not to be mad at people, and God has given me other people (especially on my worst days) to comfort, encourage, and reassure me during this time.  It’s not about the other people; it’s about my child.  The one I love so much.  And I have to remember that God loves him more and knows ALL.  And I try to rest in that.  I have been doing better turning him over.  I had a good meltdown yesterday, but I was working on bringing wood up from the basement and really just took it all out on the wood.  I just miss him so much.  Please keep praying for him.

I know I am not alone.  I can feel God’s presence.  He promises to be right with me.  And He is.  And I know I could not get through these days without Him.

In I Peter 5:7, it says to cast all my cares on Him, because He cares for me.  In I Thessalonians 5:16-18, it says to rejoice and pray without ceasing and give thanks in ALL circumstances – because this is the will of God for me.  It’s my life.  My story.  And this terrible, trying time is part of it.  I have awful days trying to not doubt and not worry.  The only way I can have any peace or confidence is to trust Jesus.  To lean on Him.  To trust Him.  And that is what I am actively trying to do every single day of this.  It carries over into other things.  And my days are hard, not perfect.  And it’s a struggle.  But I know Who wins in the end.

Thanks for praying for us.  Stay warm!

Sam's Test

We got home this afternoon from Sam's 24-48 hour EEG.  He did great.  We got great results.  The doctor looked at his readings from Friday and talked to me on Friday evening.  She said she was very happy with what she was seeing (or not seeing).  She told me that she would check again this morning (Saturday), and she would send us on home if nothing showed up at night.

Sam finally went to sleep near 10:00.  They were videoing him the whole time they were monitoring him.  They knew we were up again between 1 and 2, twice, eating to bring up his blood sugar.  And they were surprised to see him  up playing the Wii at 6!  In fact, that activity surprised the doctor until she saw him on the video!

We have ruled out seizures.  He does not need seizure medication.  We are so thankful and relieved.  He may still have seizures later on because of what we know is on his MRI, but he does not have to have them.

I asked the doctor if we just go back and get Sam as much help as we can and continue on.  Her answer was yes.  His brain shows the scar tissue in an area of learning and processing and focusing.  So we need to make sure he gets rest and just keep working and praying that his brain will kick in and make up for what is missing or damaged.  That is going to be a lot of hard work.  But he has put in years of hard work already, as have many people who have helped him, so we will just keep working and praying.

Thanks for praying.  Thanks for the encouragement.  Sam was so busy, that his time went by so fast.  He had lots of treats from wonderful people.  And the hospital was great.  We picked Marley and Me for the movie yesterday afternoon.  Not five minutes later, Jacob, the biggest Golden Retriever I have ever seen, came to the room to visit Sam.  He had a Joy Jar on his bed when we got there.  That is a story I have followed for years, so I appreciated it so much and will try harder to follow up to support their mission.  Sam said he really had fun at the hospital...

Cindy and I ran into a couple of places on the way home.  It's fun to have a fellow Marshall's/Homegoods shopper with me.  We were all tired, so we did not do much; but it was good to stretch our legs after being cooped up.

Andrew ran an indoor track PR at ETSU while we were at the hospital.  He was happy.  Pete said he looked really good and strong.

Please still pray for Will.

Thanks.  We are relieved and ready to keep trying to find what works with Sam.  I cannot wait to see him curled up reading a good book like his mom and great grandmother love to do!

Update on Sam

Sam checks into a children’s hospital near Charlotte this Friday morning for a 24-48 hour EEG.  We are hoping and praying this test will give us much needed information on how to deal with Sam’s learning issues – whether he is having silent seizures or not- and prepare us some for his future and what he may need.  We know what Andrew’s struggles have been with scar tissue on an MRI.  We hope we can know more about how Sam is like or not like Andrew’s situation.  Even though it’s a little unreal to me that we are even checking these things in Sam, I really have not whined to God this time.  He knows my heart, and He knows my fears.  And I am really just trying to rest in Him – knowing He provides and takes care of all of it.  He is not surprised or ever caught off guard.  It’s like all of those verses in Deuteronomy that say He will go before me.  And they go on in Joshua.

 

⁶ Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the Lord thy God, he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.  Deuteronomy 31:6

 

⁸ And the Lord, he it is that doth go before thee; he will be with thee, he will not fail thee, neither forsake thee: fear not, neither be dismayed.  Deuteronomy 31:8

 

⁵ There shall not any man be able to stand before thee all the days of thy life: as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee: I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.  Joshua 1:5

 

I was going through the book of Joshua in Sunday School when we left Brushy Fork (the church we had been a part of for many many years) in June, so Pete could be the pastor at Middle Fork Baptist Church.  I kept going back to Deuteronomy while trying to move on through Joshua.  And everywhere (everywhere!), it said that God goes before us, and He will not leave us nor forsake us.  It keeps on reminding us.  That is why it’s there – in the Old Testament – to remind us, even today.  Especially today.  Trying to be a good Sunday School teacher and teach what was laid on my heart, I kept going over and over that – for weeks, up until the last time I taught.  And a few months ago, I realized it was for me.  I am sure it was for others too.  But it was totally for me.  To remind me.  Reassure me.  Tell me again and again.  I am not alone.  God knew what was coming for our family.

 

The song I heard on my way to the high school to take care of something for Will while Pete was out of the country back in the late fall was “I Am Not Alone” by Kari Jobe.  I have shared it before.  She keeps singing that He will go before me.  He will never leave me.  He is everywhere.  And I felt so alone that day on my way to the school, not knowing or understanding how things had gotten so off track so fast with my child.  But I was reminded, and I could walk in there and do what I needed for my child because I was not alone.  And I cried and cried, but I have hope that only He can give.  And when that hope gets pushed down, He sends reminders in many, many different ways.

 

On the subject of Will, we still need lots of prayers for him.  I have had people encourage me and advise me and help me through these really hard weeks.  Really the hardest in my life.  I have had to let go of the takers and not let them take any more.  And it’s something I have to consciously do many times a day.  I cry a lot, but that is okay.  And I pray constantly.  I let the hurt go as much as I can.  And I am learning more and more how to help others by what to do or say and what not to.  I know God has placed people straight in my path (some, literally) to give me what I needed at the moment.  We love and appreciate those who are helping him and encouraging him right now.  And, again, I am having to let go of a lot – with Will and the stuff that comes with having a wayward child.  I am convinced God loves him and knows everything about him.  He is right there with him.  And He is right here with Will’s family as we pray and wait.  It’s by far the hardest thing I have faced in my life.  So thank you to those who pray for my boy.

 

I will put an update on Sam on our blog, www.sixvandenbergs.blogspot.com when we get home.  We may not know much until we see the doctor again.  I am anxious and ready to get this next information step behind us. 

 

Thanks so much for praying for us. 

 

Love,

Wendi