The Good Fight

The above picture was taken Tuesday, August 7. Mark with his safari hat, sunglasses and one bandaged hand and the other with a black glove all issued to him for sun protection before he left Deaconess. Along with Gary who resorted to shaving his head when he had just a few hairs remaining. He looks so much more like Mike with his head shaved that 2-1/2 year old Nick thought him and Mike were both Mike!

My father, Dick McBrine, who will be 80 in Sept. and is generally healthy, was admitted to Deaconess yesterday, the Farr building that Mark left Friday! His heart problems have been increasing and he will have many tests over the next week but so far they say it is atrial fibrilation and fluid in his lungs.
Meanwhile, Gary had so little hair left that he shaved his head completely and he has his final chemo treatment tomorrow. He is elated to be finishing up and will start radiation in about a month.
On the home front, Mark, who has always regarded precautions and rules as challenges he must defy or disregard, was burnt in the first hour he left the hospital Friday driving in the car on the way home! He had on his hat and glasses but didn't cover his hands despite his wife's urgings, pleadings and warnings!! By Saturday, his hand had grown to more than twice its normal size, turned purple and was breaking out in huge blisters. We thought he had cellulitis and when his face started to swell as well, we decided it was time to go to the ER Sunday afternoon. The doctor insisted it was a burn, ripped off the layer of skin and put Mark in enough shock, pain and fear to adhere to the rules of staying out of ANY sunlight in the future. We drove immediately to TOYS R US and got some baby shades for the windows and rigged up a dark area in the back seat for him while he attends daily radiation which was started Monday. This has caused enormous pain, we have to change the bandaging twice daily and he is on another antibiotic.
He had been fever free for about 3-4 days but spiked a fever again yesterday but only 100.5 so not as high as last week and we will just keep an eye on it. He is back to being totally exhausted and sleeping most of the time now. However, Kevin came home for a five night stay last night and Gary, Kristina, Mike, Steph, Barbara and Nick are all coming tonight so he will join in for a few hours and have some fun and laughs I'm sure. He goes to radiation every day this week and sees the oncologist Friday about future chemo treatments so I will report back by this weekend.
Thanks for all the cards and good wishes. Especially Barbara O'Hear our most faithful card sender, Gina Lai who made us some fabulous lasanga and chowder, Sarah Dowling who has stopped by a few times with fish she caught, blueberries she picked and clams she dug and Neil and Nancy Arkuss who cleverly sent a sunflower arrangement to make up for the lack of sunlight!