Hi friends!

First, Jake and I are so incredibly grateful for the outpouring of love and support we’ve received. It has truly lifted our spirits during this unexpected time. Should you be looking for updates on our favorite monkey, this is the place. I’ll do my best to keep it current. For the time being, until he is back on his feet, he is doing his best to put away screens and will be much slower to respond than usual. Feel free to reach out to me (Patrick), should you need anything in the meantime.

All love.

Current Status

Sunday 9.28

Jake continues to have okay days and harder ones. His headaches, while consistent and expected, have really given him a run for his money. Doctors have told us these headaches can last weeks to months, and they’re understandably draining on his energy and morale. The goal is to contain them enough so they don’t stress his system so much that they cause a stroke.

Managing it has meant taking Tylenol at the maximum dosage and often waking during the night to re-up. It’s been a tough rhythm to settle into, and the lack of uninterrupted sleep only adds to the challenge.

But…he’s still a monkey and trying to find some peaceful moments.

Walks help. Not sure about upside down puzzles, though.

Quick Recap

Saturday, September 13th, Jake was admitted to the ER with a severe migraine; imaging revealed a dissection (small tear) in his carotid artery, and he was started on blood thinners.
On the following Wednesday, the headache returned overnight, prompting another ER visit. Imaging suggested the dissection may have worsened. He was put on a heparin drip and given a “headache cocktail,” then underwent an MRI. A vascular neurologist confirmed a clot had formed in the dissected artery, but because Jake has collateral arterial circulation (a rare “backup” blood supply), his brain was still getting blood flow.
After a relatively stable few days, Jake was discharged (Sunday, 9.21) under close observation. He’ll return for follow-up imaging and tests. In the meantime, his healing strategy includes rest, blood thinners and monitoring for possible underlying causes of arterial weakness.
He did have a mini-stroke episode on Thursday 9.25, returned to the ER and was discharged that day after stabilizing. No permanent damage or worsening dissection was found in the scans.

Full Recap

Saturday 9.13
Jake was admitted to the ER with a severe migraine. During imaging, doctors found a dissection (a small tear in the artery wall) in his carotid artery. This is different from the vertebral artery dissection he sustained during a ski accident in 2019, which caused his stroke back then.

We don’t yet know what caused this new dissection and are still trying to understand the “why.” The headache improved, so he was discharged and started on blood thinners to help prevent clot formation. We scheduled follow-up care with his stroke team for Wednesday.

Wednesday 9.17
The headache returned overnight, so we went to the ER at Anschutz. New CT scans (reviewed by his stroke neurologist) showed the dissection may have worsened. He was admitted, placed on a Heparin drip (a fast-acting anticoagulant), given a “headache cocktail,” and underwent an MRI. The good news: the headache subsided, and he was able to get some rest (hospital sleep… but still).

Thursday 9.18 – Birthday!
Jake woke up feeling better with only a mild headache. We celebrated with sweet visitors, flowers, treats, and, true to form, Jake dubbed the day a win because he has been able to celebrate with “a few new friends” among the nurses, doctors and staff.

A vascular neurologist stopped by with a clear and helpful update. She explained that a clot did form in the dissected carotid artery, but because Jake has collateral arteries(extra blood vessels that reroute blood flow), the left side of his body is feeding blood to the right side of his brain. Not everyone has this-it's rare and incredibly lucky. She even said that without this “superpower,” he likely would have had another stroke.

They still don’t know exactly why this happened, so for now he’ll remain in the hospital for observation through the weekend. The main concern is preventing further progression - since things worsened after his first discharge. That said, the outlook is very encouraging. As his neurologist told him:

“Because you’re so young, healthy and take care of your body, you didn’t have a stroke.”

We feel incredibly grateful to be in such capable hands, and we’re here thanks to so many of you who helped guide us to this care. I’ll keep you posted as we go.

All love, in all ways, for the birthday boy, who’s constantly in great spirits. ✨

Friday 9.19

Today was a good day. Jake spent time with his mom today. Got to be outside in the hospital gardens and they found the perfect spot to watch the sunset over the city and mountains.

Jake continues to be in great spirits, per usual. He’s connecting with everyone around him and bringing levity to each interaction.

Medically, the team is still working to understand the cause of the dissection and clot. They’re exploring a wide range of possibilities (family history, vascular and autoimmune conditions) but there are still more questions than answers. We did get to see inside his heart today with the help of an ultrasound…which is always fun. All seems to be working as expected. Headaches came on a little more today but that is also expected. Magnesium, Electrolytes and Tylenol seem to do the trick for him.

Tomorrow brings a few more tests. If all goes well, the hope is to be discharged and transition from the IV drip to an oral anticoagulant. We’ll see what the care team decides.

Thank you for the continued love and support. We feel it deeply.

