ANOTHER UPDATE.....

So sorry for the impersonal way to keep everyone informed about Mark. Mark's procedure went well yesterday. He suffered very little during it. The doctor told us that Mark has a severe case of esophagitis. He kept saying the word "severe" and shaking his head....he said his esophagus looked like someone took a Brillo pad and scrubbed it really hard. He said he cannot figure out what Mark could have eaten to produce this result. He said he has never seen a person Mark's age with a condition as "severe". He said his esophagus was so swollen that he is surprised he didn't have a complete blockage. Mark is to take a regimen of acid reducers and a medication that coats the stomach. He cannot eat any acid producing food or drink for a month. He has been able to get some ice cream down but that is about it. He is having a hard time finding anything that he can swallow without causing more pain. We are sort of pushing him to eat, however, as he has lost 6 pounds in 4 days. He is still having a hard time sleeping but we are hopeful that as soon as the medicine begins to take care of the over production of acid in his stomach, he will be able to. Unfortunately, this will put his missionary plans on hold for a bit. Only a month, though. Thank you again for all your prayers and blessings. They mean so much and we so appreciate them. We also appreciate your support and kind words...it's nice to know that Mark isn't the only one who has ever been faced with this problem. I will be getting back to everyone's emails very soon. :):):)