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WILLY VAN DER LINDEN has been very ill

Posted: Sat Aug 10, 2013 12:07 pm
by Dave Watterson
I am sure all his forum friends have missed the contributions from our Belgian film-making friend, Willy Van der Linden in recent weeks.

He has had a few health problems for the last couple of years - and it seems one of them may have been misdiagnosed by his doctor. The resulting treatment helped send him to hospital three weeks ago. There he collapsed and was effectively in a coma for a week. It was apparently touch-and-go for a while.

But relax: he is now safely back at home and being cared for by his wife, Vera. He has temorarily lost the use of his left arm ... but the expectation is that physiotherapy will get that back to use.

He is still weak but was able to chat on the phone this morning and granted me permission to pass on the word about his health problem to his forum friends.

In the longer term he should make a very good recover, but has to reduce stress. Willy interprets that as moving from six films a year to making just one a year.

One lovely bit of news is that while in hospital he received visits from fellow members of his old and new cine clubs.

I am sure you will all join me in wishing him and Vera all the best.

Re: WILLY VAN DER LINDEN has been very ill

Posted: Sat Aug 10, 2013 1:04 pm
by TimStannard
Thanks for the update, Dave. very concerning, but glad all is now under control and he is maing a steady recovery.

Re: WILLY VAN DER LINDEN has been very ill

Posted: Sat Aug 10, 2013 1:08 pm
by Mike Shaw
Oh Willy - you must get better - but do take it easy. Valuable though your films are, you are more valuable to us all. Good to hear that things are now under control.

Re: WILLY VAN DER LINDEN has been very ill

Posted: Sat Aug 10, 2013 6:05 pm
by ned c
Greetings and best wishes Willy from your friends on the other side of the pond. To a speedy and complete recovery and welcome return to film making. When you feel like flying; stop by for the sunshine, the views and the chat!

ned c and all at AMPS

Re: WILLY VAN DER LINDEN has been very ill

Posted: Sat Aug 10, 2013 6:35 pm
by Dave Watterson
Willy is famously phobic about flying ... but an Atlantic cruise might be a restful way to recuperate!

Re: WILLY VAN DER LINDEN has been very ill

Posted: Mon Aug 12, 2013 12:36 pm
by Michael Slowe
I would like to express my support to Willy and wish him a full and speedy recovery. One film a year will be quite enough just as long as he can promise that. Will Vera be logging on for him to read these messages?

Re: WILLY VAN DER LINDEN has been very ill

Posted: Mon Aug 12, 2013 1:00 pm
by fraught
Fingers crossed he gets better soon. He is often the calm in a storm on these forums. :)

Re: WILLY VAN DER LINDEN has been very ill

Posted: Mon Aug 12, 2013 4:56 pm
by Dave Watterson
I spoke to Willy by phone yesterday. He was weak but otherwise his usual, cheerful self. He confided that the crisis had caused Vera to start using the computer for the first time. She had answered an enquiring email of mine. Whether he can persuade her to venture onto this forum is another step ...

Re: WILLY VAN DER LINDEN has been very ill

Posted: Mon Aug 12, 2013 9:47 pm
by TimStannard
Dave Watterson wrote:He confided that the crisis had caused Vera to start using the computer for the first time.
I seriously hope she is of a different temperament where computers are concerned to my wife or Willy will be suffering severe stress in no time!

Re: WILLY VAN DER LINDEN has been very ill

Posted: Mon Aug 12, 2013 10:14 pm
by Mike Shaw
My wife is the same. And not just with computers ... anything that has a control on it freaks her out.

But ... her desire to shop is greater than her fear of electrical gizmos, and so, unbelievably she has now mastered accessing on-line shops and Amazon on the laptop I bought her as 'medicine' to cure the phobias.

And is having a wonderful time buying all the things she might need, one day.

Something for Willy to look forward to as well perhaps ... :-)

Re: WILLY VAN DER LINDEN has been very ill

Posted: Tue Aug 13, 2013 10:43 am
by john ingham
get well soon willy

Re: WILLY VAN DER LINDEN has been very ill

Posted: Tue Aug 13, 2013 12:04 pm
by Ian Woodward
Willy, as Mesmer famously noted: There is only one illness and one cure.

We all know what the cure is in your case.

No-one makes better films about England and the English than you.

Re: WILLY VAN DER LINDEN has been very ill

Posted: Tue Aug 13, 2013 3:30 pm
by Lee Prescott
:(

I am sorry and personally very sorry to learn, perhaps belatedly, of Willy's illness and I more than sincerely hope that you Willy will make a full and complete recovery.

A few years ago Willy enlisted my help with finding a particular "type" of dog for one of his films, (Yoda), which I was able to do. Willy also invited me to work with his crew here in The Cotswolds in making the film. That friends was an excellent and charming experience, (even if at one stage I found myself acting as "policeman" blocking the traffic whilst the scenes involving the dancer on the hobby horse performed)!!!

When it came to "munch time" Willy was generous as he is in all his other aspects. Comical too, as anyone who has watched his tribute to The Cotswold International Film Festival which I organised for its 9 years run until its enforced "financial oblivion".

Get well soon Willy, we're all "rooting" for you - including me.

With Very Best Wishes: LEE.

-------------

P.S: :) Hey Tim and Mike with damsels fraught technology: Maybe you should read my article upcoming in the next
SoCo News.

Re: WILLY VAN DER LINDEN has been very ill

Posted: Sat Aug 17, 2013 5:44 pm
by Peter Copestake
My greetings too to Willy. I was going to put 'better late than never' referring to my tardiness in getting the news) but that might get lost in mis-translation! No reflection on Dave's linguistic abilities.
Peter

Re: WILLY VAN DER LINDEN has been very ill

Posted: Mon Aug 19, 2013 3:57 pm
by Brian Saberton
I hope you get well soon Willy and can return to making your wonderful films which we enjoy so much at BIAFF

Brian S