My Battle with Merkel Cell Cancer

Sandy, and from my sister Ellie, with her daughter Cheryl and her grandson, David, who
was not named after me.
If I said I'm not scared I'd be lying But there's no use sitting home crying My target's a
circle Surrounding the Merkel I'll beat you or I'll die trying.
Posted by David Shuster at 10:43AM (-08:00)
There is a Suicide Bomber Living in my Body
Saturday, January 01, 2011
The suicide bomber living in my body is Merkel cell carcinoma. It lurks in hidden reaches
and plans its terrorist attacks, with the potential that if it is successful, it will result in its
own demise as well as mine. Just like the battle against terrorists, we have to use all the
weapons at our disposal to destroy every single Merkel cell. To that end, I have
undergone a somewhat unconventional treatment. When my Merkel cell carcinoma
recurred as a large posterior mediastinal mass, instead of the suggested chemotherapy
followed by a large dose of radiation, I have had only a small dose of radiation directly to
the recurrent tumor in the hope that this will trigger an immune response. Prior to this
treatment, my circulating Merkel cell count was measured at 13 cells per 10 mL of blood.
I have just received a very encouraging result. After 2 1/2 weeks, the count has
decreased to only one cell for every 10 mL of blood. At the end of January, I will have a
follow-up assay, and perhaps my body will have successfully obliterated the terrorists.
I am feeling well, without any symptoms of the mediastinal mass. I have had no side
effects from the radiation treatment. The only complaint I have is a dry mouth, and
reduced sense of taste, all resulting from the original surgery and radiation.
Over Thanksgiving, we had a wonderful visit from all of our children. I have posted a
collection of photos on Picasa. The link is below, and I don't know is how to place it so
that you can click it. If it does not work, you'll have to copy and paste it into the browser
window. I think I fixed it. You can click on "Here is the link" below.
I am sure that this collection of photos will bore many people, but for those interested, the
photos are of my oldest son Gary, his wife Dana, and their three children, Eva, Sara and
Bel, my middle son Brian, and my youngest son Mike with his wife Leanna, and their two
children Sammi and Eli.
Here is the link
http://picasaweb.google.com/radocshu/Thanksgiving2010#5557290779026217122
We will be leaving on Wednesday for a cruise to the Mexican Riviera. It will be a 10 day
cruise. We are taking this instead of the Hawaiian cruise which we had to give up as a
result of my needing to have more radiation treatment.
You may notice that there are ads placed in this blog. Surprisingly enough, there have
been over 3000 page views since I have begun posting. I have decided to monetize the
blog. I think that if you view the ads, money comes to me. Any such money will be
donated for Merkel cell research to the University of Washington. I will personally match
any money donated.
My dear friend, Lenny Clayman, frequently suggested that Judy and I join him and his
wife Bluma on exotic vacations, most of which we have not done. In the past few years,
he urged us to do this by saying “We don't have that many good years left.” I may not
My Battle with Merkel Cell Cancer
47