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- Sitemap by: Mark
February 5, 2010, 00:30
- About by: Mark
May 9, 2007, 08:32
My name is Mark Miller and I am a singer/songwriter originally from Orange County, CA and now residing in the Sacramento, CA area. I am a father, husband, son a…
- Contact by: Mark
July 17, 2007, 20:30
Contact Me I'd love to hear from you whether it be related to my musical and songwriting pursuits or other material you have found here on markmillermusic.org.…
- Studio by: Mark
May 31, 2007, 20:36
STUDIO ENVIRONMENT This page provides some information pertaining to my home studio where I do all of my production. I will cover the hardware aspects as wel…
- Affiliations by: Mark
August 5, 2007, 13:40
There are a number of groups and organizations I am affiliated with: Songwriter's Guild of America The Songwriter's Guild of America is the longest runnin…
- CD by: Mark
June 7, 2007, 09:22
Mark Miller - "River of Faith" - BUY THE CD Sometimes life’s most meaningful artistic expression can arise out of the most difficult challenges we have…
- Storytellers by: Mark
September 25, 2007, 15:32
As songwriters, we all center our songs around a central message. When we begin to craft a song we ask ourselves a few important questions: a) what do we want s…
- Storytellers by: Mark
- Docs by: Mark
September 17, 2007, 13:10
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- Photos by: Mark
April 8, 2009, 22:14
Miscellaneous Safari West - Feb 2010 Napa - March 2010
- Prayer Requests by: Mark
July 27, 2009, 15:07
New feature - please use this page for prayer requests. Strength in numbers is key. Place your prayers in the comments box below and they will be read by th…
Blog Posts
- Blog (6)
- Mobile Access by: Mark
February 11, 2010, 19:58
I've quietly been upgrading the blog software behind-the-scenes. I am now beginning to add more functionality such as making the blog accessible from blackberri…
- Blog Upgrade by: Mark
January 21, 2010, 12:03
Over the next week or so I will be performing an upgrade on the blog. If the blog is inaccessible, seems to lose some of its features or is sluggish just know t…
- Global Reach by: Mark
January 8, 2010, 13:13
Every once in a while I take a look at where my blog visitors come from. The internet is truly amazing. Of course the majority of readers are in the US but …
- Prayer Requests - New Feature by: Mark
July 27, 2009, 20:57
Over the past several years, I've been in touch with a countless number of survivors, caregivers, friends and family who have had prayer requests. I wanted to…
- Time Out To Laugh by: Mark
November 1, 2008, 08:18
With everything going on, I have to find things to laugh about. Dana Carvey is one of my favorite comedians - check out this bit on the Tonight Show. I stil…
- Blog Status/Focus by: Mark
August 1, 2007, 22:22
I wanted to provide a short explanation as to the status and shift in focus of my blog, particularly for those that my not have visited for awhile. Many of you…
- Mobile Access by: Mark
- Brain Tumor Centers (5)
- November 12 2008 Update by: Mark
November 12, 2008, 14:40
It has been a few days since I've updated the blog here and for good reason! We have had so much going on in terms appointments. I guess when you have about…
- Sutter Neuroscience Institute (2)
- November 12 2008 Update by: Mark
November 12, 2008, 14:40
It has been a few days since I've updated the blog here and for good reason! We have had so much going on in terms appointments. I guess when you have about…
- Neurosurgeon Appointment by: Mark
November 1, 2008, 13:12
I mentioned that Rachael and I had an appointment with my neurosurgeon to go through our strategy moving forward. Rather than go into a lot of detail regardin…
- November 12 2008 Update by: Mark
- UCSF (3)
- UCSF Appointment by: Mark
November 6, 2008, 13:35
We are all set with UCSF and our appointment tomorrow at 11am. I picked up my pathololgy slides yesterday and CDs that contain about 15 MRIs. The rest of th…
- UCSF Preliminary Info by: Mark
April 8, 2008, 19:58
Although I am still waiting for formal documentation, I had a discussion with the Department of Neuro-Oncology at UCSF on Friday evening. After going through …
- Chemo Strategy by: Mark
March 30, 2008, 14:20
At this point I'm in full research mode on chemo. The conservative recommendation is to continue on my alternative 7-day regimen through the 1 year milestone.…
- UCSF Appointment by: Mark
- November 12 2008 Update by: Mark
- Brain Tumor Treatment (96)
- Medical Update by: Mark
January 26, 2010, 15:09
I've now completed my second week of using (wiki-en:VP-16). I'm now starting to feel the cumulative effects of this chemotherapy. It's somewhat like temodar b…
- Happy Holidays / Progress by: Mark
December 22, 2009, 13:07
As usual it's the last minute shopping and wrapping for Christmas. This is a great time of year but it's also so busy. In addition, I started back on trea…
- Left-Side Weakness by: Mark
December 14, 2009, 12:48
It's been a bit difficult to write lately. My left side is much weaker now and has now moved into my arm, hands and shoulder. As I may have mentioned before…
- Treatment this Week by: Mark
August 3, 2009, 13:39
I'm back on track this week after the great MRI I had showing low or no bloodflow in and around the tumor as well as some shrinkage. I'll have appointments on…
- The Power of Today by: Mark
July 10, 2009, 13:50
How many times do we focus on the future and worry about the future. As a brain tumor survivor, I struggle with this all the time. I know many other survivo…
- Sick - Missed Avastin by: Mark
June 6, 2009, 19:28
Has anyone had this summer flu/cold that is going around? I'm sure a lot hands went up. It's bad! Especially if your white cell count is consistently low.…
- Doing Well by: Mark
May 1, 2009, 10:01
I have posted for a few days as I've been doing pretty well! I'm still trying to figure out the right balance of meds to manage my seizures - I had one on We…
- MRA Negative by: Mark
February 26, 2009, 11:52
As I mentioned I had an MRA to try and find out why I'm having these headaches. The test was negative - everything looks perfect. One of the images that the…
- Can Someone Hand Me An Umbrella by: Mark
February 18, 2009, 12:30
First off I want to thank everyone for the kind emails and comments on my blog. I sincerely wish that I could reply to each and every email but I simply canno…
- 2/4/09 Infusion by: Mark
February 3, 2009, 21:06
Alright, the party is on again! Yea. No seriously, the cocktail deluxe called Avastin + Irinotecan will be served up at the Sutter Cancer Center tomorrow at…
- Information Trickles In by: Mark
January 10, 2009, 10:53
Happy Saturday - Third post in three days. Lots happening. This will be a very quick post. My Neuro-Oncologist called last night with some pretty good …
- Is There A Brain Tumor Virus? by: Mark
January 9, 2009, 13:48
Interesting story from Newsweek. I donated tissue for research by Charles Cobbs as part of my last surgery.
- Holidays and Treatment by: Mark
December 13, 2008, 15:28
Like everyone, we are in the middle of trying to get everything wrapped up for the holidays. It's a bit more difficult this year - I am so used to just flying…
- Work Plan and the Fight by: Mark
November 30, 2008, 21:29
It's time to get back to work. Tuesday is the day! I haven't even seen this building (just like a year ago) for about 6 weeks but that's a bit less th…
- Neurosurgeon Appointment by: Mark
November 1, 2008, 13:12
I mentioned that Rachael and I had an appointment with my neurosurgeon to go through our strategy moving forward. Rather than go into a lot of detail regardin…
- Update - DCVax-Brain Vaccine by: Mark
October 13, 2008, 13:22
I spoke to my Neurosurgeon's office and it looks like the vaccine treatment is coming through!! The collection kit is being sent overnight via FedEx from the …
- Kennedy Treatment Plan - Sounds Familiar by: Mark
June 2, 2008, 08:27
I just read a story on MSNBC regarding the treatment plan for Senator Kennedy. It really just underscores the standard of care today with regard to malignant g…
- Test Results by: Mark
May 30, 2008, 08:06
Thank you all for your thoughts and prayers this week - they are so appreciated. To cut to the chase, my studies came back and showed stability with no growth! …
- Big Week by: Mark
May 27, 2008, 07:02
Just a really quick post this AM. This is a big week for me - I could really use your prayers. Today I have my standard 60-day MRI. Tomorrow I'm having a …
- Neuro-Oncology and Neuro-Radiology Appts by: Mark
April 24, 2008, 12:29
I had two appointments this week - one on Tuesday which was a final follow up with my neuro-radiologist and another yesterday with my neuro-oncologist. On Tue…
- The Complex World of Brain Tumor Treatment by: Mark
March 2, 2008, 07:50
One of the most difficult aspects I have faced as a brain tumor survivor is making decisions around how to treat my tumor. In the beginning, there are a millio…
- New Treatments for Brain Tumors by: Mark
January 7, 2008, 14:03
I came across a very good slide set put together by Dr. Henry Friedman, MD of Duke University Brain Tumor center. At this point in my treatment, because I have…
- Brain Tumor Vaccines (26)
- CNN Article - Brain Tumor Vaccines by: Mark
March 10, 2010, 15:42
This is a little late but I was reminded of this today and meant to post it when I first read it.
