SuperGibson

Gibson's Documentary

2011-04-07T16:09:00.000-07:00

Gibson's uncle Dave, is a media teacher at Higley High School. One of his students, Ricky, heard about Gibson and wanted to do a documentary on him and his journey to Germany. The documentary was so amazing, that it made it to the national competition, and won first place!!! It even got a standing ovation!! The judges told Ricky that that had never happened! You can see the video at: http://vimeo.com/channels/thestudio2010#18887453 (Gibson's video is dated 3/4/11) The Arizona Republic is doing an article about the documentary that will be in Friday, April 8th's edition, and on their websight as well. If I had known how many people were going to see this, I probably would have done my hair, and worn some make up! Oh well! We are excited to be a part of something so wonderful, that brings attention to special needs children, and of course, stem cell transplants!

PB&J!!!

2011-04-07T16:07:00.000-07:00

WHAT AN AWESOME DAY!! Gibson ate an entire Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwich for lunch today!! He has never been able to eat bread until now! His amazing aid at school, Kari, has been working really hard with Gibson to learn to eat new things. So far he has added: cheezits, cheese, grapes, strawberries, gogurts, apples, and now, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches! So now, I can officially make him a "normal" lunch box lunch, including a juice box with a straw! HEAVEN!!

Gibson's 200M Dash!

2011-04-07T16:01:00.000-07:00

Check out this video of Gibson practicing his 200M Dash! Gibson will be competing in the 100 and 200 meter races, at the Desert Games, on May 7th, as a member of the Arizona Disabled Sports team. He loves his team mates and his coach, Judy! He is such a stud!

It's been a while!

2010-07-15T22:58:00.001-07:00

I know, it's been a while sense we've posted, and a lot has happened! Gibson got a new baby brother, Mack! He loves the baby, and is a huge help.
Gibson graduated kindergarten with honors (I just made that up). He did amazing. We had his IEP at the end of the year, and absolutely NO concerns educationally or socially. He is reading and now, thanks largely in part to the stem cell transplant, he is writting better than ever! At the begining of kindergarten, he could barely write his first name on his papers. Now, he writes his first, middle, and last, just to show off! He can write 1-100 perfectly. It has been amazing to watch his fingers come alive!
HE CAN DRINK FROM A STRAW! Oh the simple things in life! I know it sounds rediculous, but that one small step, has changed his (and my) life! A couple of weeks ago, Gibson finished his physical therapy, and had done a great job, so I told him we could go to Sonic to get a treat. Normally, he would order a chocolate milkshake, but, he of course wouldn't be able to suck such thick liquid into a straw, so I would have to pull over, and spoon feed him. BUT NOT THIS TIME, AND NEVER AGAIN! I handed him the cup, stuck the straw in, and with one miraculous suck, Gibson was born again! His face lit up, and as he gave me his signature "two thumbs up", the tears welled! Serioulsy, one of the top ten happiest moments in my life.
I decided to make this summer my summer for answers. So, I lied, cheated, and stole my way (not really, but close enough), into an appointment with one of the best neuorsurgeons in the country. The doctor took one look at Gibson, one look at his MRI scans, and said "this kid does not have perisylvian dysgenesis." Hugh? I felt like my life was a giant game of "shoots and ladders", and I had just landed on that huge slide that slips you all the way back to the bottom. The doctor did all sorts of tests on him, even had him running laps around the hospital! This genious neurosurgon, was "baffled". That is what he said, "baffled". For some reason, I think it's pretty awesome that Gibson has "baffled" a brilliant surgeon. The doctor referred us to a new Neurologist, and Gibson will be getting a new MRI scan that is much more detailed, probably in the next year or so. So, as of now, Gibson is diagnosed with "gibsonisfreakinawesomeitis".
We are hoping that this new Neurologist, who Gibson will see next week, will direct us to someone who can give Gibson botox injections into his saliva glands, to help with his drooling.
So, that is where we are! Enjoying our baby Mack and our extra thick milkshakes! Life couldn't be better.

Clean shirt and chin!

2009-11-07T06:17:00.000-08:00

Gibson is doing great! He is drinking SO MUCH BETTER. I don't have to remind him to swallow, it is much more automatic. This is the cleanest he has ever been after drinking a milkshake! This is a HUGE deal for us!

