Friday, October 9, 2009 10:40 PM, CDT

We awoke this morning to a deluge of rain and it has kept up all day! Mark had to be at the clinic by 8 so we rowed to the hospital! He had the customary blood test and then after a very long wait - a deep needle bone biopsy. Mark said it was very unusual, the doctor used a CT and sonogram scanner to locate the lesion and guide the needle. The needle was inserted into his hip bone from the front of his abdomen and then tapped with a little silver hammer. I’m not quite as descriptive about this as Mark was! He said it didn’t hurt like a bone marrow biopsy. Good Thing!!

Dr. Nair met with us this afternoon and said Mark was ready for the treatment. We had lots of questions and he patiently answered all of them. Mark will begin with Velcade in the morning at the hospital infusion center. He will be at the infusion center everyday for the next 3 to 4 weeks. At least he doesn’t have to be admitted to the hospital - it is great that he can do this on an outpatient basis. They will do his blood testing and give him his chemo “soup” at the infusion center. I can’t get over how many different pills he will be taking along with the infusion. The nurse gave me logs to keep up with it all. I had bought a pill sorter and started sorting tonight - all I could think of was “Don’t do drugs!“.

You would think we would be out and about on our “last” night before the chemo. But we just decided to make pasta and stay in our “clean” apartment.

I worked on getting us settled in yesterday while Mark got to play a couple of hours of golf, but it was so hot and humid by lunch that he gave it up. It is nice to have a Wal Mart across the street. This is a new area of North Little Rock and is growing rapidly - so much new construction. Still haven’t found the TJ Maxx………

Our young friend, Tom, at the clinic hasn’t been able to begin his chemo because his white count is low. Please continue to remember him and his sweet family in your prayers.

As Mark and I were waiting this morning for the biopsy, we went to the hospital lobby where an electric player piano was playing Amazing Grace - we were both in tears, if it were not for God’s grace we would be lost. He will sustain us.

Thank you so much for your continued concern, notes, and prayers.