Adventures keep Mark going even with secondary liver cancer. It was a whirlwind week in Nevada and California.Mark visited there with old friends and saw everything he could. Sometimes he was in bed sick 24 hours and sometimes he was on the go, fishing with Allen (co-worker when Mark worked at a hospital in Reno)going to a party with old co-workers, being at Lake Tahoe, walking in Muir Woods National Park, traveling on US Highway 1 along the ocean, eating at the seashore, seeing and going over Golden Gate Bridge, checking out Haight Ashbury (see picture at Haight Ashbury of legs out the window), staying at his favorite place near Fisherman's warf and the ball park, and doing lots of other interesting and exciting things. The mass balloon ascension of 110 hot air balloons was in Reno and it was beautiful. We worry sometimes that Mark doesn't rest enough or is exposed to too many germs or doesn't eat enough at times or do what we think he should; but the man is amazing in his quest to wring as much out of life as he can and to touch base with as many people and places as he can. Mark had to go back to Bangkok to close up his condo lease and give away his belongings one more time. The plan is for him to be back in the states and getting treatment at the VA in Houston. It looks like he might have enough miles to get the trip back with air miles.

Mark thanks you for any and all kind thoughts, prayers, letters, notes, contibutions, candy, pictures of kids and pets, poems. stories, and children's hand drawn pictures, and all other forms of support sent his way. A couple of friends: Frank in Austin and Allen in Reno took Mark to lunch and to parties in people's homes where he could pretend to be just a regular guy and not even mention the word cancer. Some people like Suresh and Brigitte and Kay Kemper and Greg gave him wonderful invitations, but he ran out of time and strength to accept. Sally Sullivan, Marecella and others made a special effort to come by to meet Mark while he was home. All of you are wonderful to be so kind to Mark.

Go to the archived blog links in the column on the right if you have not read them. You will find stories about many other interesting adventures.

Update on others with esophageal cancer (Mark's primary tumor was esophageal): Ann Richards our former Texas Governor (just before Bush was gov) died recently. She had esophageal cancer but a different kind than Mark and Mr. Frank who called yesterday to report he is doing well with chemotherapy; his tumor has shrank, he has started radiation, and after that the area of the tumor will be surgically removed and the esophagus resown to the stomach.