February 15, 2007 - Ice Bats Hockey and Steak

Our friend Marisela, who is a whiz at knowing what's going on and how to get in when there aren't any tickets available, is taking Mark, James, and me (Mom) to see the Austin Ice Bats play tomorrow night. We are fortunate so many friends care about Mark and want to take him on adventures and fill his life with fun things. For those who may not know, that's Fang, the Ice Bats' mascot, pictured to the left.

Mark, always the gourmet cook, is cooking very good steak to build his blood up for next chemo and sticking close to home, except for short adventures with friends, although he would like to be working as a respiratory therapist or on a beach somewhere right now.

February 10, 2007 Chemo takes a toll, just as it has before:
Mark is not leaving the sofa or his bed today , except to periodically go on the deck outside. He has chest pain. His face was red as a beet for two days and he has been so hot he had the airconditioner on frostbite setting upstairs where he sleeps while the heat was on downstairs and I caught him outside barefoot and it was cold outside. He is a little down in mood at times and imagines the worst although it could be reality. He cheers up when one of his friends (Dave, Bruce, Frank) come by. Remember that chemotherapy attacks all the cells in the body and not just cancer cells. When drug research brings us a drug that directly attacks or enters just cancer cells and leaves the healthy cells alone that will be a day for real celebration.
Feb 18 - read this CancerCompass article... maybe they are onto something? http://www.cancercompass.com/cancer-news/1,12158,00.htm )

February 11, 07 Mark signed up for role in Jerry Barret's documentary: My friends Jerry and Christine had the first showing, at the Austin Alamo Drafthouse downtown, of a documentary they directed and produced. Mark is signed up for a role in the next film. His part could be filmed in Bangkok. Jerry and Christine are building a house in Shri Lankra and want to take a trip to Bangkok when Mark and Mom are there to show them around. Jerry is planning to film and show his films in lots of places in the world.