Feelin Great!

2009-11-05T13:45:00.000-08:00

Here Gibson is just hours after his stem cell transplant, happy building legos! Literally, no down time to this procedure. He is doing great!

Feelin Good!

2009-11-05T13:38:00.000-08:00

Gibson waking up from his stem cell transplant!

Gibson takes Germany!

2009-11-05T12:40:00.000-08:00

The view from Gibson's hospital room, the Rhine River!

Gibson trying to play video games right after his stem cell transplant.

Gibson paying his respect to his Great-great uncle Grant Turley, who was shot down in WWII.

Gibson and Chase in the fox holes from "Easy Company", you "Band of Brothers" fans know what we are talking about. It was very cool...and cold!

The Big Day!

2009-11-05T07:51:00.000-08:00

Sorry everyone! I really thought that we would have alot of time to be blogging here in Germany, but everyday has been PACKED! Also, I can't figure out how to download pictures onto this computer, to share, (everything in Europe is different!), so there won't be any pictures or video till we get home, sorry!
So, today was the day! We just got back to our hotel room. On Tuesday, they collected 10 vials of bone marrow from Gibson's hip. Wednesday, while we traveled around Belgium with my aunt and uncle, visiting WWII sights, (totally awesome), the XCell Center processed his bone marrow, and collected 10, 180,000 stem cells, with 95% viability! That is an amazing result! All they need, is 2 million cells, with 80% viability, so Gibson blew their expectations out of the water! The doctor told us "that boy's got good looking stem cells!"
Today, Thursday the 5th, we got to the center and waited for a couple of hours. We were there with 2 other families and their sons, it was wonderful to have other parents to talk to that are going through the exact same situation, we were all a great support to one another. They took Gibson back and put him right to sleep (he still had the iv in from Tuesday, so they didn't have to poke him twice). The procedure only took about 20 minutes, then they wheeled him up to a recovery room, where he slept for about 3 hours! The other two boys woke right up, but it was nice that Gibson had that time to rest, it was just what they wanted him to do. After he woke up, he had some juice and fishy crackers, and wanted to play video games! He was annoyed because they had his oxygen moniter on his thumb, your prime "video game" finger, so watching him play the DS with that on was pretty funny. The center then drove us back to our hotel, where we are right now. Gibson is doing well. He does have a bit of a headache that he is complaining about, but that is to be expected. Actually, the doctors have said that it is a symptom of the new cells taking root in his brain, so it is actually a GOOD thing to have a headache. I just gave him his pain pill and he is now watching "Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer", yes, we start celebrating Christmas early in this family! He is doing great, and understands what just happened, and is excited. We were amazed at how calm he was through out the entire process. He has been so patient! We have had alot of waiting around, and he hasn't complained at all. He is a very tough kid, quite the super hero!
Chase and I are feeling great, and very hopeful. The doctors in Germany that did Gibson's procedure are VERY excited about him and his possibilities. In fact, the therapist that works with the XCell Center, wants Gibson to come back and work with her for 2 weeks! They feel very positive about Gibson and what to expect from him. They feel that he will have great results from the transplant.
We want to thank you all again for your prayers, love, and support. A few moments before the final procedure today, I had a second of panic, where I asked Chase if there was anything else we should do to help this along, should we pray again, another blessing, what? And we both got an overwhelming feeling that we have done everything the Lord wanted us to do, and He will take it from here. Keep praying. We love you all, and will keep you posted!
Love,
Chase, Brynn, and Gibson

What a night!

2009-10-30T19:40:00.000-07:00

Our “Auf Wiedershen” Party for Gibson Monday night was a HUGE success! We had so much fun with everyone that came, and A LOT of people came! We had over 300 people show up to send Gibson off to Germany! We had hot chocolate, thanks to Uncle Mark Harper, lots of soda, thanks to Gram, and fresh donuts, thanks to Krispy Kreme!

Our raffle was a blast, and congrats to all our big winners, especially Brittney Arnett who took home the coveted “beach house” prize and the Gardners who took home the Suns tickets! Thanks to all of our wonderful family and friends, Gibson’s ENTIRE procedure is covered. That, in itself, is truly a miracle.

