Hello Friends!

Here's what has happened since we last talked...

Mark was released from Grant on August 21, so he spent two nights in the hospital. He received amazing care at Grant. Everyone really worked as a team and stayed on the same page throughout his time there. We'd like to give a shout out to his hospitalist, Dr. Kelsey Lee ('19). It is something very special when you are cared for by a former student, and Dr. Lee was spectacular.

Since his release, we have switched to a new oncologist with Columbus Oncology and Hematology Associates (COHA), and the difference in his care is night and day. We are eternally grateful to Laura and Dr. Warren Yamarick for navigating these unfamiliar waters for us. Our new physician, Dr. Peter Kourlas, is an MD with the heart and soul of a DO. He spent an entire hour getting to know Mark and answering our questions. He really listened and is a true partner in this journey. As a result, we will be going to Columbus two times a week every two weeks for chemo and pump removal. We can get the labs done in Athens, but the procedures must be done at COHA.

However, before Mark starts his third round of twelve rounds of chemo, he is going to have the ERCP procedure performed on Wednesday (Sept. 11) at Riverside. If successful, this should alleviate all the jaundice and keep it at bay. Sometime between chemo #4 and #6, we will have all the labs repeated to see if the tumors are receding.

Over the last week, Mark has felt pretty good. We had our 27th wedding anniversary (32 years together) on Sept. 5, and he felt well enough to relax at a cabin in the Hocking Hills. Many, many thanks to "Aunt" Jessica Makosky for taking over pupper care halfway through our stay. We love our dogs to death, but they were a little too excited by their new surroundings causing more stress than we needed. :)

Thank you, too, to everyone who has sent cards, care packages, thoughts, love, and good vibes, and to those who have done the little and big things that make our lives better and a little bit easier. We appreciate you all so much and talk every day about how fortunate we are to have people like you in our lives.

We'll leave you with a photo that Dr. Kimberly Jackson-Pinn ('11) recently shared on Mark's Facebook. That is Dr. Salman Khan ('09) in the photo with us. We are so privileged to do the work that we do, and we appreciate being able to share in these milestone events with our students and graduates.

-Jill via GoFundMe

ERCP Procedure

Chemo III

Rollercoaster