Mark gets another round of Chemotherapy at Bumrungrad Hospital, Bangkok, Thailand
Mark in front of Bumrungrad International Hospital., Bangkok

Thanks From Mr. Mark to Everyone Who Sent Valentine's Cards. If you missed the Valentine's Cards, You Can still Send a Card for his Birthday. Send it Now.
On this recent Valentine's Day, Mr Mark passed the one year mark after a diagnosis of Cancer of the esophageal-gastric junction with metastasis to the liver and being told he had less than three months to live. Many of you sent him Valentine's day cards and he is in the process of making a list of the cards he received, which he has on display to reassure himself that people do care about him.
Here is a special thanks for the Valentines day cards that Mr. Mark: "I received lots and lots of cards in the last month. I will try to sort them out and let you know who they were all from. Received cards from relatives, neighbors in Austin, people from Jacksonville, Illinois where we used to live and still have friends and relatives, Austin Family magazine (mom writes a monthly column for this newsmagazine), people I used to work with, old nurse friends of mom, the Highland Park Baptist Church and Sunday School people, Rotary Club people, and my sister's students and former students , including a poem that jennifer Toffler sent that I want , to be at the end of the blog when I kick the bucket (slang for pass on to cook brisket in paradise or the more common term "die"). Thanks a million for all the cards, letters and pictures. "
Your cards and letters mean a lot to Mr. Mark as you can see from his note. Every card, picture, note, drawing, poem is on display in his home away from home in Bangkok, Thailand where he is still getting treatment for cancer.
Mr. Mark's birthday is coming soon. Last year he thought he wouldn't live to see another birthday, but he did, and now it looks like he will soon be enjoying another one. Let's all send him a birthday card. If you want to send him a present, he is really wanting some licorice (both black and red) as there is none to be bought in Thailand.
Mr. Mark, his sister Stephanie and I are very interested in other people who have cancer or have a family member with cancer. Please write and share your story with us. We realize we are exceedingly fortunate that Mr. Mark is still alive and we can enjoy his humor and being with him. Our hearts go out to people who are not so fortunate and whose loved one has died of cancer. Our hearts go out to all who still live with a diagnosis of cancer and who are suffering from the pain, nausea, vomiting, uncertainty, fear, and emotional and financial stess that goes with this diagnosis.
Our friend Ian recently lost a friend Neil to cancer after just loosing his
young wife, Pui.
You will recall reading earlier in the blog about our friend Ian who married the golden girl with the wonderful laugh: Pui, our Thailand friend, and about her untimely death at a young age shortly after their marriage. After her death, you will recall my telling you that he named a star for her. He also had a butterly tatoo with the name Pui in Thai put on his arm in honor and memory of Pui. Ian is an engineer from the UK, living in Switzerland, and working now temporarily in Taiwan. Ian had told me about his friend Neil in the United Kingdom, who was diagnosed at Christmas time with Liver, lung, and kidney cancer, which later turned out to be adrenal cancer. Ian was most fortunate to see his friend at Christmas time, when he was home visiting his mother. It was the last time he would see Neil. Ian received word just this week that his friend Neil has died...Like Mark, Neil was given a short prognosis and unlike Mark, Neil left his family and friends quickly...far too quickly and far too young. Somehow, we hope this blog could honor and comfort his wife, family, and friends who miss him greatly.