As we prepare to take off, in just over 24 hours, we are so excited and a little anxious! But most of all, we are grateful; grateful for the amount of love and support we have received from so many people. We are humbled and overwhelmed by the charity that has been shown to us by our amazing family and friends. We came home Monday night, after the party, and I picked through every one of the raffle entries. I was touched by the amount of sacrifice and love given by so many; by brothers, sisters, moms, dads, boss’s, teachers, therapists, uncles, aunts, cousins, grandma’s, grandpa’s, friends, and so many children Gibson’s own age. What incredible examples of true charity we have been given and we will never forget. This experience has changed our lives for the better. We have been served in such a way that we can never repay, but vow to try the rest of eternity. Chase and I have learned more about true charity, the pure love of Christ, over the last few weeks, than ever before, and it has blessed us forever.
We cannot begin to thank everyone who has participated in this miracle, whether financially, or through your fasting and prayers. We have felt every ounce of your support, and it has meant the world to us, and that will be what will sustain us through the next few weeks. There are no words to describe our gratitude.

I will be posting to the blog while we are in Germany to keep you all updated on how things are going. I can’t believe it is here! We know that this is what the Lord wants for Gibson to do, and again, thank you all for getting him there! We love you all so much!

Chase, Brynn, Nash, Gibson, and Beau…and Abe too!

Goodbye Party for Gibson!

2009-10-16T00:41:00.003-07:00

Come Celebrate with us! Gibson is going to Germany for a Stem Cell Transplant!

When: Monday, October 26th

Time: 7-9 PM

Where: Desert Mountain Park (SE corner of Hawes and Ocotillo, back of park by baseball fields)

We'll be having a raffle to earn the last bit of money needed for his procedure. So come buy some tickets, and have a chance at winning a week at a beach house, Suns tickets, or other great prizes! We'll be announcing the winners around 8pm that night! It's going to be a blast!

RSVP: brynnlarson@hotmail.com

Directions: take Ellsworth Rd. South, all the way to Ocotillo (that's pretty far). Turn WEST on Ocotillo, about 1/2 mile the park will be on your left. Follow the signs for Gibson's Party.

We love the Evans Boys Sports Camp!

2009-10-16T00:35:00.000-07:00

Our friends Riley and Spencer Evans decided to help me get
to Germany by putting on a "sports camp" during the two
week fall break. It was a blast! We played football, had
races, and even ate snow cones! This is Riley presenting
Gibson with a donation towards his stem cell transplant.
Gibson is one lucky kid to have such amazing friends...
Thanks Riley and Spencer, and all those who participated
in the Evans Boys Sports Camp! Less than 3 weeks till Gibson gets his transplant, we can't wait!

PARTY AT COSTA VIDA!

2009-09-24T11:46:00.000-07:00

Bradley, Nash, Jackson, Riggs, and JJ, filling their stomachs for their friend, brother and cousin, Gibson! Thanks boys!

Gibson was quite the host! All he wanted to do was sit outside the restaurant and welcome everyone. I told him that they were there for him, so he kept signing "friend" to me, and pointing to himself, his way of saying "my friends are here for me!"

We want to thank everyone that came out and supported Gibson at Costa Vida on Tuesday. Both locations were packed! The owner at the Queen Creek location said that they had never been that busy. Thank you to Costa Vida, the owner especially, for allowing us to do this, and being so wonderful. It was a great night, good food, better friends, best family, and an amazing little boy! Thank you so much for coming and helping Gibson. We are overwhelmed by the amount of love and support we have gotten from countless people. We are so blessed and love you all! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!

2009-09-14T23:23:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone! We have set up something super fun to help raise money for Gibson's stem cell procedure in a few weeks. Costa Vida Restaurant in Queen Creek (21152 E. Rittenhouse Rd. Queen Creek, AZ 85242, 480-888-7230), has graciously offered to give 20% of their proceeds from one night to Gibson for his treatment. All you have to do is show up sometime after 2pm on Tuesday, September 22nd, or even call in an order, and say "I'm here for Gibson Porter!" Me, Chase, Gibson, and the rest of our pack, will be there that night, around 6pm. We'd love to see you all there! Thanks for all of your support!

