My bladder cancer battle

Hello Joe Just thought I'd ask you how the cystectomy went.. Urologist seems to soft soap it. Piece of cake blah blah blah.  Thought maybe I could get the real scoop from someone who went through it. I also have 3 grandkids 9,6,3, and I also was a trucker, but only in my early years. […]

My bladder cancer battle

Pet scan was taken some time ago and showed negative in bladder even thoughwe knew there was cancer inside.  Apparently Pet scan is not alwayseffective inside bladder.  In any event because of 'incorrect' negativeshowing, insurance has refused to pay bill for another. Anyway it doesn't matter.  I will have yet another cystoscopy, and wait four […]

My bladder cancer battle

Ok so my MRI results are in and the plot thickens. Pelvic and abdominal MRI's reveal no involvement anywhere else in my body, and a 70% reduction in tumor within the bladder.  Cause for jubilation?  That's whatI mistakenly thought.  BUT, cancer is still there, at least that's the way it seems, even an MRI can't […]

My bladder cancer battle

hello again – Waiting for a scheduled MRI to determine results of all this radiation and chemo.  Tumor is necrotic or dead but that doesn't mean I'm cancer free.  There probably is residual cancer in bladder.  Doctor suggests another cysto after MRI, and if cancer is present – another TURBT – I told him no […]

My bladder cancer battle

Hello again Latest round of radiation and chemo complete.  Side effects horrific – CT scheduled for 7/9/ and more blood work. Another cystoscope also.  Will see what progress has been made then.  Just looking forward to being treatment free until then, and waiting for the side effects to dissipate.

My bladder cancer battle

So I have good news.  My 25 radiation treatments  and my 5 chemo treatments are finished.  Cat scan results yesterday as follows. Tumor is still present but it has loosened up considerably (The doctor used a word for this that I don’t recall what it was)  In other words, the density is much less, it […]

My bladder cancer battle

Well, I am very much underway with the radiation and chemo treatments.  Radiation  15 minutes a day, 5 days a week at 7 AM, and Chemo one day a week,  for 5 hours. (Cysplatin) I have been told that I’m a T2,  with a possibility of T3, and  am being treated as if nodal involvement […]

My bladder cancer battle

Thank you all for your kind responses, and thank you in particular Wendy for your thoughtful reply and for refering me to that article regarding low grade bladder cancer (I have put it on ‘my favorites’ for continued reading). I often think that all these sectionings (4), BCG regiments (2) Interferon regiments (1) and laser […]

My bladder cancer battle

Nov. 2001 –  Polyps was the diagnosis, 2 small ones.  laser treatmentNov. 2004 – superficial bladder cancer – laser treatment – followed by BCG regiment # 12005 – 2006 – recurring superficial cancer – 3 sectionings performed by Urological surgeon, BCG regiment # 2, and Interferon regiment #1.Oct. 2006 – 4th sectioning begun and terminated […]