Hello Dr Barnett and welcome to the group. The skin cancer you are speaking of
is a type of carcinoma. I found a web page just in case anyone is interested in
the reading material. http://www.cancerhelp.org.uk/help/default.asp?page=5440
I can't imagine what you are going through since this is a rare disease. Please
keep us updated on any new treatments they happen to come up with or what have
you. And keep us informed of how you are doing. I really admire your work. My
mother and brother both have bipolar disorder and mild schitzophrenia (sp?)
Thank goodness that nowadays these diseases are treated differently than they
were in the early 70s. That was a nightmare! Anyway, if I find any more
material on Merkel cell, I will post it.... clinical trials etc....
And Dr. Barnett you have my prayers.

Your friend Angela
----- Original Message -----
From: barnett addis
To: fighttogether@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Saturday, October 11, 2003 7:45 PM
Subject: [fight together] New Member w Merkel Cell Carcinoma


Hello,
I just joined the group and rather than lurk about I thought it best to
go ahead and say hello and
thus also get the Merkel on record. It is an extremely rare, nasty,skin
cancer and I must admit that I
do not have a storehouse of information about it, especially since so
little is actually known. My onset ,
diagnosis and treatment was very swift and it has been a year since I
completed 35 radiation sessions.I am
alive,
thus my prognosis has reached about 70 percent chance of making it for 5
years. The Merkel appeared
suddenly on my left arm and had all of the characteristics of a
developing boil..which is to say that it
was a lump a bit bigger than a quarter and was fairly "solid" I
immediatly saw our local dermatologist
and she did a biopsy which was sent to Seattle. The phone call came a
few days later and the impact
was devestating for my dear wife and I.( She is a cancer survivor and I
had just gotten oven a six way
bypass, a gall blader removal, glaucoma surgery, etc. We thought our
lives were back on track). She
removed the entire mass plus a safety margin area. The thing I remember
most about the surgery was
that my wife who is a retired RN helped and the derma, who also raises
dogs, had let me "play" with
a new puppy with my other hand while she hacked away at me. ( We are
very informal up here in the great
NW..! ..lol ) Chemo will do little against a Merkel so we had
radiation only and a ton of it.
The only really relevant point of my story is that had we piddled around
wondering if it might be cancer,
or decided to wait even a few more weeks etc I would not be here
writing this posting. After reading many of the group postings I am
amazed at how many people hesitate to seek medical help...pronto!
Better you own a new mole and
are out 100 bucks than pushing up the daisys.
About six monthsor so after my radiation series was completed I was
diagnosed with Parkinsons Disease so I guess
we are breaking some sort of record! I guess I should add that I am
72, a retired psychologist who spent about 40 years
making documentary films in the biobehavioral sciences and mental health
area. I will be happy to chat with
anyone in the group on any related topic
Cheers, Barnett



Yahoo! Groups Sponsor
ADVERTISEMENT




To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
fighttogether-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com



Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the Yahoo! Terms of Service.


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]