- Radio Interview Re: DCVax by: Mark
September 4, 2009, 08:10
This is a great radio interview with Dr. Linda Liau, the creator and chief investigator/neurosurgeon at UCLA regarding DCVax. Joining her is the chair of the …
- Sacramento Bee - Canadian turns to Sutter for DCVax by: Mark
August 1, 2009, 13:17
A good article ran this morning in the Sacramento Bee. My neuro-oncologist, Dr. Wu and the rest of the Sutter team that have been handling my use of this expe…
- My Previous Post by: Mark
July 31, 2009, 19:09
My last post, regarding the healthcare system, was posted very carefully. Of course, it was related to politics! This will always pull some people's string…
- MRI Results - July 2009 - WOW!!! by: Mark
July 23, 2009, 11:25
In a word, WOW. If you've been reading my blog for some time, you know that we've had our share of not so positve news over the past few years. We've learne…
- Celldex Vaccine - Interview with CEO by: Mark
June 2, 2009, 11:04
Immunotherapy appears to be gaining a lot of traction in the fight against cancer. Here is another vaccine that is specifically designed to target brain cance…
- Cancer Vaccines by: Mark
May 30, 2009, 20:34
There are other vaccines being researched and developed and perhaps one day a vaccine may be the answer to prevention. The answer of course is what so many ar…
- May 7 2009 MRI Results by: Mark
May 8, 2009, 20:57
Real quick but this really illustrates how much we really need to just stay in today. My own conjecture about the increased frequency of my seizures, includi…
- Third Vaccine Treatment by: Mark
April 22, 2009, 10:15
I went in for my third vaccination series yesterday. I obviously can't say for sure what is helping, but I have more energy than I've had in a long time - thi…
- Anniversary Weekend by: Mark
April 20, 2009, 13:30
My wife and I had a great weekend. Our 8th Wedding Anniversary is actually today but we celebrated it over the weekend. It was so nice to get away. We did…
- Sacramento Bee Article by: Mark
April 11, 2009, 08:52
The Sacramento Bee article came out today and I was surprised to see it was on the front page - "Cancer vaccine offers hope to family". The writer asked me my…
- Second DCVax Treatment by: Mark
April 10, 2009, 12:29
Today I will receive my second DCVax treatment - everything is moving forward according to plan! I'm very obviously very happy about that. I meet with my Ne…
- DCVax Pictures by: Mark
April 3, 2009, 12:42
I mentioned I would post some pictures of the canister that is used to ship the DCVax-Brain vaccine and as promised, here they are. I'm placing one here inlin…
- First Vaccine Injections by: Mark
April 1, 2009, 20:52
Today was a long day - and a circus at times! I met with my Neuro-Oncologist at 1pm and everything went well. MRI looks ok - some "worsening" noted but a…
- Vaccine Delivered! by: Mark
March 31, 2009, 14:11
Things are moving fast but I received confirmation that my vaccine (DCVax-Brain) has been delivered to the infusion center at Sutter where I will have my vaccin…
- Big Week by: Mark
March 30, 2009, 13:24
Quick Post - I have a lot going this week. We haven't heard anything different - so the vaccine should be here tomorrow. Updated - MRI done today at 2pm…
- Truth or Fiction? by: Mark
March 27, 2009, 22:04
I would call this a cautiously optimistic update on the vaccine. To many this is a lot more exciting news but I received a call from my Neuro-Oncologist today…
- Treatment Plan? by: Mark
March 17, 2009, 13:08
Time to unload some frustration... Until this vaccine comes through, things are somewhat up in the air. I'm doing Avastin. I'm taking Valcyte. But the …
- Positive News by: Mark
March 5, 2009, 15:05
Things are starting to look pretty good again. For one, I'm starting to feel much better so that in itself makes a huge difference! Secondly, I met with my …
- Vaccine Debacle by: Mark
January 9, 2009, 11:15
Alright, get ready for this. Now my patience is running thin. This post will not only serve as an update but will also be therapeutic for me just by dumping…
- Next Steps - Jan 2009 by: Mark
January 6, 2009, 14:49
So we are opening a new chapter now. To cut to the chase, the MRI is good and "ok". The "ok" part is there is residual tumor - not a lot but there is some a…
- Finally a Date by: Mark
December 30, 2008, 05:12
Finally a date. I think we are nearing the end of the vaccine chronicles.... After all of the saga with the vaccine, I have at least a date for the (wiki-…
- November 12 2008 Update by: Mark
November 12, 2008, 14:40
It has been a few days since I've updated the blog here and for good reason! We have had so much going on in terms appointments. I guess when you have about…
- Update - DCVax-Brain Vaccine by: Mark
October 13, 2008, 13:22
I spoke to my Neurosurgeon's office and it looks like the vaccine treatment is coming through!! The collection kit is being sent overnight via FedEx from the …
- More Symptomatic / More on Vaccines by: Mark
October 11, 2008, 04:53
Update I continue to become more symptomatic which is actually good believe it or not! I had a focal seizure yesterday afternoon and although not as long as t…
- DCVax-Brain Vaccine Trial by: Mark
October 7, 2008, 09:27
I mentioned that we pushed the surgery one week to give us more time to seek a trial that allows me to take advantage of a new vaccine that is showing amazing r…
- DCVax (16)
- Radio Interview Re: DCVax by: Mark
September 4, 2009, 08:10
This is a great radio interview with Dr. Linda Liau, the creator and chief investigator/neurosurgeon at UCLA regarding DCVax. Joining her is the chair of the …
- My Previous Post by: Mark
July 31, 2009, 19:09
My last post, regarding the healthcare system, was posted very carefully. Of course, it was related to politics! This will always pull some people's string…
- MRI Results - July 2009 - WOW!!! by: Mark
July 23, 2009, 11:25
In a word, WOW. If you've been reading my blog for some time, you know that we've had our share of not so positve news over the past few years. We've learne…
- May 7 2009 MRI Results by: Mark
May 8, 2009, 20:57
Real quick but this really illustrates how much we really need to just stay in today. My own conjecture about the increased frequency of my seizures, includi…
- Third Vaccine Treatment by: Mark
April 22, 2009, 10:15
I went in for my third vaccination series yesterday. I obviously can't say for sure what is helping, but I have more energy than I've had in a long time - thi…
- Sacramento Bee Article by: Mark
April 11, 2009, 08:52
The Sacramento Bee article came out today and I was surprised to see it was on the front page - "Cancer vaccine offers hope to family". The writer asked me my…
- Second DCVax Treatment by: Mark
April 10, 2009, 12:29
Today I will receive my second DCVax treatment - everything is moving forward according to plan! I'm very obviously very happy about that. I meet with my Ne…
- DCVax Pictures by: Mark
April 3, 2009, 12:42
I mentioned I would post some pictures of the canister that is used to ship the DCVax-Brain vaccine and as promised, here they are. I'm placing one here inlin…
- First Vaccine Injections by: Mark
April 1, 2009, 20:52
Today was a long day - and a circus at times! I met with my Neuro-Oncologist at 1pm and everything went well. MRI looks ok - some "worsening" noted but a…
- Vaccine Delivered! by: Mark
March 31, 2009, 14:11
Things are moving fast but I received confirmation that my vaccine (DCVax-Brain) has been delivered to the infusion center at Sutter where I will have my vaccin…
- Truth or Fiction? by: Mark
March 27, 2009, 22:04
I would call this a cautiously optimistic update on the vaccine. To many this is a lot more exciting news but I received a call from my Neuro-Oncologist today…
- Vaccine Debacle by: Mark
January 9, 2009, 11:15
Alright, get ready for this. Now my patience is running thin. This post will not only serve as an update but will also be therapeutic for me just by dumping…
- Finally a Date by: Mark
December 30, 2008, 05:12
Finally a date. I think we are nearing the end of the vaccine chronicles.... After all of the saga with the vaccine, I have at least a date for the (wiki-…
- November 12 2008 Update by: Mark
November 12, 2008, 14:40
It has been a few days since I've updated the blog here and for good reason! We have had so much going on in terms appointments. I guess when you have about…
- Update - DCVax-Brain Vaccine by: Mark
October 13, 2008, 13:22
I spoke to my Neurosurgeon's office and it looks like the vaccine treatment is coming through!! The collection kit is being sent overnight via FedEx from the …
