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Hi, please excuse what I can only describe as catharsis.

A Short History: 1999, I passed blood in my urine, went to hosptial, and had a urogram that revealled a poorly functioning right kindey (as I recall). I was diagnosed as having a kidney stone that had broken up in/near the kidney. Despite weeing through a sieve for a week I saw no stone (fragments). Followup urogram revealled a well functioning kidney. At no point do I remember the Urologist looking at my bladder.

In February 2010, following ambulatory monitoring for hypertension, I was referred by my Cardiologist for a urinary tract

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Been a whole since I updated here.  I'm now 42 (41 when for Turb) and always been a non-smoker.  Had surgery Jan 22, 2009.  Ran through 6 weeks of BCG.
Started maintenance BCG in November.  We're going to do that every 6 months (or 3 months after every scope for two years then re-evaluate).  My tumor was classed as large, aggressive and high-grade.

About to do my last quarterly scope today.  We'll go to every six months after that.

 So far its been clean.

 Issues:

The scope has become a non-event.  I get a bit worked up before-hand, but the procedure is nothing to me.  I know when to relax, take

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After two years of occasional haematuria (my doctor and I thought it was just bladder infections)  I finally insisted on an ultrasound.   Three tumours - one large and two small were discovered.   It was non-invasive  papillary urothelial carcinoma.  I was not expecting this.  After all, I don't fit the usual profile for bladder cancer ( I'm a 56 year old non-smoking female).  

I had a transurethral resection  in Canada almost three months ago but have since moved to Mexico where I will need to continue treatment.  My doctor here will be doing another cystoscopy in about three weeks

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I have created a flow chart for bladder cancer patients.  It can pretty much be used at any time from initial concern about the potential of having bladder cancer through various stages of treatment.

 My hope is that people will find this useful.  Rather than posting it everywhere and having to try to maintain version control on a number of sites, I am putting the link to ABLCS forum where I originally posted it.

I am not a doctor but I do have a good bit of experience as a bladder cancer patient.  This guide has been reviewed by a number of other bladder cancer survivors as well.

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No abnormal cells detected.  Doc said everything inside looked good.  We opted to start BCG maintenance in 6 weeks and every 6 months after that till we determine it's not needed.

 It's amazing how I've gotten used to the procedure.  Only thing that bothers me now is the injection of the numbing jell.  When the scope gets close to the prostate I take a deep breath and slowly let it out and I barely feel it.  That's a FAR cry from how it felt the first few times.  Gets to be less and less as I go through this process.

 The after affects are lessening too.  I still get some spasms following the

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Had my 1st scope post-turb and BCG.  Clear.  ;-)

Still waiting on labs from the wash, but there is no new growth.  Mine was aggressive and good-sized so we weren't too sure about it.

 So....3 months and we'll do it again.

 Weird thing....it wasn't bad.  Took longer than the initial, but on that one he saw the tumor right away and there was no point in looking around much.  I might be getting used to this.  Wow....of all things.....  The scope was merely uncomfortable for the passing of the prostate and that's it.  If anything, my bladder bothered me more as it still seems to be tender post-BCG

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So.....last Saturday was 2 1/2 weeks post BCG (all 6 complete).  I really wanted to get the whole place mowed, but hadn't done more than an hour or so on the tractor since before my TURB in January.

 My wife did the majority of the push mowing and I only did a little here and there.  She did the majority of the rider mower while I only went around edges on the steeper parts (we have 5 acres out in the sticks).  I took the blade off the big tractor and put on the bucket to move a little dirt.  Got 4 loads put up by the house for the boys to play in.

 (note) the boys went to play in it and our

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It wouldn't be complete if I didn't tell the tale of the last BCG.

 Office visit was LONG because the doc had been on vacation and everyone wanted to see him.  I told him that is a compliment to him that folks are loyal and patient.  I was the last person to go back....

 The routine was without drama.  I'm glad to have my regular urologist doing this.  His remarks were 'hey, you made it'.  I suppose not all folks finish their treatments.

 Some cramping and some horizontal spasms (first for that one).  Some blood later and some material (tissue) passed.  Affects lasted mostly for about two days. 

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Differnt doc, same practice.  My Dr is on vacation this week with his family so a partner of his did it.  It was clear that though he is familar with the procedure, he isn't as fluid or practiced in it.  To be blunt....he asked if I wanted the gel and then had the end of the catheter up against the wall of my bladder so the solution didn't go in.  The fix....push more catheter in.  I felt it scraping up against the wall.  A return to bleeding followed.  Yippie.  It's over and that's what I wanted.  One more to go.

Affects...?  It falls somewhere between my #2 and #3 weeks.  Cramping, some REAL

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So, last week (that'd be #3) sucked big time.  So I expected the same or worse this week.

 Nope.  Catheter was about like week #2 and side effects are (so far) on par with that week as well.  No blood.  Haven't passed much of anything (some light tissue) in over a week.

 My urologist will be off next week for a much-needed vacation with his family (spring break) so a partner of his will take care of this for me next week.  I plan to ask a BUNCH of questions.

 I have no explanation as to why last week was brutal and this week has been almost nothing.

I AM tired.  My bladder is having some cramps,

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