Sunday Morning

Morning all! This storm is going to be a bad one! We are starting to get the winds and rain from it. We are on the East side of it, which is the bad side, but it is farther out from us to keep everything OK, except for the heavy rains.
Rebecca is sleeping and I'm happy for that. She is so very tired! I'm feeling OK today. Thank you all for such beautiful posts! My dog Harry is the world to me and I will cope knowing he is in a better place and pain free. He will be cremated and his ashes will be mixed with mine when I go. Our ashes will be spread out into the Ocean at my favorite beach:
http://www.hawaiiweb.com/html/hanauma_bay_beach.html
Well, Rebecca will get a wonderful trip out of it!
Sometimes I feel like I'm holding onto a wet rope. I can feel myself slowly slipping and as hard as I wish to pull myself up, I keep loosing my grip. It is so very hard to stay positive. Every day is a new battle. Thank the Lord for you guys! You all give me so much strength!
Have a great weekend!
Love and Peace to all! Mark

Saturday

Good morning all! I would like all my friends out there to say a prayer for the people who are in Hurricane Gustav's path. This is going to be a bad one if it hits as a category 3 or 4. My prayers are with them.
I am now a member of Hospice. They have me on Oxygen to help me breath better and changed my meds to a stronger dose, Morphine and Oxycontin. I feel like a Zombie, although Pink Floyd and The Grateful Dead never sounded so good! I hope doing this takes some pressure off of Rebecca. She is so very tired and I worry about her every day!
My dog Harry is hanging in there. We are preparing for the worst and when that day comes, it will be quick and painless. I love him so much. He knows all my secrets and never, ever told anyone! My very best friend.
A quick rant: I am shocked at McCain's VP pick. How incredibly condescending to woman! A woman who knows nothing about foreign policy and off the charts in Right Wing beliefs. Lord help us! This woman would be one heartbeat away from the Presidency!
May all have a wonderful weekend!
Love and Peace! Mark

Thursday Night

What an emotional, draining two days it has been. Yesterday was Mark's follow-up with the doctor. Dr. Moskowitz is pleased with the slight weight gain from eating solid foods, but isn't happy with the neuropathy in the legs and hands, or the "draining" in the nasal cavity mixed with blood. He also isn't happy with the increasing frequency of the headaches and the eye problems. He prescribed a couple more medications - poor Mark, he has so many pills to take, it's overwhelming - and he says he'll see us in October. In the meantime, he encouraged us to call in Hospice, which we did. Over yesterday and today, we have had two nurses, two supply deliveries, and a medication drop. Hospice tends to swarm in to get you comfortable with them and so they can see just what you need. Tomorrow, Mark's "regular" nurse will come to get baseline vitals and help him with the equipment that was delivered. And, believe it or not, they have a counselor on staff who will come to help us with grief counseling when the time comes with Harry. This is a marvelous organization. We'll keep everybody up-dated. I know we made the right decision, because neither of us WILL EVER GIVE UP!

This is Harry. Harry has been a part of our family for seven years now. He is, as best we can tell, about nine years old. Before he came to us, Harry had been starved and physically abused. The day we brought him home, he ate a mountain of food and he really hasn't stopped since then. He is the most loving creature. He isn't always the brightest bulb in the pack - he has gone missing three times over the years. We think that he gets out of sight of the house and just really isn't sure how to find "home." He always seems to walk in a straight line until he runs into somebody who rescues him and brings him back. He has angels that circle around him and protect him. Four years ago, he was diagnosed with epilipsy and since Christmas, 2005, he has been seizure-free because of wonderful vets. He takes medications twice a day which, oddly enough, increase his appetite. Last August, Harry became very, very sick. He was diagnosed with lymphoma, a form of cancer that attacks the lymph nodes and and his tumor, when finally discovered hidding in his spleen, weighed 10.7 pounds. It was the largest tumor the vet had ever seen. He said it was a miracle Harry had survived such a cancerous attack. He told us that the cancer would reappear, but that he couldn't predict how quickly.