- DCVax-Brain Vaccine Trial by: Mark
October 7, 2008, 09:27
I mentioned that we pushed the surgery one week to give us more time to seek a trial that allows me to take advantage of a new vaccine that is showing amazing r…
- Radio Interview Re: DCVax by: Mark
- CNN Article - Brain Tumor Vaccines by: Mark
- Chemotherapy (38)
- Medical Update by: Mark
January 26, 2010, 15:09
I've now completed my second week of using (wiki-en:VP-16). I'm now starting to feel the cumulative effects of this chemotherapy. It's somewhat like temodar b…
- January 5th Neurosurgeon Meeting by: Mark
January 6, 2010, 11:37
Yesterday afternoon I met with my neurosurgeon. This meeting was designed to just get an opinion as to whether or not any surgical options existed to get ahead …
- Neutropenic - Hospital Stay by: Mark
November 3, 2009, 14:11
Many of you may be wondering why I've been MIA for the last few weeks. Well, I've been in the hospital. What began as a serious flu for several days resulte…
- Continuing Avastin by: Mark
October 2, 2009, 12:47
Just a quick update. I am continuing with my bi-weekly avastin infusions and they are going fine. I will have an MRI coming up in the middle of October - y…
- Treatment Update and Concerts by: Mark
September 22, 2009, 14:41
I haven't posted for a bit - just continuing treatment and spending time with family. Things are good. On the medical front, I had my bi-weekly infusion las…
- July 6 2009 Treatment Update by: Mark
July 6, 2009, 10:24
I've been a bit out of touch but for good reason. I've been extremely busy, both for pleasure and tending to medical responsibilities. It was a very busy…
- Current Status by: Mark
May 13, 2009, 11:32
I haven't posted for a bit. I've been trying to balance out my seizure meds. The second medication I was prescribed raised the levels of another medication …
- Third Vaccine Treatment by: Mark
April 22, 2009, 10:15
I went in for my third vaccination series yesterday. I obviously can't say for sure what is helping, but I have more energy than I've had in a long time - thi…
- Irinotecan Hangover by: Mark
February 6, 2009, 19:49
Just a quick post here tonight. I had my infusion on Wednesday - my lymphocytes were up around 1500 (they only need to be above 400 to use the vaccine) and my…
- Chemo Update - Irinotecan Side Effects by: Mark
January 25, 2009, 13:04
My current (new) chemotherapy cocktail as it were which is all IV-based and consists of (wiki-en: Irinotecan) and (wiki-en: Avastin) is definitely much harsher …
- Started Irinotecan + Avastin by: Mark
January 23, 2009, 12:07
It has been a few days since I've posted - there has been so much going on. All of these starts and stops were driving me crazy with the Chemotherapy. The l…
- Vaccine Plan by: Mark
January 14, 2009, 10:32
Yesterday's appointments went fine. I was able to understand a lot more about the vaccine research protocol which is great. The short of it is we should kno…
- First Irinotecan Infusion by: Mark
January 13, 2009, 09:14
POST UPDATE: Infusion moved to next Monday, January 19th. I received a call and Northwest Biotherapeutics has to confirm that they received enough cells. …
- Still Sick by: Mark
December 26, 2008, 14:54
First off, on Christmas Eve as Rachael and I were getting everything done, I decided to open a gift that my parents had sent to me. My mom had enclosed a note…
- DMV, Avastin and Physical Therapy by: Mark
December 23, 2008, 04:24
Today I have the pleasure of feeling like I'm sixteen years old again and driving around with a DMV examiner sitting in my car, clipboard in hand and watching m…
- Started Avastin by: Mark
December 7, 2008, 10:32
More on the DVax-Brain vaccine saga in a moment, but put shortly my slot is set to start in the first week of January which for a (wiki-en: Glioblastoma Multifo…
- Chemotherapy Is Over...For Good...For Now by: Mark
July 18, 2008, 14:45
I've come to the end of the road with chemotherapy. As you know from the last several posts, I was off chemo (again) for nearly 6 weeks and just hopped back on …
- First Week Back on Chemotherapy - In The Bag by: Mark
July 16, 2008, 09:25
I finished up the first week back on chemotherapy last night and overall it went very well. As I mentioned, I think my body wasn't ready for it on the first n…
- Positive Lab Results - Back to Chemo by: Mark
July 8, 2008, 20:15
Finally...After 5 weeks of weekly CBCs, I finally have an ANC (absolute neutrophil count) from today's blood draw that is acceptable - it's at 1200, up from 858…
- Blood Count Down Further - No Chemo by: Mark
July 2, 2008, 11:40
I received my lab work results and the ANC has dropped down to 858 from last week's score of 964. Obviously this is in the wrong direction! On the positive …
- Low Blood Count - Still Holding Chemo by: Mark
June 25, 2008, 12:01
Well, I had a CBC run at the lab yesterday in preparation to start back on chemotherapy tonight and I received a call from my neuro-oncologist telling me to wai…
- Pausing Chemo Again by: Mark
June 15, 2008, 10:30
Happy Father's Day to all of the father's out there. I will be picking up the phone to talk to my dad a bit later but am not feeling so well today unfortunatel…
- Pausing Chemo by: Mark
May 6, 2008, 09:09
I believe I've mentioned that I've been feeling a lot more fatigued lately than before. I have also picked up some type of flu - pretty much just hit me head …
- UCSF Preliminary Info by: Mark
April 8, 2008, 19:58
Although I am still waiting for formal documentation, I had a discussion with the Department of Neuro-Oncology at UCSF on Friday evening. After going through …
- Chemo Strategy by: Mark
March 30, 2008, 14:20
At this point I'm in full research mode on chemo. The conservative recommendation is to continue on my alternative 7-day regimen through the 1 year milestone.…
- Chemotherapy Plan by: Mark
February 28, 2008, 13:49
After a long discussion yesterday with my Oncologist, I have decided to stay on the alternating 7-day on / 7-day off chemotherapy plan. I had somehow mistaken …
- Quick Post by: Mark
February 22, 2008, 12:00
Last night was most interesting. I was very tired and went to bed at 9pm. I took my dose of (wiki-en: Zofran) (anti-nausea medication) around that time as per u…
- 5-Day Chemo Regimen by: Mark
February 15, 2008, 14:04
Well, I have decided that when I am finished with cycle #5, I am going to try the 5-day chemo regimen. With this schedule, I will take Temodar for 5 days and t…
- Great Day / Middle of Cycle 4 by: Mark
January 21, 2008, 15:20
Each day brings new experiences and today was really great. It's the national MLK observance and I spent the better part of the day with my son. We went to th…
- Chemo - Compounding Effect by: Mark
January 14, 2008, 14:19
There is a certain compounding effect of chemotherapy that seems to be taking place the longer I am on Temodar. I believe I have mentioned before in this bl…
- Back on Track - Chemo, Diet and What Works For Me by: Mark
November 26, 2007, 14:14
I'm definitely back on track now and it's such a relief. This weekend was the best weekend I have had in over 6 weeks. It was great because I felt more more m…
- Fatigue and Fatigue by: Mark
November 6, 2007, 14:14
Well, I am in the exact same place I have been with the added component of one of my medications used to control seizures, topomax, adding some additional fatig…
- Oncologist Appt and UCSF Film Review by: Mark
October 17, 2007, 21:41
For some reason I hit a wall yesterday. I'm not sure why but it is eerily reminiscent of the way I felt on several occasions while going through radiation and …
- 7 Days On - UCSF Brain Tumor Center by: Mark
October 15, 2007, 14:20
I haven't written for a few days - it's been quite busy and I've been getting used to this new program. The first few days were a bit trying. The good news fo…
- Chemotherapy Set by: Mark
October 10, 2007, 22:24
It's late so this is going to be very quick. Yet another change in the chemotherapy but this is how it is in the world of brain tumor treatment. I had a final…
- Chemotherapy Research / Regimen by: Mark
October 4, 2007, 09:53
Quick post - I talked to my medical oncologist and we are reconsidering our approach with the pulse therapy. I mentioned in my previous post that we were movin…
- Update - Treatment 17 of 33 by: Mark
August 22, 2007, 05:08
I have completed radiation treatment 17 of 33 so I am officially more than halfway through this initial course of therapy. Of course the chemo is daily as I ha…
- Radiation and Chemo Started by: Mark
July 31, 2007, 06:47
