NEXT Planning Meeting

 The next fundraiser planning meeting is being held Wednesday, October 3rd, 2012 for anyone who would like to come and support Jake and the Griggs Family.

                               Date:            October 3, 2012  -Wednesday

                               Time:            5:30pm

                               Location:      Elk Ridge Park Pavilion 

                                                 1100 E 2500 N ~ North Logan

Infusion begins once again...

Thursday - September 27, 2012:  Jake and I are back at primary's for the new chemo infusion.  It is called Etoposide. This one can cause leukemia.  It has the same side affects as the other one he has had. The other chemo is Ifosfamide. It also can increase the chances for leukemia and lymphoma and thyroid cancer.   It makes me nervous but the risk of his osteosarcoma coming back somewhere else out weights the other cancer.  So we press forward with faith that Heavenly Father will watch over Jake.

We went to Dr. Scott's on Tuesday the 25th and had Jakes stitches removed and received the go ahead to get an appointment with the prosthetic's.  This is very exciting for Jake as he is sick of walking with crutches and the wheel chair.  After the appointment with Dr. Scott we left for primary children's.  

He had his first infusion on Tuesday at midnight. They gave him lots of nausea meds so he pretty much slept through the night and the next day.   Last night they gave him the next infusion at 11:30 it went pretty much like the night before.  However today the 27th,  he is sitting up with his nausea pretty much in control waiting to get his next chemo infusion.  The Drs will push the infusion forward 2 hours because he is tolerating the infusion with anti-meds controlling the nausea.  Hopefully this won't cause his nausea to get worse.  If they can push it forward for the next 3 infusions we will be able to leave a few hours earlier.  

Just wanted to thank everyone for the kindness shown to our family.   The kindness has touched our hearts and lifted our spirits.

FUNDRAISER for JAKE

 ~~~FUNDRAISER ~~~ 
Silent Auction and Dinner 

 SATURDAY - October 20, 2012

5-8pm

Smithfield Lion's Lodge

102 N 380 E

Smithfield, UT 84335

We are seeking help with obtaining donations for the auction.
 Jake's profile sheet (to give to potential donors or vendors) is available to
 download on the top right column.

We are also seeking volunteers to help with the evening.

Donations must be NEW or for a particular SERVICE.  Please no used items.

Please call or text Katie @ (435) 881-8821 or Keri @ (435) 770-8893
to drop off donations, volunteer or for more information.

If you would like to donate, but cannot attend this fundraiser, an account has been set up at American First Credit Union under the name of "Jake Griggs Charitable Account."

Please pass along the word to family and friends!!

Fundraiser Planning

A fundraiser planning meeting is being held this week for anyone who would like to come and support Jake and the Griggs Family.

                               Date:            September 20, 2012  - Thursday

                          Time:            5pm

                          Location:      Elk Ridge Park Pavilion 

                                              1100 E 2500 N ~ North Logan

Surgery once again.....

Wednesday, Sept 5, 2012 - We are back at the PMC! I'm in the waiting room waiting for Jake to get done with surgery.  Since we have been home from the last visit to the primary children's hospital Jake ANC (absolute neutra fill count, his immune system) has been at a 0.  This means there is little to no healing and because of this he got an infection in his leg.  Dr. Scott wanted to cut out the dead tissue and then stitch it up again.  The surgery is suppose to take about 1 hour to 1 hour and a half.  After surgery - a couple hours for recovery - then we will get to go home.  Dr. Scott wants to heal another week before we go back for the next round of chemo.  I have mixed emotions about this.  I am so ready for this to be over, it is so hard to leave my two other kids.  I really wish Jake could have some normalcy in his life. 

A few pictures that are keepsakes

This is a fruit bouquet that I got the night before Jake went to surgery from Lorraine Nielson (my Relief Society President).  It was so yummy but it was really to hard to break it apart because it was so pretty.  We loved it!!!

The Priest (from Jake's ward) were going on high adventure and decided to take the long way around to Idaho through Salt Lake City (90 minutes out of the way!) to see Jake.  These are some of the most amazing Young Men around.  Love their smiles.  I couldn't get the Bishop to look at the camera though ;)  Paul Funk said this was the highlight of the high adventure.  I know that it was for sure a highlight for Jake!  As Jake's Mom, I am indebted to these young men.

This is a picture of the Priests when they went into Jake's room.  I asked them to give me a silly pose and this is what I got. :)  This is post surgery.

Kenna, Jakes sister, just chillin, waiting for Jake to come to his room

Grandma Griggs waiting for Jake to come in after surgery.

Grandpa Griggs waiting for Jake to come in after surgery.

Pathology Report - Disappointing News....

Wednesday, August 15, 2012 - On Friday Dr. Wright called and said they got the pathology report back on Jake's leg.  The tumor didn't respond like they had hoped.  Only 30% of the tumor had died.  They were hoping for more like 90%.  That means that the chemo he has been receiving wasn't doing a good job of killing the cancer.  Because of this outcome everything changes from here.  

We had the option of adding two additional chemo medications to the three he was already receiving or stop with the chemo and implement two brand new chemo medications.  The two new chemo medications are Ifosfamide and Etoposide.  The Etoposide has a greater chance of giving him leukemia.  Dr. Wright didn't really know where to go from here.  There is a study being done right now on which is better for the patient but as of right now there are no reports on it.  She was going purely off of how Jake reacted to the chemo.  She thought where he always gets really sick that she was leaning toward the two new infusions.  She wanted us to think about it and on Monday when we were to come back we would talk to her.  She was also going to email a couple of her associates and see what they recommended.  We fasted on Sunday and I felt we should rely on the Dr.'s advise  and Aaron was inspired to add the two new chemo medications to Jake's map. 

We left early on Monday (August 13th) and went to see Dr. Scott, Jake's surgeon, and he removed some of the stitches for the leg. Then we were leaving to go to Primary Children's Medical Center and went to the car - it wouldn't start. Uggg!!!  Luckily Aaron had followed us down to SLC and was able to take Jake and I to Primary's.  When we got here it was 1:00 and Jake went to the Audiologist to have his hearing checked. Not much has changed with the hearing just some higher pitches lost, ironically those tones lost in the early twenty's anyway.  Then to the cardiologist to have his heart checked as these two new medications are very hard on the heart and kidneys.  Dr. Wright came in and spoke with us and she explained that she really wasn't sure what to do yet.  She told us that the survival rate is lower due to the outcome of the tumor on the leg.   She gave us some more options and Aaron and I spoke about it and after some time we thought it be in Jake's best interest to add the two additional medications to his current treatment.  Dr. Wright thought that to be best as well.  So here we are,  Jake is getting the Doxorubicin and Cisplatin right now and the in two weeks they will do Methotrexate and then the very next week it will be the two new therapy's.  It will add 10 more weeks to his therapy.  Right now he is very nauseous trying not to lose it.  He is laying very still trying to get through the infusions. Hopefully we will be on home on Friday.

As far as school Jake will not be able to register for school this trimester.  He will be doing some online schooling and hopefully he will be getting back the first of next year.