Update On Olivia and Sam

Well as some may know, we are delayed in about a week to two weeks on getting to bring Hero home.  Somewhat disappointed but I know that God has a plan and only he knew what each day would bring.  The trainer at Shadows For Life says he is doing extremely well on his commands to care for Olivia but was still excitable out in public and so therefore didnt pass his first state certified test.  Praying for good news the end of this week that we get the OK to head to Dallas.  As for news on Olivia.  Olivia has started to have some seizures that have caused her to projectile vomit afterwards.  Not a pretty picture.  She went to the Er last weekend, and the neurologist was contacted and last week, Olivia started seizure meds.  This has been upsetting because it seems as if we are taking steps backwards.  I knew eventually she would be on them but was not prepared for the now.    She is beginning to be taught sign language in speech therapy because she is having trouble vocalizing her wants.  This is becoming very frustrating at times because I KNOW I need to stick to the signs everytime she wants something but she cries and cries and its so hard to not give in.  I know in her own time, she will begin to do them without hesitation and learn the words as well, but we have a long way to go.  I ask that you please continue to pray for her healing.  We are almost halfway through with her first 12 rounds of radiation and steroids and then we go back to see neurosurgeon for complete workup to see if anything has changed whether it be for good or for bad.  She is a child of God and she rests in His Hands and I pray that His will be done for her life and that no matter the outcomes, I am able to accept it, rise from it and live it.  As for Sam, she has started an oral chemo med at home and is recieving radiation on her pelvis for the cancerous tumors on her lymph nodes.  This has been a very hard pill to swallow.  She is such a fun and energetic 3 year old and its so hard to explain to her that shes sick.  She wants to know why does she sick in her throat, why does her legs hurt, why does she need that medicine....Its hard to explain to her and so the fight begins when she gets sores in her mouth and she has to take meds so she can eat, its hard to explain to her we cant go here or there because she has sores opening up on her body.  How do you tell her???  I have done nothing but PRAY, PRAY, PRAY that God will just give her body comfort and rest.  She has taught me so much about strength and living life to the fullest.  Its amazing to me how God uses someone in your life to make you think about life.  With all the help that I have recieved for the girls, its become very clear to me that even though I have felt very alone at times, my kids and I are part of the biggest and best family in the world.  The family of God.  What a feeling to feel, when nothing else seems to be, that is the one thing I hold onto.  You dear family and friends can never fully understand how completely grateful I am to have each of you.  From the emails I recieve, from the texts just to say hi, and from helping financially I am truly overwhelmed with emotion and gratitude. May God Bless each and everyone of you who have touched my family in such a special way.

I ask that you continue to pray for the girls.  Hannah seems to be doing a little better with handling things and I know its because there are special people praying for her.  Please continue to pray for the healing for the girls and for the doctors who are caring for them.  Please pray for my continued  strength to care for them daily and give me the peace I need to know that whatever decision I need to make in their care that I have the ultimate answer from God that this is what He wants for His child.  More than anything, prayer is the ultimate gift and that is what I ask from each of you who read this blog, who help care for my kids during treatment days, who help in anyway.....PRAYER IS IT!!! 

A Letter from Kelly

o        To my church family, friends and people in the Crosby/Humble Community...You have no idea what it meant to me when we started unloading baked goods, when I saw people bringing goods with their children and then buying what someone else made. My heart was overcome with emotion. I have been fighting illness with Sam, my 3 year old since October of 2010. I thought to myself and asked why....why God do you think I can deal with this? I’m not someone who handles problems well. In the past, I was someone who strayed from you for years, who went against everything I knew you wanted for me. WHY ME!!! Needless to say, He never answered that question and then in June of 2011 when the youngest Olivia was 1, she was diagnosed with a malformation in the artery in her brain. I thought to myself OH NO, here we go again and once again found myself asking the question I knew would never be answered, WHY. On a routine trip for a checkup, an inoperable tumor was found in Olivia's brain. Since the beginning, of both children’s illnesses, things have changed dramatically. Sam has been diagnosed with Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma and is undergoing radiation and oral chemo. Olivia is receiving radiation on the tumor in her brain and steroids for her swelling in the brain. She has seizures, and has begun to regress in her eating skills and communication skills. When Michelle said we were doing a bake sale, I was overjoyed! Even to get enough to offset the cost of traveling was going to be the best news for me. A young child made a sign that said "Help Bring Hero Home", as it sat outside Arlan’s, people would ask what the sale was for and others would begin to listen as Michelle told the story of Olivia. We had people writing $100 checks, giving $100 bills, people coming from Humble with a van full of women and spending well over $100. The outcome was AMAZING!! Had it not been GOD, I never would have thought we would have ended up with what we did. Whoever says God does not provide all our needs has never met a church family full of Faith in God, full of never-ending prayer and full of God's unconditional love for others like First Baptist Church Crosby. Through everyone's help, the funds were raised to pick up Hero on the 18th of this month, the funds are available to have all travel expenses for that trip paid, there are funds to pay for BOTH Sam and Olivia's treatments and medicines for a month and we have been able to order the ID tags and Service vest that Hero has to have in order to go in public with Olivia. OUR GOD IS AN AWESOME GOD!!! At the end of the night when the bake sale was over, I was at home with the girls in bed and couldn’t stop crying. Then all of a sudden I could hear myself breathe. I could actually breathe. I now know that without a doubt in about two weeks, Hero, named well by Hannah would become my Hero. No longer will I be up all night watching Olivia. I can rest, I can breathe, I can cook my family a meal without it taking hours because I stop every 5 minutes to check on Olivia. My faith was truly tested and once again I found myself on my knees asking God to forgive me for my doubts. I am blessed that God chose me to care for HIS children Sam and Olivia while he plans out their life. I am blessed that He allowed me to be the one to show them of God’s love not only through me but through the generosity of all His other children. I am blessed and honored to know that through this there will be 3 totally awesome testimonies used ONLY for GOD’S GLORY!!! You all have touched my life in an unforgettable way and I will forever be thankful. You have made a difference in my children's lives as well. I’m reminded of a post on facebook I saw "You have never really lived until you have done something for someone who can never repay you" I can never repay all the love and prayer and generosity that came from such wonderful brothers and sisters in Christ, but everyone will always be special to me and hold dear places in my heart.

Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people Galatians 6:10

Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children Ephesians 5:1

I thank you all again so much and ask that as always, please pray for my family for healing for the girls, for patience and understanding for Hannah and for rest and guidance as I continue to care for God's children every day. Me and my family love you all.

Love,

Kelly

THE GREAT PROVIDER

Tears come to my eyes as I type this. Oh me of little faith, I was hoping to just raise half of what Kelly and her family needed to get Olivia's seizure dog. God had much bigger plans however. Tonight alone, we were able to raise over $1800!! (The total came in at $2,178.05)  The generosity of all those who baked, donated and bought items was absolutely overwhelming. Kelly and I were both brought to tears on more than one occasion as we saw God's provision through His people. We even got to the giddy school girl phase of excitement. But God didn't stop there. In addition to the Arlan's bake sale, Jeff, Olivia's dad, held a bake sale at work and was also able to raise money. This will go to expenses for travel and lodging when they go to pick up Hero and go for his other trainings. About every 90 days Kelly and Livi will have to take Hero back to the trainer to make sure his certification and tests are current. So as you can imagine, there will be costs for travel, lodging and food when they go to Dallas. BUT....GOD still isn't finished. Tomorrow Huffman ISD is holding a district wide bake sale to help raise funds for the Gants!! As I write this, I am still getting chills...our GOD is so great and so goes beyond what we even hope for. He knows the needs of this precious family. HE knows that parking each week is over $50, not to mention the copays for both girls to go to the doctor, therapies, and treatments. HE knows the financial stress on this family and HE continues to provide. I am certain that this is but the first step. God is faithful to provide as the Gant's will have another mouth to feed with Hero and another family member to care for. I am humbled to serve such an amazing Creator, Provider, Father. Please, please, continue to send up prayers for Olivia, Samantha, Kelly, Jeff and Hannah. God hears our cries and has proven once again that HE is always there for us. A big thank you again to all who helped by baking and donating at the sale tonight. Kelly was in awe of the generosity of everyone. Keep praying my dear friends and watch as God does amazing things!!

Sincerely,
Michelle

We are having a bake sale!!

Calling all bakers, I need some help!!  Kelly and family are soon to welcome home Hero, Olivia's seizure dog.  He will soon finish his first round of training, and we need help raising the funds to pay for everything.  Right now, the costs for the dog add up to about $1800.   In an effort to raise this money, I am hosting a bake sale at Arlan's Market in Crosby this Thursday, October 6 from 4-8pm.  You may wonder how you can help...well there are a few ways.  Please consider donating baked goods of any kind.  You can either contact me, Michelle Holloway at  281-923-5617 or you can bring them to church (FBC Crosby) Wednesday night or Thursday morning if that is more convenient.  You can also help by attending the bake sale and purchasing some yummy goodies.  If you would just like to make a financial contribution, you can either click on the donate button on the left side of your screen, make a donation at Community Bank of Texas under the name Gant Girls, or simply contact me via the number above or email me at mholloway@fbccrosby.net.  As always, Kelly, Jeff and the girls appreciate all the prayers that you lift up for them.  I will be updating the blog again soon as to the week to week schedule for the girls and needs that come along with their treatments.  I want to thank you in advance for your prayers and participation in helping meet this need in a precious girls life.  This dog will help not only to alert Kelly to the seizures, but Hero is also trained to get Olivia out of the seizures quicker so as to hopefully cause less damage to her brain.

Thank you so much,
Michelle