Just a quick post and update. I started radiation yesterday and then followed that by (wiki-en: chemotherapy) last night using the drug (wiki-en: temodar). Th…
- Medical Update by: Mark
- Complications (4)
- Follow Up - Flu & MRI by: Mark
November 7, 2009, 22:10
I'm slowly pulling out of this and have some time to ellaborate on my fun with the flu. This flu is hard for anyone let alone those with a suppressed immune …
- Sick - Missed Avastin by: Mark
June 6, 2009, 19:28
Has anyone had this summer flu/cold that is going around? I'm sure a lot hands went up. It's bad! Especially if your white cell count is consistently low.…
- 911 Is A Drag by: Mark
November 20, 2008, 18:39
Well, the past few days have been a rough ride. On Tuesday, I was feeling fine in the morning - just going about my normal routine. I left the kitchen to he…
- A Cold And An Old Foe by: Mark
July 24, 2008, 14:36
As luck (or a hashed immune system!) would have it, I ended up with a cold. Who cares at this point - it's par for the course and I'm working on bringing myse…
- Follow Up - Flu & MRI by: Mark
- Gamma Knife (6)
- Gamma Knife After-Effects by: Mark
February 9, 2010, 15:51
First off, here's a freaky image! I want to be this next Halloween! This look at brain anatomy is somewhere on my blog but I thought it would be wor…
- Gamma Knife Completed by: Mark
February 4, 2010, 23:03
A very quick post and some pics regarding today's Gamma Knife surgery. First, everthing went perfectly and it was successfully completed today. A long day …
- MRI Shows New Tumor by: Mark
February 2, 2010, 15:02
Yesterday I had an MRI in the morning that was scheduled as a 30 day follow-up to my last MRI. The image to the left is the result. The yellow arrow represe…
- Gamma Knife Completed by: Mark
March 13, 2009, 14:15
The gamma knife surgery is behind us and was successful - at least based on the plan that was established. The MRI that was conducted first thing in the morni…
- Gamma Knife Moved Up - This Thursday by: Mark
March 9, 2009, 20:56
Very quick post - my Gamma Knife procedure has been moved up to this Thursday - the 12th. Everything is being accelerated because the DCVax vaccine will be re…
- Gamma Knife by: Mark
March 3, 2009, 21:32
Quick Post: This is very preliminary but the Tumor Board met and approved me as a candidate for (wiki-en: Gamma Knife) surgery. This is pretty cutting edge …
- Gamma Knife After-Effects by: Mark
- Medications (3)
- Seizures and Medication - So Much To Track by: Mark
May 26, 2009, 13:00
Our 2 year old son Keegan had his second set of tubes put into his ears this morning. If any of you have ever had your children go through the tube surgery, i…
- Seizure Control by: Mark
March 20, 2009, 13:21
As I wrote earlier, I had a seizure on Saturday, March 14th. My doctors indicated it was likely a coincidence. I wasn't so sure but I received sound advice …
- Slowly by: Mark
March 2, 2009, 09:56
I went to my GP and based on everything we believe I have bronchitis or pneumonia. Who would have thought? NO idea about the headaches. My blood pressure …
- Seizures and Medication - So Much To Track by: Mark
- Radiation (2)
- IMRT Brain Tumor Radiation Treatment Pictures by: Mark
August 29, 2007, 13:52
For those of you who may wonder what it is like to undergo radiation treatment, I had the radiation technicians take some photographs for me. For anyone about t…
- Radiation and Chemo Started by: Mark
July 31, 2007, 06:47
Just a quick post and update. I started radiation yesterday and then followed that by (wiki-en: chemotherapy) last night using the drug (wiki-en: temodar). Th…
- IMRT Brain Tumor Radiation Treatment Pictures by: Mark
- Medical Update by: Mark
- Brain-Surgery (17)
- Post-Op MRI by: Mark
November 16, 2008, 12:57
I haven't posted the post-op MRI which will show you the drastic change made as a result of surgery. Essentially, where the tumor existed before you will see …
- Neurosurgeon Appointment by: Mark
November 1, 2008, 13:12
I mentioned that Rachael and I had an appointment with my neurosurgeon to go through our strategy moving forward. Rather than go into a lot of detail regardin…
- Discharged / Faith and Endurance by: Mark
October 27, 2008, 20:02
Rachael and I had a meeting with the staff and case manager today at the acute rehab center and the concensus was to move up my discharge date to today. Surpr…
- Surgery Pushed to October 15th 2008 by: Mark
October 6, 2008, 08:42
Update: My surgery has been pushed to next Wednesday, October 15th. There is one and only one reason for this. We are seeking a cutting edge vaccine treat…
- Brain Surgery Next Wednesday - 10/8/08 by: Mark
October 2, 2008, 09:43
Well, here we go. Surgery number two. When I looked at that MRI yesterday, I have researched this long enough and looked at enough scans to know one from an…
- Last Day - Radiation and Chemo by: Mark
September 12, 2007, 21:59
Well, the day has come that I have finished the 6 weeks of daily chemotherapy (46 doses) using (wiki-en: temodar) and 33 IMRT radiation treatments. The next ste…
- Brain Tumor Treatment Update by: Mark
August 10, 2007, 08:40
I just wanted to take a moment and provide a quick update on my treatment. I am concluding my second week of radiation and chemotherapy today. Thus far, I'm h…
- Update on Keegan and My Treatment by: Mark
July 20, 2007, 07:05
Keegan is doing really good. He had a bit of an issue with jaundice for several days that we were monitoring closely but that seems to be ok at this point. We…
- Hanging In... by: Mark
July 9, 2007, 22:08
Just an update on the personal front. The River of Faith album is out there as you know - thanks to those of you who have purchased copies - I'm glad I can sha…
- First Surgery Update by: Mark
July 2, 2007, 10:41
I wanted to post an update here even though I don't have a lot of energy. It's the easiest way to keep everyone up to speed instead of repeating everything ove…
- Latest Information... by: admin
June 19, 2007, 05:13
I wanted to take a moment to post some additional information. After meeting with the neurosurgical team here at the Neuroscience Institute in Sacramento and d…
- Personal Update by: admin
June 13, 2007, 05:32
Well, I haven't written for a bit because I have had a lot going on here. It's been, in a word, a firestorm over the past 7 days or so so this will not be a ch…
- Recovery (10)
- Cognitive Endurance Tools by: Mark
November 22, 2009, 15:26
I've been looking around for some "brain exercise" or fitness apps/tools to just exercise it for sharpening. I believe that it's important, particularly with …
- Doing Well by: Mark
May 1, 2009, 10:01
I have posted for a few days as I've been doing pretty well! I'm still trying to figure out the right balance of meds to manage my seizures - I had one on We…
- Slowly by: Mark
March 2, 2009, 09:56
I went to my GP and based on everything we believe I have bronchitis or pneumonia. Who would have thought? NO idea about the headaches. My blood pressure …
- Post-Op MRI by: Mark
November 16, 2008, 12:57
I haven't posted the post-op MRI which will show you the drastic change made as a result of surgery. Essentially, where the tumor existed before you will see …
- Discharged / Faith and Endurance by: Mark
October 27, 2008, 20:02
Rachael and I had a meeting with the staff and case manager today at the acute rehab center and the concensus was to move up my discharge date to today. Surpr…
- Back to Work by: Mark
September 5, 2007, 09:01
Well, it's been 8 weeks since I set foot in this building and I'm back to it! I have to say it feels good. I need some normalcy in my life and although I need…
- Update on Keegan and My Treatment by: Mark
July 20, 2007, 07:05
Keegan is doing really good. He had a bit of an issue with jaundice for several days that we were monitoring closely but that seems to be ok at this point. We…
- Hanging In... by: Mark
July 9, 2007, 22:08
Just an update on the personal front. The River of Faith album is out there as you know - thanks to those of you who have purchased copies - I'm glad I can sha…
- First Surgery Update by: Mark
July 2, 2007, 10:41
I wanted to post an update here even though I don't have a lot of energy. It's the easiest way to keep everyone up to speed instead of repeating everything ove…
- Physical Therapy (1)
- Rehab Update / Thank You by: Mark
October 26, 2008, 00:42
Hello everyone! Well, this is the first time I have had the opportunity to post anything but it’s good to be able to put a quick update up here and to thank…
- Rehab Update / Thank You by: Mark
- Cognitive Endurance Tools by: Mark
- Post-Op MRI by: Mark
- Christianity (12)
