Purpose of this Blog

This blog is to help me comprehend my grandmothers recent diagnosis of Stage IV pancreatic cancer. I haven't been told much information from my family regarding this, so I wanted to research more on this particular type of cancer and what can be done.

My grandmother Gladys was admitted to the Robert Wood Johnson hospital in Hamilton, NJ for dehydration. At the hospital the doctors found an "abnormality" and scheduled a biopsy for that same day. After two more days in the hospital, my mother calls me.

Friday, September 14, 2007

I was exiting the Loew's 24 Movie theater with my daughter. We had just finished seeing Hairspray. Like a good moviegoer, I turned off my cell during the movie. I flipped it open as I exited and Isaw that my mother had called twice. I knew it was serious.

She asked me to sit down--so I did. I remember sitting down on the concrete post by the entrance. My mother tells me the details, phrases are said:

"pancreatic cancer"
"stage IV"
"inoperable"
"spread to liver"

The last phrase sent a chill down my spine... "terminal"

I ask my mother what I can do, anything.. and she says no.

My grandmother is too young for cancer. She's a tough woman who has survived so many things. My grandfather passed away two years ago. She lives alone at age 78, in her own apartment. She still drives to the Acme every Thursday for her prescriptions and groceries. She loves watching her "stories" and doing search word puzzles. She is a very funny woman who can tell jokes and gossip forever.

She can't die yet. She's too young. She hasn't given up yet.