Last night, I discovered "the" tumor. It has formed in the lymph nodes on his neck and in his cheek. It has grown very, very rapidly. The vet told us this morning that it is inoperable. He told us to take Harry home, to love him and comfort him, and when his breathing becomes labored, we are to bring him in. We must now prepare to say goodbye. Mark and I have had a very emotional conversation about this and we both know we don't want Harry to suffer any pain, so as hard as this will be, we will gently ease him into Heaven. I talked to Harry and he has promised me he will wait by the gate for Mark and I and he will be with us forever. Please pray for our little family. We love you all!

Tuesday

Good morning all. I'm feeling OK today. I watched the DNC last night and was very happy to see Senator Kennedy make an appearance. Believe me, I know how he must feel. It was not easy for him to show up.
Well, we are going to get hit again by at least a bit of Hurricane Gustav. It looks like it will come through around Tuesday. Thursday (28th) is Rebecca's birthday! I hope the storm has come and gone by then.
Today I am taking it slow. My nose bleeds are slowing down and my headaches are not to bad today. Just got to go one day at a time.
Have a blessed day all! Peace and Love Mark

Something Different

I know Mark and I are always raving about our quirky find of G4 and Ninja Warrior. Just click on this for a little taste:

http://influks.com/post1090.html

Have fun! Rebecca

Monday

Morning all! I guess I have been pushing myself too much. My nosebleeds and headaches are getting worst and having trouble walking and keeping my balance. Rebecca wants me to use a walker, I am rebelling from that.
The water has gone down a lot from the Hurricane. Now we must get ready for another storm forming off of the Bahama's.
Jen, Carol, Mike G. thanks for your prayers. They mean so very much to me! May everyone have a great day! Blessings to all! Peace and Love Mark

Mid-Afternoon Sunday

It's a good day so far. Resting is on tap for both of us today. I did start a pot of chicken soup this morning which will end up this evening with some dumplings. Mark is watching VH1, the history of rock and roll. So many memories - I am humming a lot of songs I had forgotten about. Mark is really suffering from the headaches. He tells me (finally, honestly) that the left half of his face and head is very painful. I don't know what we'll find out on Wednesday - but kick the prayers in high gear! We'll have a great rest of today - we hope you will too! NEVER GIVE UP!

Saturday Evening

The landlord came by today and fixed the minor storm damage. He was pleased, as were we, that there wasn't more. The yard still needs to be cleaned up, but we're making a dent, anyway. Mark had a quiet day. Still has a bit of a headache. But you should have seen him clean up the steak I made him for dinner. We don't have it often, so it was real treat. My real treat was watching him eat and enjoy every bite. Going to go watch a little t.v. and then call it a night. Everybody have a great weekend and NEVER GIVE UP!

Friday.... TG!

Morning all! I feel lousy to be honest. I hope it's the weather. A lot of rain (26 inches) and now standing water, so the "sceeters" are going to be coming out.
I wish to thank Craig for my present of Kona Coffee! I love it!
So, who is Obama going to pick? I say it's my man.... Joe Biden. I have always liked him.
Well, I'm going to lie down for awhile, turn on the US Basketball game and relax. Maybe my nose will stop bleeding. Peace and Love to all! Mark

Thursday Mid-day

Mark is not feeling well today. He called me here at work and said he was going back to bed - he's weak and tired. He didn't look really well this morning over coffee. Very dark circles over his eyes and when he doesn't think I'm looking, he grimacing a lot. I think the weather is making the headaches a lot worse. We're still getting a lot of rain from the remnants of the tropical storm and the sun hasn't been out yet. Makes for depressing times all by itself. His doctor visit scheduled for tomorrow was moved to next Wednesday (doctor's office called and asked to move it), so we won't have an up-date on his condition until then. We'll keep you posted. We love you all! NEVER GIVE UP!

Wednesday

Good morning all! Feeling good today. The Hurricane is over and just heavy rain and some wind. No big deal. One thing I have learned in Florida. God hates Mobil Homes. Every storm there is always some good ol' boy who's Mobil Home gets blown away.
Alligator season just started. All the swamp buggies are out. Nothing like having Billie Bob and Bobby Ray running around with 30/30 rifles, with a couple of cases of beer in the middle of the night killing Gators. I must admit, I love Bar B Q Gator tail.
I have a new law for the Olympics. If you can play a sport and drink a beer at the same time, it should NOT be an Olympic event. Badminton? Ping Pong? Give me a break! Why not cookie making or Game Boy playing?
Well, today is pick up the tree limbs and clean the yard day. Since we have 5 acres, I think I'll hire some kids to do it.
Peace and Love to all! Mark