Saturday 9.20

Still at the hospital for at least one more night of observation. Jake is going to be taken off the Heparin drip this evening and then turned over to an oral anticoagulant (blood thinner). Genetic blood test results won’t be back for a few weeks and will hopefully give us a better understanding on what caused the dissection. There is a large possibility that the previous dissection and stroke from 2019 was rooted in this same cause that is weakening his blood vessels.

For example:

Hit 1 - underlying issue causing weak blood vessels // Hit 2 - neck injury while skiing —> dissection and stroke

At some point in the near future, an MRA of his renal arteries will be taken to just be sure that this isn’t effecting those as well…very small chance but with the unknowns, they would like to be certain.

Because he will be on blood thinners, he will need to be cautious moving forward. Ski season is probably off the table (great sadness) and he won’t be running a marathon anytime soon. That being said, as you all know, Jake is a highly optimistic monkey and will continue to see the silver lining in all of this. We have had some wonderful conversations—lots of interest and intrigue in the work he is doing with individuals who have had as stroke through the Psychedelic Stroke Institute. He is very excited to get out of the hospital and heal in our home that has provided much solace.

So in all, lots of unknowns, but as someone we love dearly reminded us: Day by day and hour by hour.

Sunday 9.21

Sundays are meant to be spent at home, and that’s where we are.

After the first somewhat solid night’s sleep since checking into the hospital (thanks to no longer being hooked up to IVs), Jake was discharged this afternoon. He’ll be closely monitored by his loving husband, mother, dog and friends and, if needed, will return to the hospital.

In a few weeks, he’ll go back for follow-up imaging and additional tests as doctors continue working to understand why this happened and whether there are any underlying issues.

For now, per the doctor’s instructions and with the help of blood thinners, Jake’s body needs time to rest, recover, and heal. The medication will give his natural tPA (a protein that helps break down clots) the chance to dissolve the clot in his artery caused by the dissection, with the hope it does not break away.

We appreciate everyone reaching out, expressing their care and concern and the understanding that we may not respond right away. All love.

Tuesday 9.23

Mondays can be taxing—especially if you’ve had a headache for two weeks.

Jake is navigating dosage for his expected head pain, along with how much his body and mind can handle “back in the real world.” It’s proving harder than we thought. That said, this morning he recalibrated, recalculated, and is getting ahead of the headache—so the trajectory is back where it needs to be. We’re both learning as we go. This recovery looks different than before, and we’re just feeling our way through. Always a learning with this one.

On another note, we have a favor to ask for your prayers, vibes, and good energy today. When we were leaving the hospital, a man about our age stopped us during our final walk in the garden. His name is Tyler. He carries an energy similar to Jake’s, paired with an unfiltered friendliness much like Patrick’s. He told us he’d noticed Jake on our walks and felt he “had to meet that guy.”

Tyler found out last Tuesday, from a seizure he had while tending to a wildfire in Oregon, that he has a tumor on his brain. Tyler and Jake immediately hit it off, matching each other’s optimism for what they were going through, a similar interest and outlook of psychedelics, and, as mentioned, an energy that makes you believe that we are on the right path…even with some bumps to the head along the way. The two connected, shared info and you can tell a bond was forged.

Tyler heads into surgery today to remove said tumor. So when the time calls to you, bring Tyler into your mind and send him some of that good stuff.

Sending love to you and yours today. Always, in all ways

Friday 9.26

Yesterday, Jake returned to the ER with his mom, after he was experiencing stroke-like symptoms along the left side of his body. Thankfully, scans came back clear and no new stroke was detected. Doctors believe it most likely was a moment where the blood wasn’t getting to brain quite the way it needed, but didn’t result in any permanent damage. This is often a definition of a mini-stroke or Transient Ischemic Attack. The underlying issue remains: Jake has a blood clot caused by his artery dissection…caused by an issue still to be determined.

When a blood clot is present, the fear is that a stroke will follow. Thankfully, for the time being, his body is rerouting blood to his brain through collateral arteries. We are so grateful that this is happening AND extremely cautious that things can change. The doctors are urging caution as this is both physically draining and mentally taxing for Jake.

Following medical advice, Jake is entering a period of deep rest and repair. Jake is in some much needed “Jake Time.” We have been very grateful for all the outreach and wishes to visit Jake over the past few weeks; quality time and holding space for others is something Jake cherishes and comes naturally. Sometimes so much so, that he forgets to take care of himself. Therefore we are going to hold off on having any visitors for the time being so he can focus on his recovery. Additionally, he will be off screens (phone, computer and TV) for now, which means he will be much slower with responses. We are going to treat this like we are back in the days when Jake was impossible to contact; so if something is pressing, please reach out to Patrick directly.

Even without a stroke, this clot is a serious and draining challenge. It will take patience, rest and support to heal fully.

Thank you all for your continued love, prayers and good energy.