Im in the Study!!!

After two days of being a pin cushion for a number of tests, I'm in the study. I should be starting tomorrow barring any unforeseen setbacks. I am pretty excited about it as are the doctors to the potential of these drugs. Thank god for leading us to opportunity and gracing me with the continued health to be accepted.

Jake

We have good news!!!

I got a great phone call late Friday afternoon from START, the cancer research center in San Antonio. A few weeks ago Dr. Crim and I had decided that one of the studies at START was best possible treatment for me at this given time. It includes drugs that he was going to use in my next treatment but more importantly drugs that he could not get his hands on that are potentially a great fit for my cancer. We contacted START at that time but they told us unfortunately there were no openings and didn't expect a spot to become available until late Feb. That was until yesterday when they called to see if I could be down there on Monday to meet with Dr.s and have a number of tests and scans run to see if I am eligible based on my health. If everything checks out I could start as early Wed. It is all sort of surreal not thinking you going to get a call for a few months then all of a sudden they want you down there ASAP. So Ill head down there Monday morning with my dad and hope I get approved. I am so grateful to god for providing me this opportunity sooner than expected, it shows he does answer prayers.

God Bless
Jake

Done with my Travels!!

I think I am finally done traveling, at least for a while. I have blessed to have seen the things I have over the last two months. I want to take a minute to thank those that mad it possible, My Uncle Kip, thank you for Europe. Sarah thanks for you New York, and the Franks Family thank you for Hawaii. I had more fun than could ever be imagined and it is impossible to ever show my full gratitude for these opportunities.

On the cancer front its business as usual I had chemo today and met with Dr. Crim to go over the results of the CT scan I had a few days ago. The cancer has slowed some, but he thinks we can do better with more aggressive drugs. So we decided to meet again in about a week and a half to go over a couple different options and see which one we think will be best for me. I will know more in few days so lets pray we find one that works. I hope everyone had a great holiday season.

God Bless
Jake

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!!!

Sorry everybody it has taken me way to long to post another update. So I guess I have to catch everyone up on whats been up in my world. I've had another two treatments of chemo since the last time I updated them and am still handling this Drug quite well. I am still feeling really good so that makes me happy. I went to New York with my sister few weeks ago and it was wonderful. Cold but wonderful. We woke up the first morning we were there and 6 inches of snow were on the ground. It had been a long time since I had seen that much snow. We had a great time wandering around the city and just hanging out. We made it to a great Broadway show called Spring Awakening. All in all it was a great great time. As for Christmas we did our traditional Christmas Eve dinner at my Grammy's house where she cooks her amazing tacos. Everyone should get the chance to try her tacos you would be amazed. It was a great time spent with family and my nephews first Christmas. It was great. I was up early on Christmas morning to fly out to Hawaii with the Franks Family. The flight was awesome because a lady traded me her first class seat for my coach seat so she could sit next to her husband. God sure does hook me up with great gifts. We arrived yesterday evening and it is gorgeous here. We are staying on the North Shore of Oahu and get to listen to waves crashing on the beach just steps from the back porch. I hope everyone had a great Blessed Christmas and has a Happy New Year too! Wait...I almost Forgot I am beginning to get pictures online go to http://picasaweb.google.com/cartwrightjake and check them out!!!

God Bless
Jake

Greatest trip ever..but so good to be home!!!

I am back home and it is great to be here. The trip was better than I ever could have imagined. I went to London where we saw all the tourist stuff like Buckingham Palace and the Tower of London. From there we went through Wales and over to Dublin via the high speed ferries across the the Irish Sea. There we just hung out and saw a few sights. From there we went o Manchester England where I got to take the tour of Old Trafford, or for those who aren't soccer savvy the home of Manchester United my favorite team. Form there we went to Edinburgh Scotland, where we saw Edinburgh castle, and some other palace. After there it was back to London to catch a plane over to Barcelona. There we got a little much needed rest and caught a Barcelona FC game, it was sooo awesome. From there it we went down to Valencia to catch a little sun on the Mediterranean Sea it was a very beautiful town. The in was on to France by way of the sleeper train which was an experience in itself. We spent about 20 minutes in Paris before heading to Bayeux home to Omaha Beach and the American cemetery for those who died in the D-Day invasions. This was probably my favorite part of the whole trip it was so nice there and just a powerful place. From there we went on into the Netherlands just to say we went to another country, and then on into Germany. We spent 3 days in Trier at a Family friends house that was built in 1729 it was very beautiful but cold. We saw alot of Ancient Roman ruins in the city and went to wonderful Christmas festival. The it was on to Frankfurt for the final two night nothing really to note about there we were pretty tired by that point. After the 11 hour flight back I was so ready to back to see all my family and friends. I am working getting all the pictures downloaded and onto a page that everyone can go to and see them.

I had another round of chemo today and will have another one next week. I will have some scans as well right after the first of the year. So maybe we will have some news around that time.

I hope everyone is doing great, and is having a wonderful holiday season.

God Bless
Jake

We made it to Germany

We made it to our final country. We have been having so much fun. Since leaving Valencia we went back to Barcelona and caught an overnight train into Paris. The overnight train was fun with the sleeper cabins. Once we got to paris at 9am the next morning we caguht another train out of paris to Bayeux, France, in Normandy. We stayed in a nice little hotel about 7km from the d-day beaches. We caught a taxi out to the american cemetary overlooking Omaha Beach, it was a powerful sight seeing all those white crosses prefectly lined up. We walked down to the beach and saw some german fortifications that were really neat. WAlking back up from the beach was tough I cant imagine running upo it with people shooting at you. The next day we went back to paris and hopped on a train through Brussels and on into the Nethelands, Amsterdam, it was really nice there with all their canals running through the city it was a nice mix of old and new. The following morning we hopped on another train and headed for Treir, Germany where one of my sisters friends has a 1700's house that is amazing. We will spend two more night here then on to Frankfurt for two nights then back home to Texas. It has been such a great exprience and I thank god for this opportunity. See you all in a few day.

God Bless
Jake

In Valencia

We arrived in Valencia, Spain this afternoon after 2 days in Barcelona. Our hotel is an apartment which we got a heck of deal on and is cheaper and nicer then any place we have stayed thus far. It is beautiful here in spain and cant wait now to move and see what the rest of Europe is like. I got to go to a FC Barcelona game last night and it was the highlight for me so far getting to watch one of the best soccer teams in the world win 3-0. We are having a grand ole time moving around and seeing as much as can be seen in a few weeks. We leave spain tomorrow on the overnight train into Paris. It should be cool cause we have a sleeper cabin. We are then hearding directly up to Caen in Normandy to see the D-Day beaches and musuems, I cant wait. Then back to paris and on to Belgum and the Netherlands. Hope everything is great back home.

God Bless
Jake