Blog Entries for Jeff

My Story

mildew@iinet.net.au — Mon, 03 Mar 2008 10:52:15 +0100

Just dropped in for an update. Had another cystoscopy performed in February and all is well with no signs of recurrence. Next check 12 months. I trust everyone is making progress with their disease and is on the improve.

Married my daughter off on Friday and what a proud father I am.

On the downside my 80yo father in law has just been diagnosed with lung cancer with multiple secondaries and the prognosis is grim.

My Story

mildew@iinet.net.au — Thu, 14 Jun 2007 09:58:04 +0100

:) 11 June 2007 Update
Well another poke and peek and even I could see it looked great in there. Not a sign of any problems and the bladder was the best it had looked since this all started. This was tremendous news given I am recovering from a spinal fusion from 7 weeks ago. Next P & P in 9 months.....yippeeeee!!!

Jeff

My Story

mildew@iinet.net.au — Sun, 06 May 2007 09:55:13 +0100

My what challenges life throws at us from time to time. Whilst I received a short interlude in my treatment for BC with another cystocope due in June another ailment befell me. As a result I recently underwent a spinal fusion and am now filled with all sorts of hardware to hold me together....lol. Whilst this was and still is a painful exercise at least it took my mind off the BC and my in remission colon CA for a while. Gotta stay focused and cheery, although that is hard coming into winter in [...]

My Story

mildew@iinet.net.au — Mon, 26 Mar 2007 13:56:51 +0100

;D Boy how things can change so rapidly. Not sure why I was so worried after the last P & P. Had my biopsies done on 7 March and the news was all good. No sign of any recurrence of tumors. Doc gave me choice of further BCG or repeat P & P in 3 months. I chose the latter as I had problems with the BCG last time (see earlier story). All happy again, at least as far as this goes although I have to have a spinal fusion done in April but I feel stronger and am convinced I can cope with anyth [...]

My Story

mildew@iinet.net.au — Tue, 20 Feb 2007 08:27:50 +0100

:-[ A little anxious again this way. I had a Cystoscopy yesterday and even I could see the inflamation that was on the bladder wall. Uro is hopeful it is just the effects of the BCG maintenance I had before Christmas. Has scheduled another Cystoscopy and bladder biopsy for 7 March so I will cross my fingers until then. This is something I hadn't expected and don't need right now as I am going through a bit of sh*t with my employer at the moment. It's all a bit stressful but I am trying to remai [...]

My Story

mildew@iinet.net.au — Mon, 12 Feb 2007 09:47:36 +0100

Just a quick update. I have had that urge to pee over the past 3 months since second round of BCG. It is diminishing but still hits hard occasionally. Due for my P&P next Monday and will report after then. Fingers crossed there is no recurrence again. :-?

My Story

mildew@iinet.net.au — Tue, 12 Dec 2006 08:27:45 +0100

November I had my 3 week BCG maintenance course and this had to be a lot worse than the 6 I had earlier this year. After the 2nd one I got a severe fever, symptons not unlike tuberculosis and that was no fun for a couple of days. Peed a lot more blood than normal and for longer and then went a few weeks with the urgent need to rush to the toilet. Even now it hits me out of the blue and I have to run but it is improving each day. I am due for another P&P around January and remain confident I [...]

My Story

mildew@iinet.net.au — Sun, 12 Nov 2006 21:22:35 +0100

Hi Rosemary

Some time ago I posted the message below within another part of this forum and had little to no reply. I read about Selenium through a search of the internet and the potential benefits it might have for bladder cancer sufferers. Recently a local TV network in my town ran a story regarding Selenium which supported this theory.

What is selenium?
Selenium is a trace mineral that is essential to good health but required only in small amounts. Selenium is incorp [...]

My Story

mildew@iinet.net.au — Sat, 11 Nov 2006 20:33:57 +0100

Thanks for the "lecture" Greg and no offence is taken to your wise words. I guess as a bowel cancer survivor of 10 years I am acutely aware of the need for regular checks and the benefit of these. After all it was a urine test, part of my regular bowel cancer checks that detected the bladder cancer in its early stages. For that I am thankful. I have vowed never to shirk out of my regular checks for the rest of my life. As for lifestyle change, well I did something about this 14 months [...]

My Story

mildew@iinet.net.au — Sat, 11 Nov 2006 14:30:38 +0100

Hello fellow BC survivors

It has been some time since I last reported and there have been a few developments since my encouraging news in early August. It's all good news I am pleased to say.

In October I had another P&P which looked really good apart from a little inflamation within the bladder, which the Uro said was probably from the BCG I had back in March this year. I have just started a 3 week (once a week) maintenance BCG course and then I have to have my urine c [...]

My Story

mildew@iinet.net.au — Wed, 02 Aug 2006 01:37:12 +0100

;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D Great news. I just saw my Uro this morning and he was very happy with the path reports following biopsies in July. He said no immediate treatment is required and to come back for a follow up P & P in 3 months. What a relief. �8-) 8-) 8-) 8-) 8-) 8-)

My Story

mildew@iinet.net.au — Mon, 31 Jul 2006 06:51:24 +0100

Latest Update

This is the review of my pathology from the cystoscopy and biopsies taken on 14 July:

The slides have been reviewed in conjunction with Dr R Cohen. he agrees that the urothelium shows atypia which is focally full thickness with scattered mitotic activity. There is not the typical marked nuclear enlargement and hyperchromasia usually associated with carcinoma in-situ, however, the features in the current biopsy represent at least low grade dysplasia and follow [...]

My Story

mildew@iinet.net.au — Fri, 21 Jul 2006 10:26:31 +0100

14 July I had urine cytology done which turned out negative (some good news at last). However, cysto and biopsies done that same day and pathology just to hand has left me hanging yet again. Report from pathologist goes as follows (extract)

Macroscopy
Bladder biopsy - 18 x 15mm in aggregate

Microscopy
There are multiple fragments of bladder mucosa lined in part by epithelium showing regenerative change, however, in areas there is thickening of the epithelium assoc [...]

My Story

mildew@iinet.net.au — Thu, 08 Jun 2006 09:36:21 +0100

I returned to my Uro on 8 June for the results of the biopsies I had taken in mid May and I have to say the pathology report and the Uro interpretation has confused me even further. They both say the pathology is inconclusive and I have to have more biopsies taken under GA in about 6 weeks then more pathology. So the wait continues but I have learned you have to be patient with this beast. I had thought about getting a second opinion at this stage but I do have a good rapport and I trust my curr [...]

My Story

mildew@iinet.net.au — Sat, 27 May 2006 11:37:59 +0100

Have now started taking Selinium 26mcg per day as I have been told this might have some CA preventative qualities see http://dietary-supplements.info.nih.gov/factsheets/selenium.asp.

I tried to get some advice on this product through here but nobody has replied so far.

Waiting patiently for my biopsy results which I get on 8 June. Fingers crossed for an all clear. Feeling really well although still have some urgency to pee from time to time as a result of the BCG I had Febr [...]

My Story

mildew@iinet.net.au — Mon, 22 May 2006 11:12:14 +0100

I am newly diagnosed with Bladder CA albeit low grade although I don't know much about the grading. I have learned heaps already by reading tales from the trenches and lots of background info on this site. I had bowel CA 10 years ago which was cured by surgery and chemo with no recurrences to date (touch wood). I have a gene mutation which predisposes me to bowel CA so hoping this does not reoccur. Every year I have a whole series of tests to make sure any recurrence is detected early and treate [...]