- Today is the Day by: Mark
February 15, 2010, 15:25
I sure need to remember this. The last four or five days I have allowed myself to stray from stable ground into the unknown and dangerous territory called tomor…
- Time by: Mark
January 7, 2010, 13:39
All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be. (Psalm 139:16) How many days does anyone have left?? I don’t know and…
- Prayer by: Mark
December 4, 2009, 14:57
Sending out a prayer for Steve, a co-worker who underwent a craniotomy this morning. I do not know his condition at this point but am praying. If everyone w…
- Kids Can Teach Us by: Mark
October 7, 2009, 12:39
I believe I forgot to mention this. Our son Aidan's class is sponsoring a child in Mexico who is in need. So, all of the students are encouraged to bring in…
- 9/11 and Trials by: Mark
September 11, 2009, 13:01
In the United States, today of course is the anniversary of the worst terrorist attack in our history. I first want to send out a tribute to those who lost th…
- Faith and Update by: Mark
September 3, 2009, 10:32
I hope all is well with everyone. I've been doing ok. A few seizures here and there but not anything I can't handle. I had one at work on Monday and had t…
- Prayer Requests - New Feature by: Mark
July 27, 2009, 20:57
Over the past several years, I've been in touch with a countless number of survivors, caregivers, friends and family who have had prayer requests. I wanted to…
- Strength - Let's Keep Going... by: Mark
March 18, 2009, 16:32
Isiah 40:28-31 28 Have you never heard or understood? Don't you know that the Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of all the earth? He never gr…
- A New Day by: Mark
December 2, 2008, 09:21
Just a quick post - I am in a much better place today. I woke up during the night looking forward to work! And, I do know that God is in the middle of this.…
- Nick Vujicic at Bayside by: Mark
September 4, 2008, 08:02
This last Sunday we were so happy to have Nick Vujicic at Bayside Church in Granite Bay, California. For those of you who don't know his story, I posted abou…
- Message by: Mark
December 10, 2007, 15:33
The message at church over the weekend was really good. Of course most of the messages are great but they always have a way of hitting home. Considering the…
- Trials & Endurance by: Mark
October 15, 2007, 14:05
There was a great message this weekend at church. Isn't it amazing how many times things are right on target with where you are at a particular time? My wife …
- Today is the Day by: Mark
- Medical Updates (7)
- MRI Next Week by: Mark
March 4, 2010, 15:36
I'm glad I have an iPhone. As I was ready to leave today for my MRI at 11am, I looked at my calendar. It was in there for next Thursday! Sheesh. I have…
- MRI Shows New Tumor by: Mark
February 2, 2010, 15:02
Yesterday I had an MRI in the morning that was scheduled as a 30 day follow-up to my last MRI. The image to the left is the result. The yellow arrow represe…
- Surgery Update by: Glen
October 15, 2008, 16:02
Mark's surgery was scheduled for today at 8:30am. Following the surgery, I spoke with his brother who informed me that Mark's surgey was successful. The doctor…
- Surgery Pushed to October 15th 2008 by: Mark
October 6, 2008, 08:42
Update: My surgery has been pushed to next Wednesday, October 15th. There is one and only one reason for this. We are seeking a cutting edge vaccine treat…
- Update by: Mark
September 23, 2008, 15:01
I haven't posted for a bit as I have been busy with work - putting in a lot of time lately. This too will have to be quick but I'm going to go in this week an…
- Medical Update and a Blog Reader's Conference by: Mark
September 10, 2008, 07:12
It's been awhile since I have posted - I have really been enjoying this time. As I have said, being off of chemotherapy is great. We don't know what the fut…
- Feeling Much Better by: Mark
August 6, 2008, 04:46
What a difference being off of chemotherapy makes. You have to do what you have to do, no doubt about that, but once your dues are paid for that time it sure …
- MRI Next Week by: Mark
- Musical Pursuits (8)
- River of Faith by: Mark
January 10, 2009, 15:26
One additional bit of information - and uplifting for me so the timing was great. For those of you that follow the blog, you'll recall that a fellow blog read…
- Under the Same Sky by: Mark
December 1, 2008, 06:24
I know my post last night was a downer. I couldn't sleep well last night and I often turn to music. I am NOT much of an instrumentalist at all. I'm a prod…
- Time to Write by: Mark
August 4, 2007, 13:51
I've been thinking about this lately - really over the past 24 hours or so. I haven't written a song since "Angels of the Night" in mid-May which was the last…
- Album Update by: Mark
June 22, 2007, 05:06
In spite of what is happening with my impending surgery, I am continuing to move forward with the release of the River of Faith album. Yesterday I started the …
- River of Faith - CD Duplication by: admin
June 4, 2007, 19:50
Well, after writing, recording, rewriting and working for the past 6 months I have decided to cut the album and have sent my final master off for some pre-produ…
- Christian Songwriter's Network - Song of the Month by: admin
June 1, 2007, 08:55
"The Messenger" Selected as Song of the Month on CSN" - I've been active on a site for about a month now called the Christian Songwriter's Network. It's a grea…
- Studio Rig by: admin
May 10, 2007, 19:48
For more detailed information related to my studio, check out the My Studio page. I figured that I'd post some information pertaining to my home studio wher…
- Welcome to Blogging in B Minor... by: admin
May 8, 2007, 05:32
Welcome to Blogging in B Minor. Hey, it's just another (wiki-en: blog), right - with a name that sounded catchy to me. You're here, right? Well, perhaps beca…
- River of Faith by: Mark
- My Story (62)
- Napa Wine Country by: Mark
March 2, 2010, 23:12
My brother Shawn came into town and has been here over the past 5 days. Napa was a great getaway
- Safari Trip by: Mark
February 22, 2010, 09:34
I don't have a lot of time to write right now but we had a great time this weekend on her trip with Aidan. Here is a good series of pictures that is representat…
- Today is the Day by: Mark
February 15, 2010, 15:25
I sure need to remember this. The last four or five days I have allowed myself to stray from stable ground into the unknown and dangerous territory called tomor…
- Medical Update by: Mark
January 26, 2010, 15:09
I've now completed my second week of using (wiki-en:VP-16). I'm now starting to feel the cumulative effects of this chemotherapy. It's somewhat like temodar b…
- Last Day of Work - January 31st 2010 by: Mark
January 18, 2010, 11:03
After spending a lot of time looking at all of the various aspects of leaving my career, whether temporarily or permanently, we have made a decision that it's t…
- Happy New Year by: Mark
December 31, 2009, 11:14
It's hard to believe that an entire year has passed again. 2010. It seems like yesterday that it was 2009 and we are celebrating the new millennium. For us, t…
- Thanksgiving and Goodnight Bug by: Mark
November 27, 2009, 12:16
I hope that everyone in the US had a great Thanksgiving holiday. For those of you that decided to brave "Black Friday", I'm sorry. I was in bed until 8:30am…
- Fun with Video by: Mark
November 25, 2009, 10:02
We purchased a Flip Video HD - they are so great. HD quality, fits in your hand like a cell phone and just hooks up to the pc via USB. With our new camera,…
- Acceptance by: Mark
November 15, 2009, 14:57
Do any of us want to accept this diagnosis? I didn't and there are still times, such as this period of being sick that I find hard to accept. But if there a…
- Neutropenic - Hospital Stay by: Mark
November 3, 2009, 14:11
Many of you may be wondering why I've been MIA for the last few weeks. Well, I've been in the hospital. What began as a serious flu for several days resulte…
- Monday - Sad Day by: Mark
October 19, 2009, 19:32
Yesterday was a tough day. I won't use names to protect the anonymity of the person involved, but someone who has been just an integral part of my treatment -…
- MRI Results - 8/19/09 by: Mark
August 23, 2009, 14:26
Before I left for Tahoe, I had an MRI as a recheck just to ensure I wasn't experiencing any growth. Sometimes an MRI is a result of a patient being symptomat…
- Father's Day by: Mark
June 23, 2009, 12:33
I'm FINALLY feeling better! I didn't post for quite awhile because this cold just became worse and worse and it finally required anti-biotics. It's taken th…