Tuesday

I am writing this in the middle of the Hurricane. The "eye" of the storm is right over us, but we are OK. Heavy winds and rain all night. The dogs are going crazy, but all is well. The TV stations blow all of this out of proportion. The biggest problem has been keeping the surfers and wind sailors off the beach! It ruins the pictures of the news people in there parkers. Have a good day all! Peace and Love Mark

Monday

HOPE THIS MAKES YOU SMILE : THE MOST FUNCTIONAL ENGLISH WORD
Well, it's shit ... that's right, shit! Shit may just be the most functional word in the English language.
You can smoke shit, buy shit, sell shit, lose shit, find shit, forget shit, and tell others to eat shit. Some people know their shit, while others can't tell the difference between shit and shineola. There are lucky shits, dumb shits, and crazy shits. There is bull shit, horse shit, and chicken shit. You can throw shit, sling shit, catch shit, shoot the shit, or duck when the shit hits the fan. You can give a shit or serve shit on a shingle. You can find yourself in deep shit or be happier than a pig in shit. Some days are colder than shit, some days are hotter than shit, and some days are just plain shitty. Some music sounds like shit, things can look like shit, and there are times when you feel like shit. You can have too much shit, not enough shit, the right shit, the wrong shit or a lot of weird shit. You can carry shit, have a mountain of shit, or find yourself up shit's creek without a paddle. Sometimes everything you touch turns to shit and other times you fall in a bucket of shit and come out smelling like a rose. When you stop to consider all the facts, it's the basic building block of the English language. And remember, once you know your shit, you don't need to know anything else!! You could pass this along, if you give a shit; or not do so if you don't give a shit! Well, Shit, it's time for me to go. Just wanted you to know that I do give a shit and hope you had a nice day, without a bunch of shit. But, if you happened to catch a load of shit from some shit-head...........Well, Shit Happens!!!
Peace and Love Mark

Sunday Afternoon

Hi everybody! I am on a friends laptop to get this out to you all. My PC crashed and needs to be fixed. We have a Hurricane heading our way and should be here by Monday night.
The storm is supposed to hit around Fort Myers or Tampa. The storm is supposed to be a category one. Not very strong. Like a heavy rain storm with winds around 80 or 90 miles an hour. Monday we will open up the house so the wind will blow some fresh air around! We are being careful, but been through much, much worst. We have 5 gallon water jugs filled and enough Margaretta's to ride out a day or two of "bad" weather.
We will write again when we can! Take care to all! Love and Peace! Mark

Friday Morning

Well, it looks like our computer at home may have taken a vacation without us. Mark called to say it is "popping up" all sorts of things, and throwing him off the internet. Neither he or I are what you would call computer-literate. So I have an emergency e-mail in to my son (who is a computer genuis) to see if he can give me clues. Trouble is, he may be on the way to Utah with my granddaughter - so we may not have the home computer for a while. Mark wanted me to let everybody know, he's doing well, watching the Olympics and getting ready for next Friday's check up with the doctor. We'll keep you up-dated as we can. We love you all and wish you Peace! Rebecca

Thursday

Hi Jen! Nice to hear from you! I don't expect anyone to Blog me all the time. It is just very humbling knowing that you care enough to stop by and say hello. Carol: I finished reading Angels and Demons by Dan Brown. I spent this morning watching USA beat Greece in Basketball. Another blow out!
Very hot and muggy today, but I'm feeling OK, except for the nose bleeds. We have been having problems with our dogs going crazy at night. I believe it's Coyotes going for the garbage cans. I hope it's not a Boa Constrictor's again in the area. Some of them are really big! 10 to 15 feet long. I hate to kill any animal, but I must protect my dogs and Cat if it came to that. We even have Bears and Panthers in this area. I can only hope for the best.
Take care everyone. You are all in my prayers.
Peace and much Love! Mark

Wednesday

Hi all! Well, so far it has been a stress free day. Something I need. Rebecca is still not feeling well, but she went to work. I worry about her so much! She pushes herself beyond the limits.
I think I'll spend the rest of the day reading a book. I'm way behind on my reading. Take care everyone! Much Peace and Love to all! Mark