2009-09-09T17:32:00.000-07:00

This is Gibson using what we call his "talker", a small, computer-ish, device that helps him communicate, he is getting really good at it, it just takes patience, for him, and for whoever is listening. About three weeks ago, his teachers at school told me that he has decided that he wants nothing to do with his talker anymore, and was refusing to use it. When he got home, I asked him why he wasn't using it and he said, (in only a language his mother would understand), "I WANT TO TALK!" That was one of the biggest deciding factors for me to take Gibson to the XCell Center. He has decided that he is going to talk, and we are going to give him that chance!

Swimming with Jann!

2009-09-02T23:39:00.000-07:00

I love physical therapy with Miss Jann at Boulder Mountain, especially when we get to swim. When it cools down, I'll get to start horseback riding again!

2009-09-02T17:22:00.000-07:00

Gibson HATES oral motor exercises!

2009-09-02T15:15:00.000-07:00

Gibson working with his OT, Andie.

Super Gibson gets a Rescue!

2009-09-02T13:26:00.000-07:00

Dear Family and Friends,

As some of you know, our second son, Gibson, was born with a rare brain malformation, called Perisylvian Dysgenesis and cerebral palsy. Basically, it is a condition that gives Gibson no control of his mouth, making eating, drinking, and especially speaking, very difficult. It also affects his fine motor skills. He has been working incredibly hard in his many different therapies over the last 4 years, with very little progress.
Recently, during a church meeting, a good friend of mine spoke of her nephew, Harrison. The way she described Harrison’s condition, she could have easily been speaking of Gibson. My ears instantly perked. I was already feeling the spirit incredibly strong, being overwhelmed with gratitude towards our Heavenly Father for His hand in Gibson’s life. I knew at that moment, that I was supposed to listen carefully to Harrison’s story.
Harrison has Cerebral Palsy as well. My friend, Mindy, spoke of a procedure that he had done in Germany, involving stem cells, and the miracles that have followed. Harrison is now standing, supported by his father, after being in a wheelchair for the majority of his 10 years.
After much researching, fasting, and praying, Chase and I have decided to go ahead with the same procedure for Gibson. We have spoken to the doctors in Germany, and they have gone over, and over, his medical records and MRI scans, and have determined that he is a good candidate for the procedure.
With every step we take in this process, I know with more surety that we are supposed to do this for Gibson. I know it will work. I don’t know to what extent, but I know it will help him. Some of the possible results are: decreased drooling, better swallowing, chewing, sucking, and best of all, speech.
Gibson is one of the most amazing people I have ever known, and Chase and I feel humbled and blessed to be his parents. He has such a tender, loving heart, and such closeness to his Savior, it would be incredible to finally be able to hear what he has to say.
Please send this blog to anyone you know that might be interested, especially any parents of children with special needs. This procedure is starting to be done on children with autism as well. We want the word to get out about this procedure, in hopes that it will come to the US soon, and the more publicity it gets, the more likely it is for the doctors here to want to keep up with Germany.
We have decided to do whatever it takes to do this for Gibson. We feel that Heavenly Father will bless you “after all you can do”, we believe that this is a part of all that we can do for Gibson. Some have asked if they can help contribute to Gibson’s fund for this procedure. We this point are just asking for your prayers. We will be having an get together involving ice cream some time in October and invite anyone who is availabe to come celebrate with us. We have had some stubborn friends that have demanded information. There is a separate bank account for Gibson, and checks can be made out to, Gibson Porter, and mailed to: 18521 E. Queen Creek Rd. Ste 105-187, Queen Creek, AZ 85242.
More importantly, we are asking for all of your faith and prayers. I know that with our combined faith, our Heavenly Father will help Gibson. I feel that our Heavenly Father is just waiting to bless Gibson, and is waiting on those around him to match his faith and show, through fasting and prayer, how badly we want this for the little boy we all love so much. No one deserves this miracle more than Gibson. We will be having a special fast on Gibson’s behalf on October 11th. Please try to participate in any way you can.
If you would like to learn more about this procedure, take a look around the blog, or go directly to the website, http://www.xcell-center.com/ , or you can always call us at 480-279-1560 or email at brynnlarson@hotmail.com .
We love and appreciate you all so much, and feel so blessed to have the amazing family and friends that we have. Thank you so much for your love and support.

Love,
Chase, Brynn, Nash, Gibson, and Beau

Check out my Story!

2009-09-02T09:49:00.000-07:00

See the whole book HERE