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Jamie's Life Jamie was always the spark For those of us that knew Jamie, we are fortunate to have had him as a part of our lives. For those that didn't know him, we hope to see you at the Road Trip so that you can hear all the great stories that people will be sharing about Jamie. Jamie had an amazing passion for life. No matter how bad things seemed, Jamie could always make you smile. Jamie was diagnosed with cancer December 16th, 2004. From that moment on, it was a rollercoaster of emotions. He went thru several rounds of treatment and four surgeries. Jamie faced his cancer and lived life to the fullest while he could. He never expected others to feel sorry for him or to recieve special treatment from others. In fact, he always showed concern for others even though he knew what lay in front of him. To put it plainly, Jamie was amazing and inspired us all to face our fears head on. | Jamie's battle with Cancer Shortly after Jamie married the love of his life, Patti, on October 16th 2004, Jamie had knee surgery. His recovery was slow as nausea and back pain set in. Finally on Dec. 16, Jamie was diagnosed with cancer after an open surgical biopsy of a tumor found near his pancreas. The pathology showed undifferentiated small cell carcinoma with neuroendocrine features. At St. Marys Hospital Jamie began his fight by beginning chemotherapies, Etoposide and Cisplatin. He received a total of 7 cycles of that therapy. After completion of this, he had only a partial response. June 29th, 2005, was his first major surgery where surgeons removed the residual tumor by his pancreas. Next he began radiation therapy with infusion of 5-fu from August through September of 2005. Unfortuntely at his first follow-up scan, Oct 20th, his cancer had already returned with an enlarged lymph node. Doctors waited and re-checked the scan in December and the node had grown, with a new mass detected on his left kidney. In January 2006, Jamie started a new chemotherapy where he received Gemcitabine and Navelbine weekly. Another scan in September 2006 showed that the chemo did not work and the tumor was still on the kidney. Next he started another new chemo regimen, Taxol. After that failed he underwent a second surgery October 19, to remove the tumor again, plus part of his left kidney. After surgery he recovered and was told he was in remission. In Jan, 2007 he had his first negative scan. Thrilled the cancer was gone, everyone thought he was in the clear. Then Jamie started to not feel well in March and on the 19th, the next scan came back positive for cancer again. This time he went directly to his third surgery. On April 11th surgeons removed his left kidney and the mass that re-grew there. More radiation and chemo followed. The next scan in September 2007 was negative. Sadly, on October 19th Jamie woke up in the morning and found a lump on his clavicle. An immediate scan showed cancer with a biopsy October 22nd.. Results proved the tumor returned above his collar bone and another new tumor in his chest, bumped up against his spine. His Oncologist gave him 3 options: go to UW to begin a clinical trial, try another new class of chemo, or sutent (a fairly new and unproven drug for his type of cancer). Jamie chose to try experimental Sutent, but it did not work. Next he tried Adriamyacin and radiation again on the neck tumor. On Feb 7th, 2008, a ct scan showed radiation helped the neck tumor but the chest tumor grew. Doctors radiated his chest and he continued to get weaker and sicker. Upon a clinic visit, doctors found his liver function tests were extremely elevated. A scan showed nothing visible tumor-wise, but thickening of the wall on his intestines. In March, doctors attempted to put a stent into his liver, but found the elevation levels were due to yet another tumor pressing on it. The stent kept bile ducts open, but it was short lived. At this point, UW Hospital was contacted to discuss clinical trial options. Jamie wanted to participate, and UW had a spot open for him, but he could not due to infections. He hoped to become stable enough to begin a neuroendocrine trial for a new drug. He tried to go home, but felt very weak and very ill there. After only a week at home he developed a double infection in his esophagous. He could not keep food down and after a scope down his throat they found the tumor was closing off the duodenum. Jamie never made it to UW. Within only a weeks time, he was not able to eat or drink due to the tumor pinching off his duodenal stent. Cancer was "exploding in his body" and nothing could keep up with it. His body became tired and Jamie chose to make his final trip back home with the help of Hospice. After three days of loving visitors at home, surrounded by family, friends, and their kids with fur, Jamie took his final breathe on April 16th at 10:16 p.m. His fight was over and he was finally, truly, cancer free. | Why have Rudy's Road Trip? One of Jamie's favorite things to do with his friends before and after he found out he had cancer was go on "the road trip." Twice a year, Jamie and a small group of his friends would go pack into a car and go to small towns northeast of Arlington. The group could never explain why they picked this route. All that can be said is that they had a great time. At each bar, the locals got to hear stories from the young men, and vice versa. They were never at a shortage of laughter, thanks in great part to Jamie. On the day before Jamie died, Michael, his cousin, told him that we were going to have Rudy's Road Trip to raise money to find out how to cure what he had (neuroendocrine cancer). With Jamie unable to respond much during his last week, Michael expected no response from Jamie. Michael told him, "hey bud, every year we are going to have Rudy's Road Trip to raise money to find out what it is you have and how to cure it. You'll look down on us and it will look like Sturgis, except with cars, trucks and buses mixed in. Soon we will have thousands of people coming to this in your honor. Does that sound good?" Jamie nodded yes. He was able to tell us that he wanted us to do this. That is what gives us our drive and passion to do what Jamie wants us to do, help others. |
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