James Carrington

Participation has been was a huge key of my success in High School and I am currently working on becoming more involved at the University of Utah.  Last semester I focused all my service hours with Connect2Health at the 4th Street Clinic here in Salt Lake and learned a lot about how the front desk area works and also how the health care system works for those who cannot afford it.  I have learned about many of the resources in Salt Lake and organizations that are striving to end homelessness.  What constantly amazes me is that these individuals are both content with their life and are looking for a change.  People need help, and it is difficult for many people to ask for it, but Connect2Health gives a great opportunity for people to reach out to them offering to help.  Many of the organizations here in Salt Lake strive to help those that are in most need.  These organizations are the backbone of meeting the basic needs of those in poverty.  However, th...

Now that I've moved away from home I figure it is time to record some of what is going on.  School is busy.  There is lots of homework and there are a lot of opportunities.  I'll be helping out at the 4th Street Clinic up here in Salt Lake starting next year.  I'll be part of the Americorps team which basically includes 300 hrs of service in one year with a $1200 scholarship at the end.  It averages out to about 6 hrs a week which I will do before classes on Wednesday and Friday.  It should be an awesome opportunity. Today I also went to the Salt Lake temple.  It is so nice being so close.  I learned how much a wife can really support her husband in standing up for the right.  Maybe it's just all of the family and humanity classes I'm taking right now but the family really is the central unit for all success.  I look forward to going to the temple more frequently now and as long as I can get my homework done there should be ample oppor...

Today I received results from my final PET/CT scan from yesterday.  After 12 long chemo treatments stretching over almost six months I am finally cancer free!!!  It has been a roller coaster learning to adjust to all of the differences in life that cancer brings.  I have learned from the ups and downs the importance of hope.  It has provided an opportunity to be on the receiving end of other people's charity and compassion.  I have never felt so loved than over the last six months.  I still remember the love from the missionaries in Florida who stopped by the hospital Christmas week, the love from family members after returning home, and the great love I felt from everyone who has stopped by to visit or talk (including those who have reached out through social media).  Here are a few highlights from the last six months (to name just a few): -Mowing/ Edging the Lawn (No better way to remember missionary service, especially because it reminds me of a g...

This picture shoes the blood work from today.  My hair has mostly thinned and I am starting to get used to wearing a Florida Gators baseball cap.  My mouth now tastes like mouthwash all the time, but it isn't too terrible.  The Zaxbys banana pudding milkshake during chemo treatments really helped.  Yesterday I mowed and edged the lawn, my muscles are sore from that and my stomach hasn't yet been fully up to par after drinking several cups of water in succession after finishing the lawn.  It's been getting better and will likely go away before the tiredness.  No nausea pills is the plan again for this time and with only two more chemo treatments the end its in sight.  Thanks for everyone's support.

9/12 chemo treatments are complete marking the 3/4 mark.  All has been going well.  I am off of the nausea medications, except for the one given intravenously before chemo.  The only medications I have been taking are emeprazole (which I hope to get off when chemo is complete) and biotene (which is a mouthwash which helps with dry mouth, typically I only use this for the first week after chemo treatments after I brush my teeth).  Many people have asked what happens after I finish the chemo treatments, so I finally asked the doctor about that today.  After the final treatment I will have one more PET/CT scan to ensure the cancer is still gone.  I can have my catho-port removed after the results come back negative.  For the next year I will have full body check-ups every three months to check for any secondary cancers.  PET/CT scans are not typical in the check-up process for those who have had lymphoma unless something is obviously wrong in one of ...

Last Friday marked the sixth of twelve Chemo treatments complete.  All has been going really well and I feel as though I have finally mastered the technique of after treatment recovery (knock on wood).  I've has no signs of nausea and the only recognizable side effects left after treatments have been a strong dislike of ice and a constant after taste in the mouth that usually lasts for a week.  I have not had any recurrence of mouth sores in the last two treatments which has been a major blessing.  In addition to being halfway complete through the chemo cycle I was also able to receive the full report of the PET Scan from two weeks ago which stated I was responding "excellent" to treatments (a term not used too frequently) and that all (or most) of the lymphoma (cancer) is gone. I also got off one of my medications to help lower my heart rate this week. Life has definitely been going well.  Still have a low blood count and visits from those who are healthy odds ...

No evidence of active lymphoma. Still am planning on finishing the 12 treatments of chemo (seven left).