This past week has been a scary one. My Grandfather who I care very deeply for is sick. He has cancer in his bone marrow. It is likely a rare kind that is not easily treatable, Merkel Cell Carcinoma. He seems to have come to grips with the possibility of his death. I am glad that he has. I am just scared that I will be unable to let go.
I am very close to my grandparents. My Grandfather and I usually see each other every week. We talk for hours over lunch, or while playing with his golden retrievers. He has lead a very rich life, and I have learned much from him.
Popular culture portrays the stories that their grandparents tell as cumbersome and tedious. My Grandfather’s stories are never like that. Many feel that spending time with their grandparents is an obligation. I feel that it is a privilege.
Right now my Grandfather is feeling fine. He is not pleased that he is in the hospital, but he feels alright. I do not want this disease to cause him to suffer.
He will likely have to go through an extremely powerful and unpleasant bout of chemotherapy. If he does in fact have Merkel Cell Carcinoma, then the chances of the chemotherapy being successful are slim.
He has survived many cancers before, but I have a particularly bad feeling about this one. If he dies, I will lose my Grandfather, and one of my best friends. I really hope that he makes it.
I love you Grandpa.
[...] I wrote about my Grandpa and his fight againt Merkel Cell Carcinoma in this post. The battle appears to be a losing one. He is now back at home in hospice care. This means that his life expectancy may be less than two weeks. [...]
I am a survivor of merkel cell cancer and have formed a group of other MCC survivors at google groups. Please stop by and view some of their recent posts. We would love for you to join our small group of almost 60 members.
George M. Campbell
Charleston, SC
* As a Merkel Cell Cancer patient and survivor, and yes this is a very rare cancer that is seldom correctly diagnosed or treated rapidly enough to save lives, I am very interested in reaching out to other MCC survivors.
* Just two weeks after my surgery in Boston (September 2005) at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Brigham and Woman’s Hospital I started the Merkel Cell Cancer discussion group at Google Groups.
* In the last four months I have located 20 other MCC survivors. They have been very eager to openly discuss their individual approach to surviving this cancer.
* It is not my intention to dilute the membership of any other cancer support group; which is the typical response I have gotten so far from other cancer support forums.
* Because there are so few of us living right now and it is extremely difficult locating any other survivors we want to just let them know that we exist and are waiting to hear from them.
* Ours is a closed discussion group with no commercial influence or interest, the membership is open to anyone that has had the Merkel Cell Cancer experience as either a patient, family member, or caregiver of a patient.
* I would like to invite you to stop by the MCC group and see some of the member’s posts.
* Group name: merkel cell cancer
* Group home page: http://groups.google.com/group/merkelcell
* This is our public membership statement:
Merkel Cell Cancer (MCC) Experience. This is an area where you can openly discuss your experience with MCC, as a patient with MCC, or a family member supporting someone with MCC. We are not health care professionals nor are we offering medical advice, just the experience of having this cancer.
Joining this group requires approval. The manager has requested that you answer the following question:
Membership is dependent upon your participation in the group. You must identify yourself by first name or initials and describe your merkel cell cancer experience.
George M. Campbell
Group Admin & Merkel Cell Cancer Survivor