2004 picture of Mark and Mom (me) on Koh Nangyuan off the coast of Thailand; this island is like three little islands joined together. We snorkled down below in the clear waters and saw a lot of beautiful fish. We had a lovely lunch outdoors at the hotel on the island. This is Mark in Spring 2004 before he got a diagnosis of Cancer and before chemotherapy. This is not the best picture of me, so just look at Mark.
Hallalujah! Good news! Mark's last eye surgery has enabled him to see clearly and to read again. Mark had at least 4 eye surgeries. He was ready to quit after the first surgery, but somehow hung in there. Mark is still not cleared to fly anywhere due to the condition of his eye, but he can see and read. I have a reservation to fly to Bangkok on Oct. 3rd . Mark asked me why I was coming that he did not need me to come and that he is managing ok. I told him I was coming anyway and then he said: Oh great. The timing is perfect and he got real excited about my visit. He so wants to be independent and to not be a worry to me.
Michael St. John, whose blog Stephanie came across one day, is sending Mark some audio books. Isn't that great?I think that the letters, notes, prayers, and gifts from the heart from all of you are giving Mark the courage to fight his cancer. I talked to Mark on the phone today and he tells me that Dr. Theera says that he (mark) is his best patient and that he is responding best to the treatment (chemotherapy). Mark cautioned me not to expect too much from him when I come to visit as to quote him: I do not have that much energy and I mostly just go to the hospital, sometimes twice a day in a taxi" and "My cognitive level of functioning is not all that great."I had to laugh at that statement. On Mark's worst day he is sharper than some of the rest of us. Mark tells me that some of the hair that fell out from chemo has grown back in and he has combed it over his forehead so he looks like one of the Beetles in the early days of that group.He likes detective stories and he has bought DVDs of one season of CSI and is watching CSI for entertainment. He finds the forensics interesting. This is one of my favorite tv shows too. Mark is enjoying life in spite of all the physical problems he has had: old BPI injury, Cancer, broken arm, eye surgeries, and maybe more. His adventures continue. If you need Mark's address contact me bkrich@sbcglobal.net