Tuesday Morning

Morning all! Rebecca is feeling a bit better, although I do not think she will make it through the entire day. She had 102 fever last night, but she still went to work today. Unreal woman.
OK, I have been asked what party I belong to. I'm an registered Independent. Some things I am very liberal on, some things conservative. There is a saying: Liberals are Conservatives who have not been held up by gun point yet. I think Obama is acting like God's gift to the world. McCain reminds me of some old Grandfather who lives in the Basement of your home, running around in a pair of red long johns, wearing a World War One helmet and carrying an old coon rifle. I wish we had better choices.
Anyway, I'm feeling OK today. No pain, but the nose bleeds continue. I wish to thank you all for the concern over Rebecca's health. It means a lot to us.
Peace and much Love to all! Mark

Monday Morning

Morning all. Rebecca has stayed home today. She is not feeling very well. She pushes herself so hard and won't slow down! She is up most of the night and has a hard time sleeping. I wish she would take a sleeping pill and just sleep! I worry about her a lot. I hope she is OK. Watching the US/China Basketball game (womans). What a blow out! Rebecca is calling me. Take care all and Peace and Love! Mark

Sunday

Hi all! Just laying around watching USA crush China in Basketball. Rebecca went off with our Granddaughter today. I'm happy she got out of the house for the day. She worries so much, she needs time out with others.
Another friend of ours passed away from cancer. Jim was a good man and will be missed by all. It is so depressing watching so many good people pass away from this disease. It reminds me of Viet Nam when you loose a friend. You get to a point where you don't want to make friends anymore. You know it's just a matter of time before you loose another brother in arms. Every loss is a punch in your gut. Another heartbreaking moment. And the beat goes on....
Peace and much Love to all! Mark

Olympic Saturday

Hi all. While neither Mark or I are great fans of the Olympics, there doesn't seem to be a lot else on today, so we're been watching. Let's see - women's handball, men's beach volleyball, and equistrian events - - BORING! Mark's not feeling to well today. The nosebleed, while not overwhelming, have been constant today, so he's been in bed most of the day. He did have some supper and is up now. We're watching our new favorite tv show - Ninja Warrior. If you've not tried it, you might like it. We do - it's kind of addictive. Tomorrow is my day to go to brunch with Becca - I'm really looking forward to some girl-time. James tells me it might not be until next summer that she returns to Florida - that breaks my heart. So while she's here, I'm trying to spend lots of quality time. Everybody have a great evening, great rest of the weekend, and NEVER GIVE UP! Rebecca

TGIF!!!

Good morning all. My Mom called last night to tell me my Dad had to be put on oxygen. He is still at home but I am preying that he is in no pain. Then a good friend of ours told us she is being foreclosed on after living and paying on her home for 12 years. 12 years and they are foreclosing on her and her 10 year old daughter. Her deadbeat husband hasn't paid any alimony. The court ordered him to do so, but he just laughed. I'd like to take a baseball bat to the S.O.B. Rebecca and I will do all we can to help her, no matter how small that might be. As long as I have a roof, she and her daughter will have one too.
I guess I have been very negative this week and for that I am sorry to all of you. It is so hard watching friends go through so much and being helpless to do anything.
Hoping you all have a great weekend! You are all in my prayers.
Peace and Love to all Mark

Thursday Morning

Good morning all! I am feeling well today and in good spirits. I guess I have been on a rant the past few days. I'm just venting. Here is my last vent for this week. T. Boone Pickens.
I am sure we have all seen the ad's with Pickens asking for our help backing wind, solar and natural gas, blah, blah blah. Sounds great right!? Wrong.
Pickens was the Dude who started the "Swiftboat" ads against Kerry. But the Best is: he owns the rights to 85% of ALL the natural gas in the USA! 85%!!!! He also owns most of the land in the "wind corridor" out west. Why give the Arabs all our money when we can give it to T. Boone! Just another example of lies preying on our weakness.
Did this ever happen to you? You pull into an empty parking lot to run into a store to pick up whatever....... you come out and the parking lot is still empty, except for one other car that parks so close to you that you can't even open your drivers side door!
Well, enough ranting. I have some fresh Bagels and Lox waiting for me. Have a great day all!
Love and Peace! Mark

