I've wanted to update more frequently but we are so busy at the house that it's been impossible. Thank you for refraining from calling. I'm taking and making many many calls every day as well as taking care of Scott. It's actually hard to even get quality time with him for myself and Josephine.

Briefly, over the past few weeks his health and ability to function has gone up and down. The hardest part is just simply not knowing what each day will be like for him. We can't count on the previous day to gage what the day will bring for us. He is sleeping a lot and seems to function better when he's had the rest his body is calling for.

We are very glad to be in hospice care. They have a very caring staff. We have also been blessed with the generous help of some amazing friends who have experience in caregiving. They have come in for many days and lovingly helped me with Scott. What a God send! Also, we are thankful for all of you who have been helping us with meals and lawn care and cleaning and errands. You lighten our load.

I am now researching and interviewing to find the right person for full time paid help with Scott. Please pray that the right person come along soon. Just finding the time to research and interview is a challenge.

God Bless You!

Love,
Michele

Hello Everyone,

Michele has asked me to pass on some news as well as give you some info that many of you have asked about.

First of all, Michele says, "Scott's health has continued to get worse so it's become necessary for us to enter into hospice care. They have been wonderfully helpful." To expand just a little bit, Scott is still at home, but his care there has changed.

Secondly, many of you have asked, "Is there any way that we can help the Grays financially?" Scott's cousin, Bob Rogers, has set up a Trust Fund for them. If you would like to send a check, please send it to:

THE GRAY FAMILY BENEVOLENCE FUND
C/o HORIZON BANK
Franklin Square Office
515 Franklin Square
Michigan City, Indiana 46360

Attached is a letter that Bob has written full of encouragement for those who may wish to give. As you all know Scott and Michele have a deep faith in Jesus Christ, and Bob does too. His note is full of praise, thanksgiving, comfort and Christian imagery. I believe most of you will appreciate and be encouraged by his words. If you wish, please take a moment to read it. If not, all the information you need is listed above.

Finally, I spoke with Michele today and , as always, she was expressing her amazement at how people have been so kind and loving during this time. She and Scott do not want anyone to feel obligated to give. So many have done so much already. This note is merely getting the word out that there is a vehicle for those who want to give financially.

Blessing to all of you!!

Scooterscoop

A note from Scott's cousin, Bob Rogers:

Reading in Jeremiah (Chapter 17: 7-8), “Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in Him. He will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit.”

What great comfort we have in knowing that Scott’s life is in the hands of the one who created him, and that the fruit he continues to bear is the result of his faith in his creator, his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. For those of you that continue to share this journey with Scott and Michele, and are consistently praying for his healing, THANK YOU! Please keep praying for Scott. And please keep praying for strength and stamina for Michele and she continues to care for Scott during this difficult time.

Many of you are acutely aware of their physical needs at this time. Many of you have been gracious with your offers of support and help. Although they continue to receive much appreciated help from family and friends, the financial toll this has taken on the Gray family has been extreme. Additionally, Michele’s pregnancy has been complicated, and she has medical needs of her own (which she has had to ignore for Scott’s sake). They have no income at this point to meet their housing expenses, utilities, food, and day care costs. They’ve been relying totally on savings and the help of others to meet their needs. As you know, once we thought things couldn’t get worse, in March, their mini-van (parked in their front yard) was completely destroyed in a gang related incident. Fortunately, the need for a new car was met by the generosity of another family. When I heard this story I thought of Paul’s letter in Romans 12 referring to the body of Christ and the spiritual gifts we are given (verse 8): “if it is encouragement, let him encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously.” Scott and Michele continue to remain in positive spirits, knowing that God is in control of their lives; that He is good and faithful, and will meet all their needs. We can have confidence that God will use the body of Christ to meet the needs of the Gray family, by placing a burden on the heart of his people to intercede on their behalf. Just as God has the capability of miraculously healing Scott of these brain tumors, He also has the capability of relieving Scott and Michele of this overwhelming financial burden. If you feel led to help in any way, any contribution, large or small, would be appreciated more than you can imagine. Even a small donation would help tremendously by paying for a few hours of day care.

If you would consider making a gift, you can send it to the Gray family at:

THE GRAY FAMILY BENEVOLENCE FUND
C/o HORIZON BANK
Franklin Square Office
515 Franklin Square
Michigan City, Indiana 46360

THANK YOU!

Your help is most appreciated, and I know Scott and Michele will be eternally grateful to you. If you can think of anyone else that might consider making a gift to the Gray family, please pass on this request or give me a call, so I can contact them personally.

Thank you again.

