Mark starts his role in a new film by Jerry Barrett
Last night began the shooting for a new film called Ten Little Santas. Mark is in the background thinking about his lines. In spite of going through the symptoms that come from cutting his pain medicine in half so he can have more energy, he looked great and did a great job. He got to be shot and die three times in three takes of one scene last night. Everyone did a great job. The filming last night was on an estate outside a mansion; the perfect place to shoot the film.
Cutting Pain Medicine in Half - Withdrawal from pain medicine is not for sissies.
After a couple of years of serious pain medicine for cancer of the esophagus with mets to bone, liver, possibly kidney, it takes a lot of determination to stick it out through the symptoms of withdrawal. Should I write more about this? Anyone interested? Mark is my role model and hero in regard to doing what needs to be done even when the going gets tough. Remember the phrase "When the going gets tough, the tough get going."
Mark Will Get a Urology Consult Sept. 10 - Mark's new doctor has a thought to have the tumor on Mark's kidney surgically removed to reduce some of his pain. Mark heads to Reno on Wednesday for some fishing with Allen before considering surgery. His flight is at 7 and my (mom;s) flight is one hour earlier. I am headed to England to visit Mark's sister for her birthday.

Results of Cat Scan - The doc at the Veteran's Hospital in Houston reported no change in liver tumors which is good. They are still there but unchanged. The chest looked good (remember Mark had a chest wall tumor that was radiated). Left kidney has a cyst or tumor and it is to be evaluated for possible surgery but that will probably not happen until 1. Mark completes a trip to Reno to see his former co-worker Alan and they go camping and fishing in California 2. He finishes being in another movie in which he gets to play the boyfriend. Right now Mark has just cut his pain medication in half after cutting it in half last year. Less pain medication and he does not sleep as much and he has more energy. The trade off is break through pain and withdrawal symptoms. During the period he was tapering off he was hallucinatory and miserable. I won't go into this as he is sensitive about it, but someday I will put it in the book to be written because it might help someone else or interest people.

Aren't the olymphics great? Mark's sister and mother were in China a few years ago and mom was in Bejing about 6 months ago and got an olymphic t-shirt and spent the Chinese money left from the previous trip...the money was now worth more.
Mark's sister Stephanie and Mom (with short hair) at Tinniman Square

Mark gets a trip as described above and his mom gets two trips - August 27 to September 14 I will be in England visiting Mark's sister Stephanie who is having a birthday September 1st. I will be flying American on air miles. The second trip is to Peoria Illinois and it is from Sept 29 until October 5th. The purpose of this trip is to evaluate a nursing school for the National League of Nursing plus personal business which is driving down to Jacksonville to visit family and friends.


Stephanie and fellow teachers on the Great Wall of China

Mark to be in another movie and his sister is in Istanbul, Turkey right now getting laser eye surgery

It is a small world Mark's sister, Stephanie, notified me early this week that she was on her way to Istanbul, Turkey to have surgery on her eyes. I e-mailed Murat Numan, a former University of Texas law school student who lives in Istanbul. We mentored Murat when he was in Austin. He e-mailed back from Argentina where he is on vacation. He is headed back to Istanbul tomorrow. He informed me that his Aunt is a part time doc in the small hospital where Stephanie will have surgery and he knows the places she will be staying in the week she is there.
Friend Jerry is making another film called Ten Little Santas and Mark will have a good part in it. I will be one of the producers again. The premier showing of the last film Mark was in is this Sunday and then we will have copies of the movie to share.

Mark and I went boating last Friday on Lake Austin with friend Mark and his friend Mark so it was three Marks and Mom. We swam and pretended like we were kids again. It was great fun.

This Saturday Mark gets his cat scan. We learned he was not to see the doctor to learn the results until September 2. We are trying to get an earlier appointment.

14626 people from 86 countries have seen the blog