1/17/2024

***In the first post I said that Mark's surgery was "tomorrow".  I am writing at all hours of the day and night when I can't sleep.  Sometimes the days run together and when I say "today", "tomorrow" or "yesterday" it is oftentimes the same date.  Mark's surgery was on Tuesday 1/16.***

Day 2: Tuesday 1/16/24
The outpouring of love and support for Mark and our family is truly humbling and overwhelming. I hope one day soon that he understands what an army of people he has on his team in this fight. Thank you. From the bottom of our hearts. 
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Aunt Branda came to visit.

Today was a big day. On Monday, when we initially met the neurosurgeons they told us that they were going to get Mark on the schedule for Tuesday as an add-on. Meaning if they had a cancellation or an opening they would get him in. Stand-by. We woke up this morning and all three of us felt great. Since we didn’t know when the surgery was going to be, we were going to get out and explore the hospital. 

We took Mark down to the gift shop and he picked out a new toy. A Golden Retriever stuffed animal that he named Star. We showed him the Starbucks stand where mom and dad are spending all of their money and we took him by one of the aquariums to look at the fish. We went up to the 16th floor where there is an arcade and a library but they were closed today. He had fun getting out of his room and exploring. 
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We went back up to his room around 11am and one of the doctors came in and told him they were going to be able to get him in for surgery right away. It was pretty surprising that it was that early but we were mentally ready to go. 

We went down to pre-op with Mark and met with his team one by one. Mark was admittedly nervous. He was worried it was going to hurt. The anesthesiologist told him exactly what she was going to do, she even told him she would make the scent of his oxygen mask cotton candy to help calm his nerves, which it did.  At one point one of the doctors even called him a Star-patient, just like his new dog.  We took that as a sign.  It's the littlest signs of hope you look for.
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In the pre-op room before the biopsy.

After a few hugs and kisses they took him away on the stretcher back through double doors on his way to brain surgery.  The goal for today was two-fold.  First they wanted to drain the spinal fluid that was building up and causing the pressure that was causing his headaches.  Second, they wanted to get a biopsy of the tumor to determine what it is and what the best treatment for him will be going forward.

We settled into the waiting room and soon Ali's sister came with her two kids, Jameson and Ali's mom.  We were told that the surgery should last a couple of hours from start to finish.  Texas Children's is amazing. They have a surgical liaison that comes out periodically throughout the surgery to fill you in on exactly what they are doing back there.  We knew the whole time what was going on with Mark.  

After a couple of hours the surgeon came out and let us know that while it was their intention to drain the fluid and get the biopsy from the same incision, he did not feel comfortable getting what he needed from the tumor from that spot.  He said that they were going to go back and re-plan a new entry point and strategy for getting the necessary specimen from the tumor.  Several hours went by but they kept us in the know so we were never left wondering what was going on.  Every report was promising, saying he was doing great. 
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In the waiting room with Jameson, Bryan, and Belinda (Nana).

Around 6:00 they came out and told us that he finished up and we would be able to see him shortly.  We were brought back to the post op room and saw Mark laying there asleep.  He looked like he was just taking a nap.  His surgeon was sitting there beside his bed watching over him, waiting for us to arrive.  This is not common.  You got the feeling that he was his protector, his guardian and nothing was going to happen to Mark under his watch and until he was handed off to us.  He told us that everything had gone well and they had accomplished everything they set out to do.  The got a good specimen that the surgeon hand-delivered to pathology to ensure it was what they needed.  
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Post-op recovery room. (Not pictured was his neurosurgeon sitting beside him.)

We stayed with Mark in post op for about 30 minutes until he was stable enough to return to his room.  When we got to his room his grandma (Nana) was waiting for him. After a brief visit with Jameson, Nana, Aunt Branda and his cousins he was ready to rest.  It was a long, long day for him.  
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Resting comfortably in hospital room post surgery.

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We went to bed last night exhausted but content.  All of our prayers were answered for today's outcome.  His surgeons were world-class surgeons that accomplished everything they set out to do.  Mark was brave and strong and let the doctors do what they needed to do to try and help heal him.  Ali and I were strong today.  Jameson was strong for his brother.  Mark perked up when he saw Jameson walk into the room post operation.  We humbly ask that you please keep praying as hard as you know how for Mark and our family.