- Brain Tumor Support by: Mark
May 27, 2009, 12:52
Injection today. All of the standard labwork came back fine so the vaccine was sent overnight as usual. This really provides us with a lot of hope for us. …
- Anniversary Weekend by: Mark
April 20, 2009, 13:30
My wife and I had a great weekend. Our 8th Wedding Anniversary is actually today but we celebrated it over the weekend. It was so nice to get away. We did…
- Memories for Later by: Mark
March 23, 2009, 09:49
This was a great weekend with Aidan in particular, our 6 year-old son. First, he loves to color as you might know if you are a regular reader. I put this sl…
- Strength - Let's Keep Going... by: Mark
March 18, 2009, 16:32
Isiah 40:28-31 28 Have you never heard or understood? Don't you know that the Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of all the earth? He never gr…
- Tumor Recurrence by: Mark
February 13, 2009, 08:53
The words you never want to hear. Particularly for me since in just a matter of days I was to start the vaccine I have been waiting for for nearly 4 months. …
- In Memory of Dakota by: Mark
January 23, 2009, 12:32
Yesterday was a tough day for our family. We lost our black lab Dakota. We have two labs - a blonde and black, Bailey and Dakota. They were the best of fr…
- MRI Images and Inspirational Message by: Mark
January 4, 2009, 14:40
Two quick items. I don't have a report but did get my hands on the MRI images and did some eye-balling as usual. This can good and dangerous! Anyway, here…
- DMV Licensing Saga Finished by: Mark
December 31, 2008, 09:21
Quick post: I received a letter yesterday from the nice people at the DMV informing me that no further action is necessary on my part, I passed my "driving te…
- Driving Re-Examination by: Mark
December 27, 2008, 14:22
I failed to mention through all of my updates that the "driving test" went fine. She said she couldn't tell me the final decision as it wasn't in her hands bu…
- Happy Holidays! by: Mark
December 25, 2008, 18:11
I hope all of you are having a great time over the holidays. We celebrated Christmas today and it was good for the kids. - no that I have much control. Rac…
- More Symptomatic / More on Vaccines by: Mark
October 11, 2008, 04:53
Update I continue to become more symptomatic which is actually good believe it or not! I had a focal seizure yesterday afternoon and although not as long as t…
- More Symptoms / Tons of Support! by: Mark
October 9, 2008, 18:45
You guys are great!! I can't tell you how touched we are with your overwhelming support. I have received so many emails from friends, blog readers, other br…
- Brain Surgery Next Wednesday - 10/8/08 by: Mark
October 2, 2008, 09:43
Well, here we go. Surgery number two. When I looked at that MRI yesterday, I have researched this long enough and looked at enough scans to know one from an…
- fMRI - Prelim Results by: Mark
October 1, 2008, 07:19
Well, the preliminary results came in last night as I met with my Neuro-oncologist. Not so good. My last MRI showed a slight bit of contrast as you may reca…
- Aidan's Birthday / My Appointments by: Mark
August 28, 2008, 12:47
Today is my son Aidan's birthday - 6 years old! His new favorite response to everything now that he is older is "I know". Isn't it awesome? Aidan, don't t…
- Back From Vacation - Victoria, British Columbia by: Mark
August 25, 2008, 11:08
We're back from our vacation to Victoria and it was so nice to get away. As I said before, we haven't been away for more than a long weekend since Rachael was…
- Feeling Great! by: Mark
August 19, 2008, 08:22
I'm really getting back to a pretty normal life now. My son Aidan is starting in on his first year on a soccer team, I'm coaching so I'm out there on Wednesda…
- Babies Are Hilarious! by: Mark
July 12, 2008, 10:15
Quick post - this is a hilarious short clip of my 1 year old Keegan putting on a show recently in our living room. We couldn't stop laughing about this. Thi…
- First Night Back On Chemo by: Mark
July 10, 2008, 10:09
After nearly 6 weeks off of chemo because of my low blood counts, the first night back on chemo went ok. I will have to say though - how quickly I became used…
- Aidan's Artwork by: Mark
July 3, 2008, 09:00
My son Aidan loves to draw. He sits down at the kitchen table and gets out crayons, pens, pencils, paints - you name it! He makes cards, drawings and anythi…
- 1 Year Ago Today - Brain Surgery by: Mark
June 29, 2008, 05:07
Ok, it's been a year now. 1 year since brain tumor surgery. It was 1 year ago this morning I was packing into the car after getting virtually zero sleep and h…
- The Infirmary by: Mark
June 20, 2008, 14:28
Our entire house has been sick! I'm sure this all started with my cold last week. As you know, I paused chemotherapy again beginning last Saturday. I call…
- A Survivor From Day 1 by: Mark
June 9, 2008, 13:46
I was out on a few internet boards this morning and found an interesting post that posed the question "what constitutes a brain tumor survivor?" The discussion…
- Big Week by: Mark
May 27, 2008, 07:02
Just a really quick post this AM. This is a big week for me - I could really use your prayers. Today I have my standard 60-day MRI. Tomorrow I'm having a …
- Sometimes We Stumble... by: Mark
May 25, 2008, 13:30
I think I typically keep things pretty well in perspective considering what I have happening in my life. I'm speaking of just my health, prognosis and these as…
- Back in Business / Being Present in Life by: Mark
May 13, 2008, 13:18
I have been in a holding pattern with chemotherapy for my third week now. The symptoms I have been presenting since April 28th are just now starting to wane s…
- Brain Tumors: Impact on the Family by: Mark
April 14, 2008, 04:41
One aspect of having a brain tumor that is equally devastating is how this diagnosis impacts family members. My wife and I, of course, had some emotional time…
- What a Brain Tumor Can't Do... by: Mark
March 10, 2008, 20:48
A brain tumor is so limited that: It cannot cripple love It cannot shatter hope It cannot corrode faith It cannot destroy peace It cannot kill friendshi…
- The Median Isn't the Message by: Mark
March 5, 2008, 20:45
I've spent a number of posts speaking of statistics and attitude. I think every brain tumor survivor - and cancer survivor for that matter should give "The Med…
- Learning to be a Survivor by: Mark
March 5, 2008, 14:24
Anyone who is brain tumor survivor has been on a winding, bumpy road - and this putting it mildly for many of us. I was reflecting on what I have learned so fa…
- The Complex World of Brain Tumor Treatment by: Mark
March 2, 2008, 07:50
One of the most difficult aspects I have faced as a brain tumor survivor is making decisions around how to treat my tumor. In the beginning, there are a millio…
- 5-Day Chemo Regimen by: Mark
February 15, 2008, 14:04
Well, I have decided that when I am finished with cycle #5, I am going to try the 5-day chemo regimen. With this schedule, I will take Temodar for 5 days and t…
- Next Steps & Enjoying Life by: Mark
February 9, 2008, 15:18
In discussing my scans with my oncologist, there were no revelations of course. However, I did get into a lengthy discussion about the 6-month decision point. …
- MRI Results - 02/04/07 by: Mark
February 5, 2008, 12:52
Stable disease! I feel so blessed to have had multiple imaging studies now showing a stable tumor. Needless to say we are very happy. I don't know why but I …
- Great Day / Middle of Cycle 4 by: Mark
January 21, 2008, 15:20
Each day brings new experiences and today was really great. It's the national MLK observance and I spent the better part of the day with my son. We went to th…
- Happy New Year! by: Mark
January 1, 2008, 11:21
So what will the new year hold? I wrote a post just a week ago that focused on “staying in today”. Last night I wondered how I was going to practice what …
- Stats are Stats - Stay in Today by: Mark
December 19, 2007, 12:18
I believe one of the most difficult aspects of being a brain tumor survivor is in staying in today - one of the coping mechanisms if you will. In time, it's no…
- Giving Back... by: Mark
December 3, 2007, 14:43
It has been really nice receiving emails from so many people finding my site. It feels good to give back. I'm at a point in this journey where I can give back…
- Turned the Corner! by: Mark
November 19, 2007, 22:05
After feeling awful for the better part of 5 weeks, I am finally feeling better! On Thursday I was really starting to feel somewhat normal - it was a day after …
- UCSF Film Review - Positive Results by: Mark
October 23, 2007, 10:42
