Starting to pick back up

Its been a week now since my first treatment on my new drugs. It wasnt the best week of my life thats for sure. I was pretty fatigued from it and slept alot, there were some other not so fun side effects but those are starting to go away. I had another appointment back down in San Antonio yesterday it was just a check up for labs and to go over every little thing I feel while Im on this drug. My white blood cells were low but thats ussual when on tougher types of chemo's. I am really starting to feel alot better though. I have to go back down to San Antonio next week for another check up, I think I will be pretty tired of driving down there before to long, so if anyone wants to buy me a plane that would be awesome. I hope everyone is doing well.

Jake

Quick Update!!

I started on my regimen of this chemo this morning. Its not a walk in the park but its better than I thought it would be. I haven't had any bad side effects just sleeping a good bit, which I do a lot anyway so no big deal, I hope it stays this way. I was there most of the day, I think they took a whole gallon of blood from me today. These studies are are very meticulous about how they do thing things and its on a strict schedule. I don't mind it I really like all the nurses, and my Doctor at the clinic is Dr. Patnaik and she is wonderful, I truly feel that if there is a place to help me this is it, I feel its the right place. So tomorrow I get more blood drawn, a another skin biopsy (I still have no clue why), and I get the Oral chemo drug (the one we are so excited about). Hopefully I will be on my way back home by noonish but we will see.

God Bless
Jake

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