Mark (center Right) and Allen his friend center left: the two guys with hook em horns signs: the UT sign representing the horns of the Longhorn steer. UT vs A&M mens basketball

Busy Week

Mark and mom returned from the VA hospital in Houston on Tuesday night. Mark's friend Allen from Reno arrived on Wed around 4 p.m.My boss Dr. Brown had given me 2 tickets for the University of Texas vs Texas A and M men's basketball game. I had promised to take our own Aggie James (A and M grad X3) to the game for his birthday. Through a stroke of luck and possibly devine intervention, co-worker Leon gave me his tickets for Mark and Allen (both big UT fans). It was the best game I'd ever seen going into double overtime before A and M got outscored by two points (James says Aggies don't loose..they just get out scored). The game was sold out and scalpers were buying tickets and not selling except in rare instances. I saw 2 tickets selling for $500 which was the going price.

Dr. Eppner would probably get upset with Mark and me if he knew Mark was at a sold out basketball game crowd with his low WBCs and impaired immunity. I do worry some myself, but mark is determined to live life to the fullest. I rationalize that the arena is probably not as dangerous as the hospital waiting room where sick people cough on you.

Mark was on a natural high after the game. Mark and Allen have been alternating sleep and boating on Lake Austin these past two days and Mom has been alternating working three part-time jobs and social and business secretary to Mark with some other fun too.

Not living too high. Least you mistakenly think we are living too high, I am still driving my 10 year old Honda, using my tea bag twice and the guys are staying at no frills places on the quest for a cat scan and chemo in Houston.
Mark and mom in Houston This Past Week

Mark's doctor at the VA in Houston this past Monday: Dr. Chaiyarat Walailuk
This past Sunday when we went to Houston, we were concerned that we couldn't find a hotel room to reserve for Tuesday night due to the Rodeo being at Reliant Stadium and rodeo folks having booked up all rooms anywhere near the Medical Complex. Our hotel is full of cowboys and cowgirls in boots and cowboy hats(jeans and shirts too) .

Click on newspaper to make it big enough to read

We feared we might be homeless under a bridge tomorrow night, but it turned out we won't need a room Tuesday night. Mark's white blood count was too low today to get chemo so we'll go home Tues. after his bone scan rather than Wed. Maybe some of Mark's depressed mood, extreme irritability, and exhaustion is explained by his very low white blood count. Mark's doctor today is from Thailand and knows the doctor who cared for Mark in Thailand. She says Dr. Theera is famous and she was one of his students at the University in Bangkok. She was very professional and yet caring. She and Dr. Eppner are concerned that Mark wants to go to Thailand for a couple of months. They (we) are concerned about his compromised immune system and the risks of traveling with ill passengers and the stress of the long trip. They do not want to be caring for Mark, then not caring for him, and then caring again; viewing this as fragmented care at best. Mom understands their position and on the other hand understands Mark's love of Thailand and people there and his love of adventure and feeling mortal after years of feeling invincible. Could the trip to Thailand be delayed some and possibly shortened to facilitate his treatment for cancer and hopefully keep him alive longer or should he hasten to lie on the beaches of Thailand in case he has only a very short time to live regardless of treatment? The decision is Mark's and it is a tough decision for him.
And It's Not All About Mark - Mark often says "It's not all about me" so I am careful to add important information about other people.

Kitty Worley - All around us people have cancer. Our friend Fred Worley's mother Kitty Worley died of pancreatic cancer. She died a month after diagnosis. Eighty-three years young, she had taught Spanish in the high school at College Station, Texas for 32 years; a ray of sunshine and enthusiasm always. Mom and Stephanie were lucky to meet her and work with her on medical mission trips to Mexico. There were so many people at her service that when we arrived 15 minutes early, the very large church parking lot was full and we had to park 5 blocks away to arrive just after the service began. People were hiking in from greater distances for some time after us with standing room only
Kris Brown's Father - I work part time as a nurse for Dr. Brown and his wife Kris at their drug research facility. Kris is always so kind to ask about Mark and to tell me her family prays for Mark each night. Yesterday Kris reminded me that her father has cancer and is being treated at Sloan Kettering. She has a second family member with cancer. I must ask Kris for more information. It isn't all about Mark. Some of it is about all of you and the struggles you have with your own health problems and those you care for too.
If you have cancer or someone you know has cancer and you would like people to think kind thoughts or pray for you or someone else, let me know and I will write a little something for you.
Bush Presidential Library-Bryan College Station
We went to the Bush Presidential Library while we were in Bryan College Station. Unlike the LBJ Library which is free on the University of Texas Campus, the Bush Library at Texas A and M University has an entrance fee of 5 dollars for seniors and a bit more for younger upward mobile types. I like the LBJ library best because I find it interesting and being free, I am motivated to take visitors to Austin there and I go there often.
It is about you too! Internet Hoax and How to Find Out if Something is a Hoax!
Yesterday a friend sent out a plea to all her friends including me: a plea from someone claiming to have a missing 13 year old daughter and wanting everyone to circulate the message and picture of the beautiful young girl to all our acquaintences. I posted it on the blog then discovered the e-mail address for the mother would not work. Daughter Stephanie went to www.snopes.com and found out this particular missing girl plea was a hoax so we took the plea and picture off this blog. You can use the www.snopes.com to find out about hoaxes that are circulating.
A tad of additional information on Mark - About a week ago, Mark, his friend Bruce, James, Marisela and her sister and brother, Tomas a pastor on the East side and his wife Connie and I all went to see Sharks: a 3-D IMAX. Wow! The fish and sharks swam out in the audience and it was educational and not scarey at all. After the movie Mark told me that he was going to Las Vegas and asked: "Mom could you take me to the airport to catch a 6 am flight?" So I did. He had been telling Bruce he wasn't going to Vegas because he was not feeling well, but gave in when he found a cheap ticket and hotel combination. He came back Sat. and arrived at the airport at 3:45 am. He may have spent most of this time in Vegas in bed, but it was a different bed.
Mark is itching to spend some time in Bangkok. He continues to ride the roller coaster of cancer; feels good for awhile, sick for awhile, fears he is dying any minute then acts like he feels he is immortal, too sick to go somewhere, anxious to get moving while he still feels good enough to travel, joking and showing his sense of humor, irritable and Mr. Fussy.
A strange side effect of chemo: Remember Mark's face getting beet red for a few days before he went to Vegas? His face peeled like a sunburn.

Last Saturday night Mark was feeling so bad he didn't go with James and Mom to hear Pinetop Perkins at Ms B's Restaurant on East 11th. A real upscale place. Pinetop came to support some young piano students from the East side who were playing tonight. He and the band from Antone's played after the young pianists. It was great!
See picture of the world famous blues piano player and community treasure Mr Pinetop Perkins, in his chartreuse Hat, and mom. Taken outside Ms B's