Quick Post - I received the dictation yesterday and Dr. Mitchel Berger agrees that the tumor appears to be quite stable and at this point the therapy using Temo…
- 2 Steps Forward... by: Mark
September 24, 2007, 15:36
One step backward! Isn't that the way life seems to be sometimes? Well, I haven't had a (wiki-en: focal seizure) for nearly 2 months now and I was at work tod…
- MRI Scheduled by: Mark
September 21, 2007, 12:50
As I mentioned, the next step in the treatment process is to have an MRI performed which will show status on the brain tumor post-radiation/chemo. The obvious …
- New Arrival - July 13, 2007! by: Mark
July 13, 2007, 16:52
What a night! I have no time to write this but I have great news. Our son was born this morning at 9:45am via emergency c-section and weighed in at 6 pounds, …
- Personal Update by: admin
June 13, 2007, 05:32
Well, I haven't written for a bit because I have had a lot going on here. It's been, in a word, a firestorm over the past 7 days or so so this will not be a ch…
- Inspiration (7)
- 9/11 and Trials by: Mark
September 11, 2009, 13:01
In the United States, today of course is the anniversary of the worst terrorist attack in our history. I first want to send out a tribute to those who lost th…
- The Power of Today by: Mark
July 10, 2009, 13:50
How many times do we focus on the future and worry about the future. As a brain tumor survivor, I struggle with this all the time. I know many other survivo…
- Strength - Let's Keep Going... by: Mark
March 18, 2009, 16:32
Isiah 40:28-31 28 Have you never heard or understood? Don't you know that the Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of all the earth? He never gr…
- A New Day by: Mark
December 2, 2008, 09:21
Just a quick post - I am in a much better place today. I woke up during the night looking forward to work! And, I do know that God is in the middle of this.…
- Randy Pausch 1960 - 2008 by: Mark
July 25, 2008, 20:25
I was deeply saddened today to learn that Randy Pausch succumbed to pancreatic cancer. If you aren't familiar with Randy or his "Last Lecture", take a look at…
- The Last Lecture by: Mark
May 30, 2008, 20:24
Many of you must have learned of Dr. Randy Pausch and his fight against pancreatic cancer. I recall my wife Rachael recording an episode of Oprah that feature…
- What a Brain Tumor Can't Do... by: Mark
March 10, 2008, 20:48
A brain tumor is so limited that: It cannot cripple love It cannot shatter hope It cannot corrode faith It cannot destroy peace It cannot kill friendshi…
- 9/11 and Trials by: Mark
- Napa Wine Country by: Mark
- Nutrition (1)
- Supplements by: Mark
April 28, 2008, 08:02
I've talked quite a bit about supplements in the past so I thought I would post a nice picture of the supplements I take on a daily basis. These have changed s…
- Supplements by: Mark
- Press (3)
- CNN Article - Brain Tumor Vaccines by: Mark
March 10, 2010, 15:42
This is a little late but I was reminded of this today and meant to post it when I first read it.
- Sacramento Bee Article by: Mark
April 11, 2009, 08:52
The Sacramento Bee article came out today and I was surprised to see it was on the front page - "Cancer vaccine offers hope to family". The writer asked me my…
- Senator Kennedy Diagnosed with Brain Tumor / Will Congress Act? by: Mark
May 20, 2008, 12:39
It's always interesting when someone who is in the public eye is diagnosed with a rare health condition - it catapults the issue right to the forefront - center…
- CNN Article - Brain Tumor Vaccines by: Mark
- Radiology (20)
- May 7 2009 MRI Results by: Mark
May 8, 2009, 20:57
Real quick but this really illustrates how much we really need to just stay in today. My own conjecture about the increased frequency of my seizures, includi…
- MRI (20)
- Gamma Knife Completed by: Mark
February 4, 2010, 23:03
A very quick post and some pics regarding today's Gamma Knife surgery. First, everthing went perfectly and it was successfully completed today. A long day …
- MRI Shows New Tumor by: Mark
February 2, 2010, 15:02
Yesterday I had an MRI in the morning that was scheduled as a 30 day follow-up to my last MRI. The image to the left is the result. The yellow arrow represe…
- January 5, 2010 Update by: Mark
January 5, 2010, 12:29
I have had a lot going on lately in the middle of the holidays regarding medical tests and treatment options. As I've written lately, I've continued to lose fun…
- MRI Results - 8/19/09 by: Mark
August 23, 2009, 14:26
Before I left for Tahoe, I had an MRI as a recheck just to ensure I wasn't experiencing any growth. Sometimes an MRI is a result of a patient being symptomat…
- MRI Results - July 2009 - WOW!!! by: Mark
July 23, 2009, 11:25
In a word, WOW. If you've been reading my blog for some time, you know that we've had our share of not so positve news over the past few years. We've learne…
- May 7 2009 MRI Results by: Mark
May 8, 2009, 20:57
Real quick but this really illustrates how much we really need to just stay in today. My own conjecture about the increased frequency of my seizures, includi…
- MRI & Current Times by: Mark
May 6, 2009, 07:11
I should hear back from my Neurosurgeon and Neuro-Oncologist today. I left a message with both. I thought more about the seizures and I think that because I…
- MRA Negative by: Mark
February 26, 2009, 11:52
As I mentioned I had an MRA to try and find out why I'm having these headaches. The test was negative - everything looks perfect. One of the images that the…
- Post-Op MRI by: Mark
November 16, 2008, 12:57
I haven't posted the post-op MRI which will show you the drastic change made as a result of surgery. Essentially, where the tumor existed before you will see …
- MRI Series Completed Yesterday - October 2nd 2008 by: Mark
October 3, 2008, 08:00
Yesterday I went in again for another series of MRI studies. These scans are designed to accomplish a number of objectives: MRI w/o Contrast - this type o…
- fMRI - Moved Up to Tomorrow - 9/29/08 by: Mark
September 29, 2008, 12:12
My next scan was originally scheduled for October 6th but I have experienced a few focal seizures over the past several weeks that have made us decide to move t…
- 7/28 MRI Results by: Mark
July 31, 2008, 11:18
My MRI was on Tuesday and I had an appointment yesterday with my Neuro-oncologist. Overall the news was good. The size of the tumor has not changed which is…
- A Cold And An Old Foe by: Mark
July 24, 2008, 14:36
As luck (or a hashed immune system!) would have it, I ended up with a cold. Who cares at this point - it's par for the course and I'm working on bringing myse…
- UCSF MRI and Neuro-Oncology Review by: Mark
April 4, 2008, 15:15
Some good information should be available on Monday from UCSF. For those of you that are not aware, The University of California, San Francisco has a Brain Tu…
- Stable MRI! by: Mark
March 25, 2008, 20:33
My MRI came back as stable disease again! Needless to say I am so happy. My Neuro-Oncologist has indicated that to have stable MRIs like this is a great sig…
- MRI Today - 6 Months of Chemo Completed by: Mark
March 24, 2008, 09:17
As of last night, I took the last of my Temodar to reach the 6-month mark which is the official "standard of care" if you will. I guess it's a meaningful mile…
- MRI - Stable and Unchanged! by: Mark
December 7, 2007, 13:02
The preliminary MRI report came in and the brain tumor is unchanged and stable! This is great news for me. As I've mentioned before, shrinking a grade 3 tumor…
- December 07 MRI / Deja Vu' by: Mark
December 5, 2007, 14:38
It's time for my 60 day check so I will have an MRI tomorrow morning at 8:00am. As per usual, I'll hand-carry the films for an 11am meeting with my neurosurgeo…
- Post Radiation MRI by: Mark
October 2, 2007, 08:17
As many of you know, I had an MRI yesterday that gauges the state of my brain tumor after 6 weeks of radiation and chemotherapy. I was quite nervous about it f…
- MRI Scheduled by: Mark
September 21, 2007, 12:50
As I mentioned, the next step in the treatment process is to have an MRI performed which will show status on the brain tumor post-radiation/chemo. The obvious …
- Gamma Knife Completed by: Mark
- May 7 2009 MRI Results by: Mark
- Research (7)
- Mobile Access by: Mark
February 11, 2010, 19:58
I've quietly been upgrading the blog software behind-the-scenes. I am now beginning to add more functionality such as making the blog accessible from blackberri…
- Is There A Brain Tumor Virus? by: Mark
January 9, 2009, 13:48
Interesting story from Newsweek. I donated tissue for research by Charles Cobbs as part of my last surgery.
