Addendum Thursday night 9/25 - Mark returned from Houston and reported:
1. No biopsy. He was prepared for the biopsy. The IV was running and the anesthetist ready when the doc decided not to do the biopsy. The mass is small and the doc decided to wait and see what happens. If Mark is in more pain or pees red or the mass grows, the biopsy can be on again.
2. The pain clinic staff was happy with Mark's gradual self imposed reduction in pain med over the past year or so. He has cut his pain med to a fourth of what it was in the past.
3. All motels/hotels in Houston on 290 or 620 seem to be full. Repair crews staying at these places. Mark and James were lucky to find a room. Our usual motel one half block from Reliant Stadium and a few blocks from the VA was full but the guys were assigned a suite because we are steady customers there.
4. There was damage by the hurricane in areas of Houston and 20% of Houston does not have electricity now.

Message 9/24 Mark is in Houston and will have a kidney biopsy in the morning - For a long time Mark has had a mass on his left kidney. A biopsy about three years ago found it to be non malignant. The biopsy is being repeated at the Veterans' Hospital in Houston tomorrow morning at 8 am. There is some thought that the tumor on the kidney will be removed. When? We don't know. Mark had to cancel being filmed for the role of playboy/boyfriend tonight and tomorrow night due to the biopsy which he had hoped to reschedule but was unsuccessful at doing this. Mark called from the motel in Houston tonight and he was in good spirits. Mark's step father James is a good sport and drove Mark to Houston while Mark's Mom is taking care of the mentally ill in Austin. Pray for Mark getting good news from his biopsy tomorrow morning.