Wednesday Morning

Nancy, to answer your question, we can start by not voting for these idiots. I just saw the new Paris Hilton ad. She made more sense than both McCain and Obama.
Here is another thing that burns me up. Watching the weather and they show some idiot in a big rain jacket or snow parker. The winds are gusting and this guy/gal is standing outside reporting! I'm waiting to see a flying piece of debris rip off there head. They play it up to always make it worse than it really is.
Anyway, I'm feeling OK today and not having any problems worth talking about. My good wife Rebecca is also doing OK. She has problems sleeping lately. Who hasn't? We are hanging in and doing the best we can. Peace and Love to all! Mark

Tuesday Morning

So, I'm watching TV and every other commercial I hear a song from the 60's and 70's. This new generation has turned our favorite songs into 30 second clips to sell everything from Hair Dye to Cadillac's. Songs that helped us open our eyes and THINK! Something is very wrong with that.
Then you have 2 candidates running for President who have nothing better to tell us than how the other is racists. Have we become so incredibly stupid that we believe all this spin and rhetoric? We have become a nation of scared rabbits. We as a nation went crazy after Watergate.
Now, we don't even question anything anymore. We are afraid of being called traitors. As long as our cable TV works, our blackberry's are full and PlayStation's keep our kids hypnotized, we are happy. We hide our heads in the sand and hope all will turn out OK. I hope we get off this path and start to open our eyes.
In the meantime, as Bob Dylan would say, I'm going to sit here and watch the river flow.
Peace and Love to all. Mark

Monday Morning

Hi! All in all, it was a decent weekend. A few nasal problems and I have to watch my Diabetes closer. I kind of over did it with Susie Q's (chocolate only!). The Yanks won a slug fest and the Hall Of Fame game was pretty good. I like college football better. I like Miami and West Virginia.
Nancy, give me a call! I have been thinking about your Mom a lot. I hope her Chimo is working. I'm here for you if needed. The Dogs miss you. Peace and Love to all! Mark

Lazy Sunday

Hi all - Mark is not doing too well today. He is having an increasing problem with dripping nasal fluids that contain traces of blood. It's like having a cold, and when you bend forward, you "drip." There's not a lot of blood, but there's some in there. He has had this now for about three days, but today it's more pesky than before. I had him lie in bed most of the day. He's also having a lot of problems with "heaviness" in his legs and feet. He's having a harder time walking than usual. He's watching a movie now, and will probably join me in watching the Hall of Fame game later. I'm the football fan - he just tolerates me. He likes college ball. We both hope you had a great weekend and that you have a wonderful week. Our love to all of you.

Who's a Goddess????

Hey Guys! Yes, I am a goddess! I went shopping and found Mark's long lost Suzy-Qs. He is in 7th heaven. I picked up two boxes since they are so hard to come by. Now, I'll have to make sure he doesn't try to finish them in one sitting! Seriously, I made him a great supper, which he ate a lot of. He's having a Suzy-Q as I type for his dessert. One Happy Camper! Love to you all!

Saturday

Hi everybody. Hope you all are having a good weekend. Rebecca just went shopping. I'm getting ready to watch the Yankee game. I watched The Mummy movie this morning along with Step Brothers. Anyway, I'm feeling pretty good today. Headaches are minor, but have some loss of feeling in my legs and hands. I haven't been eating that well the past few days. I'm just not very hungry. Maybe Rebecca will get me some Twinkies.
Nothing much to say today. Have a good weekend everyone. Peace and Love Mark

Little Tidbit

Hey, guys - it's Rebecca. What Mark isn't telling you is, the hair's not grey, it's beautiful and silver. I'm envious. . . I have to pay for that color. And, it's soft and the back is curly. I think it's really pretty. Oh, he'll hate that! HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND EVERYBODY!

TGIF

I took a long look in the mirror this morning and noticed my hair is growing back in, which is nice, but it is all grey! I'm not used to this "old" thing. Kids calling me "sir." I used to be the radical. Now I'm an old fart.
Does anyone find it interesting that the amount of money Exxon has made over the last 3 months, is the same amount that General Motors has lost? Weird.
I'm going to spend today cleaning the house. The dogs are shedding everywhere and I have spent long enough feeling sorry for myself.
You are all in my prayers and thoughts.
Peace and Love to all and have a great weekend. Mark