Scott's health has continued to get worse so it's become necessary for us to enter into hospice care. They have been wonderfully helpful.

Bless you,
Michele

Invitation to come worship with us at the Gray's! 2PM Sunday May 15th

Scott and I haven't been able to make it to church for many weeks and for us church is a celebration we don't like to miss. The part Scott's missing the most is the music and joyful singing to the Lord! Our hearts are filled with love and adoration for the God of all creation when we sing so . . . this Sunday we're going to bring some of that here to our house and we welcome you to join us. We are Christians but you don't need to be to join us. All are welcome, you can even just come to listen. We know it will be a blessing, even if Scott is so tired that he has to be resting. Thanks so much. God Bless You!

Michele Gray
1751 N. Talman Ave.
Chicago, IL 60647

It's been some time since I've been able to update you and a lot has happened. I've been hoping and praying that this update would bring you better news on Scott's health and progress but I'm sad to report it's doesn't.

These last three weeks have been very frustrating for me as I've seen a constant decline in many areas of Scott's health. The drugs he's been on (steroids, seizures meds, chemo, biotech drugs) have caused his body to become toxic. Three weeks ago I noticed small purple spots on his arms, legs and stomach and a week later they increased and deeper bruises were showing up. His nose and his toe nail began bleeding. One doctor suggested it was leaking blood vessels but his blood tests didn't fully support that theory. All the while, he became more tired and less stable on his feet. I hounded his doctors for answers and advice but each time they came back with nothing concrete to tell me. They reassured me by reminding me that Scott has been through a lot. No kidding! Finally, after three weeks of his platelets dropping and his liver enzymes increasing, his oncologist agreed with me that it would be good to stop the daily chemo and biotech pills. Praise God!! I've been so ready to get him off some of the medications and now he's been off those two for about a week. I'm doing everything I can to help him nutritionally to restore his liver and blood. NOTE: Please don't send nutritional advice in these areas. I've sorted through the options and I'm comfortable with what I'm doing.

Even more serious, is his level of dependence on me. It's painful to share this with you because I so desperately want to give you better news but I know that the truth is the most important. Scott and I decided very early in this battle to open our lives to you. We did this so you could experience the blessings with us and there are soooo many but this is the harder side. Scott now needs my help and assistance from the minute he wakes until he goes to bed. He relies on me to tell him what he should be doing and help him do it or do it for him. He is the most gracious and loving man. He makes me feel so appreciated. Helping him is an honor. I do everything I can to make him feel empowered and capable because over the last three weeks ordinary daily activities have become more confusing for him. I don't want him to experience frustration or feel incapable so I watch closely, guide him and jump in before he makes a big mistake. I guess I've done a pretty good job because he's not aware of how much help he needs. His level of fatigue is so intense that he's now taking 2-3 hour naps and when he's awake he only has very shorts spurts of energy (20-30 minutes) before he's incredibly tired again. After his last doctors appointment, he was so tired and wobbly, I needed a wheel chair to get him back to the car.

So, what do we think will happen next?? Well, Scott hasn't given up hope, I haven't given up hope, his doctors haven't given up and neither should you. We're praying that as some of the drugs leave his body he would get to a state of better physical health, with more energy, and more mental clarity. At the same time I've come to the point where I know I need to seek out professional assistance. Although we have incredible help with Josephine, I still have a house to run and a baby due in 2 months. I can't get away because it's not safe for Scott to be left alone. I've made some phone calls and should find out more next week about home services for people with disability's. One thing I know for sure is whoever comes to help me with Scott will be blessed by Scott. With all he's been through and is going through now, he still finds a way to bless everyone he comes in contact with each day. He never stops telling people "bless you" and "I love you" and "I'm praying for you." Literally everyone we come in contact with Scott blesses and it doesn't matter if it's the post man, he blesses him too. I love to see how that catches people off guard. They are touched and I find myself thinking, "Wow, I have to do that more!"

Scott's next MRI is scheduled for the week after next.

As Scott does, I'm blowing you kisses and saying BLESS YOU!! And if you haven't checked out our Easter pictures on the web site it's: scooterscoop.blogspot.com

Love,
Michele and Scott Gray

P.S. If anyone would like to volunteer and help run errands, mow the lawn, clean, or provide a meal, I'm open to your help. I'm not going to be too humble about asking for help because we need it and you've said I should let you know what we need.
If you want to help with errands or lawn mowing just email me at moxiegray@yahoo.com
If you want to help with meals, email Gretchen at gretchen_flores@comcast.net
If you want to help with cleaning, email Kristen at JKandAStuck@aol.com. She's been organizing cleaning help on Saturday mornings around 10am.