- Drug Slows Brain Cancer, Calgary Researchers Say by: Mark
December 21, 2008, 18:11
This is the very type of research and discovery that we all want to see - that makes us hold on, push our lives out as far as we can. Yes, we who have GBMs ha…
- CBS News: What's Behind the Mystery Cancer Cluster? by: Mark
December 15, 2008, 21:40
As we all know, there is very little information with regard to the genesis of primary brain tumors / brain cancer. Unlike most cancers, there are no genetic …
- Research Mode by: Mark
October 30, 2008, 01:52
Rachael and I are going to meet with my Neurosurgeon tomorrow at around Noon. The meeting was set up on fairly quick notice but mostly because I'm pressing. …
- Brain Tumor Resource Library by: Mark
September 17, 2007, 11:32
For quite some time now I have wanted to organize my research and documentation in such a way that I could share it online. I have come up with a tool that allo…
- Brain Tumor Books by: Mark
July 24, 2007, 18:39
I wanted to take a minute and post some information related to some books I've picked up over the past months that have really been invaluble to me in researchi…
- Mobile Access by: Mark
- Side Effects (14)
- Update - Fatigue & Headaches by: Mark
February 24, 2009, 12:05
Well, we were able to sneak away this weekend to Napa Vally here in California, some of the best wine country in the world. Stopping at some wineries was fun …
- Chemo Update - Irinotecan Side Effects by: Mark
January 25, 2009, 13:04
My current (new) chemotherapy cocktail as it were which is all IV-based and consists of (wiki-en: Irinotecan) and (wiki-en: Avastin) is definitely much harsher …
- Still Sick by: Mark
December 26, 2008, 14:54
First off, on Christmas Eve as Rachael and I were getting everything done, I decided to open a gift that my parents had sent to me. My mom had enclosed a note…
- 911 Is A Drag by: Mark
November 20, 2008, 18:39
Well, the past few days have been a rough ride. On Tuesday, I was feeling fine in the morning - just going about my normal routine. I left the kitchen to he…
- Quick Post by: Mark
February 22, 2008, 12:00
Last night was most interesting. I was very tired and went to bed at 9pm. I took my dose of (wiki-en: Zofran) (anti-nausea medication) around that time as per u…
- Neurological Deficits (1)
- Left-Side Weakness by: Mark
December 14, 2009, 12:48
It's been a bit difficult to write lately. My left side is much weaker now and has now moved into my arm, hands and shoulder. As I may have mentioned before…
- Left-Side Weakness by: Mark
- Seizures (8)
- Seizures by: Mark
August 14, 2009, 18:21
I took a week or so off here. Lots going on. On Wednesday, I went to attend Rachael's great Aunt's funeral and literally, when I sat down in the pew and it …
- Avastin - Seizures - MRI by: Mark
June 17, 2009, 10:32
I've been quite sick over the last several weeks. I came down with a terrible cold that started as a virus and then was bacterial. I waited it out in the be…
- Seizures and Medication - So Much To Track by: Mark
May 26, 2009, 13:00
Our 2 year old son Keegan had his second set of tubes put into his ears this morning. If any of you have ever had your children go through the tube surgery, i…
- Seizures by: Mark
May 5, 2009, 11:23
I think the effects of the Gamma Knife surgery are really beginning to come to the surface now. You might recall from the past (review for regular readers) th…
- Seizure Control by: Mark
March 20, 2009, 13:21
As I wrote earlier, I had a seizure on Saturday, March 14th. My doctors indicated it was likely a coincidence. I wasn't so sure but I received sound advice …
- More Symptomatic / More on Vaccines by: Mark
October 11, 2008, 04:53
Update I continue to become more symptomatic which is actually good believe it or not! I had a focal seizure yesterday afternoon and although not as long as t…
- Another Focal Seizure by: Mark
October 18, 2007, 20:45
Well, just a quick note because I am crashing on two (wiki-en: ativan) tablets but I had the longest focal seizure tonight that I have had since the severe seiz…
- 2 Steps Forward... by: Mark
September 24, 2007, 15:36
One step backward! Isn't that the way life seems to be sometimes? Well, I haven't had a (wiki-en: focal seizure) for nearly 2 months now and I was at work tod…
- Seizures by: Mark
- Update - Fatigue & Headaches by: Mark
- Support (12)
- National Brain Tumor Society by: Mark
December 14, 2008, 08:12
Just a real quick post - and I can't believe I didn't post this when it happened! If you didn't know about it, the National Brain Tumor Foundation, an organiz…
- A New Day by: Mark
December 2, 2008, 09:21
Just a quick post - I am in a much better place today. I woke up during the night looking forward to work! And, I do know that God is in the middle of this.…
- Thank You by: Mark
November 25, 2008, 19:32
All, I don't get on here and post how much appreciate (and we appreciate, including my wife Rachael) all of your support. I receive so many emails it's har…
- Time Out To Laugh by: Mark
November 1, 2008, 08:18
With everything going on, I have to find things to laugh about. Dana Carvey is one of my favorite comedians - check out this bit on the Tonight Show. I stil…
- More Symptoms / Tons of Support! by: Mark
October 9, 2008, 18:45
You guys are great!! I can't tell you how touched we are with your overwhelming support. I have received so many emails from friends, blog readers, other br…
- Family Seeks Help - Philshead.org by: Mark
June 25, 2008, 15:44
Everyone needs help sometimes and this gentleman is someone who finds himself in just that position. So, I felt compelled to post the press release and inform…
- Survivor Stories by: Mark
June 8, 2008, 16:16
Here is a 50 minute video presented by the Central New Jersey Brain Tumor Support Group. These are brain tumor survivors who deal with the same circumstances …
- What's a Problem? by: Mark
April 28, 2008, 20:21
If you ever think life's trials are too big, the struggles we face are too great, take a look at this.
- Brain Tumor Advocacy - NABTC by: Mark
March 15, 2008, 16:18
The North American Brain Tumor Coalition (NABTC) is an advocacy group dedicated to educating policy makers and lobbying for increased research into brain tumor …
- Learning to be a Survivor by: Mark
March 5, 2008, 14:24
Anyone who is brain tumor survivor has been on a winding, bumpy road - and this putting it mildly for many of us. I was reflecting on what I have learned so fa…
- NBTF Brain Tumor Community Survey by: Mark
March 4, 2008, 16:25
The National Brain Tumor Foundation and the Brain Tumor Society are launching a survey into the needs of the brain tumor community. From what I have read it's…
- The Little Things In Life by: Mark
March 3, 2008, 15:24
I receive a lot of emails every day from people - a lot of brain tumor survivors, family members, friends of survivors and of course from fellow musicians. Eve…
- National Brain Tumor Society by: Mark
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