Another Facebook Post Roundup

The WiFi where Wendi is staying is problematic and inconsistent, which complicates efforts to make formal updates to this blog as good internet is spotty when using the laptop.  However, when she is out and about, waiting on Mark at various appointments, it is much easier to post brief updates to Facebook from her phone.  This is why updates to here are less common as we'd like, and collections of Facebook posts are moved over here from time to time.  Thanks for your understanding.  - Frank

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March 16 - 9:47AM
Feeling good today. Cereal, ramen and a pickle for breakfast. He even drank some milk. And no wheelchair!

March 16 - 11:01PM
Snuck out for coffee and dessert with a lovely new friend here in Houston. She directs the local CC Foundations/Essentials program and gets Jim to Challenge each week. I babbled incessantly, but she sweetly listened to all of it and even took me to run errands afterward. Then she prayed over me when we got home. What a blessing to be part of the CC family, and to have sisters in the Lord.

March 17 - 10:20AM
Just dropped Bella off at Spring break camp here at the hospital. 10-3, all week long. She's thrilled, and the rest of us are feeling very blessed and relaxed right now!

March 17 - 11:53PM
First off, Mark got an amazing gift today from Frank's coworkers at Clark Public Utilities. It got him outside and smiling and laughing. It was awesome.  See the video links below:

First time out of the box:


First time outside:


Thank you so much guys!!!!  Also, thank you to everyone who has sent cards, care packages, love , prayers, etc.

As far as treatment: Mark is struggling, but he's making it through. His oncologists were genuinely concerned and disappointed this morning, because of all the side effects he's already struggling with. They put him on four new medicines today, plus they added an hour of IV fluids after chemo each day. The fluids really seemed to help. He's already experiencing numbness in his fingers, so he's on something to help prevent nerve damage. New pain med prescription for before radiation, a med to help with nausea, a med to help with appetite, a med to help with nausea and appetite (and anxiety) - he's lost 4 lbs in the last week - and a med to help prevent pneumonia. Plus we're trying to do daily Epsom salt baths, vitamin D3 and melatonin. Hopefully we'll find him a happier place to proceed in. If nothing else, he may just sleep through the rest of treatment, since every med says "may cause drowsiness".

Oh, and I got to have Cajun crawfish for supper and I made a new friend tonight.  Goodnight all. God bless!

March 18 - 7:59PM
"Dr. Who Risk" from Mark's godparents. Thank you Chris and Liz! And look who's feeling better!!!!!! With the new meds he says he feels almost normal. Thank you all so much for your prayers! (see picture below)

March 18 - 11:34PM
Final post of the night, it's about Bella. She is doing much better at this, and although she still misses home, she us starting to be herself again. Tonight she and I had some one-on-one time. We went for a nighttime walk, something wet don't do much in the country. She road a little bike and I walked/ran along beside her.

Next door to RMH is a hospice home. Bella asked what it was tonight as we passed by. I explained that it was a place where people go when they know they will die soon and there is nothing more that can be done, that there they try to help them and their families be comfortable as they are dying. I commented that we should pray for them from now on whenever we pass by. So as she pedaled past she prayed aloud, "Please Lord help all the people in there who are dying to come be with you when they die".

We then continued on to the gardens by the hospital which are beautiful and smell lovely at night. The picture of Bella by the water is her praying again. She saw the water, jumped off her bike, and knelt down on the edge. After she got up she said, "Mommy, I was praying . I prayed for Mark and his cancer, and I asked if all of those people could live a little longer." (see picture below)

On the way back, she prayed as we passed the hospice again for them to all live another day. Sweet girl, with a sweet heart. I am so blessed to have her on loan from the Lord.

March 19 - 12:59PM
Look, it's Mark eating lunch! First time he's wanted lunch since we started treatment! (see picture below)