A post from Jake

We have been fortunate enough to make the rumor mill. Someone asked Jordan if we'd moved (after being gone for a month this summer), and then someone else said they'd heard that the doctors had stopped all treatments on me. I hate to squash the speculation, but we're not going anywhere and I'm still receiving treatment, including the scalpie stickers that are warming my head at this moment. 

On July 14, 2015 I had a brain scan. That date was chosen because the doctors’ schedules were such that I couldn’t have had one until the middle of August. That was too long to wait. So Jordan and I made a one day trip down to Phoenix from our month long stay in Utah. It was nice to have a get-a-way. We knew that the scan wasn’t going well when it happened. We prepared for the worst. Sitting and waiting for bad news. Then, the doctors said they couldn’t really see anything new. My brain looked just like it did on my scan in May.

Since that time, I’ve slowly gotten better. I now have an IV infusion every other week of Avastin, a protein-blocker that clears the swelling and will give a better image for the next scan. Because it reduces the swelling in my brain, I’ve been able to go off of the steroid. The steroid was no good and I'd been on it for 5 months, with no success in weaning off. It is bad because it weakens the immune system, increases blood sugar, and makes weight in all the wrong places (e.g., stomach). It did all kinds of strange things to me (itchy skin, lack of sleep, etc.). Getting off of it was good.

Other than being on chemo last week (I still take 5 pills every month), I’ve been feeling pretty good. I got down on myself last week, but Jordan put a stop to it and explained away my worries because of the wear and tear of chemo! Today I felt much better. We got off to a slow start because Jordan and I were having a good discussion too late at night. Once my mind starts pondering scenarios, it’s over. I expected to wake up fatigued, but that fatigue didn’t set in. So today I spoke to Jordan, called my dad, made a video, had some lunch, went to the gym, went to Costco, went to go get the girls, ate dinner, browsed the internet, attended family home evening, put Tommy to bed, and finally, wrote this paragraph.

My next scan is 9/8. Before then, I’ve got a football trip to Nebraska with my daughter Ellie. I’ve also taken on a a whole new role with house chores. I am the laundry man now, and I’ve never had to ask which girl’s thing belongs to whom, but am learning to get it all sorted out right!  It's tough because Lauren, Ellie and Ada all wear the same clothes and then they pass them on down, but I'm learning and will keep working.

I am so grateful to be in the rumor mill and to know that people continue to think of, pray for, and inquire after me and my health. I am indebted to you all and am grateful for how much you care.