TCC of renal pelvis, tumors in bladder, left ureter, left kidney.  Kidney non-functioning, kidney/ureter removed 10/18/99. Carboplatin/taxol 12/99.

Hello, my name is Sara, and I joined WebCafe in September 1999 when my mother, Sally (62 years old), was diagnosed with bladder cancer in her bladder and left kidney.  

She became aware of the disease when she experienced large amounts of blood and clotting in her urine. Later, she connected the cancer to an episode of pain she had 2/99 and a severe weight loss in the interim.

Mom’s bladder tumor was removed during a biopsy in early October.  This biopsy showed no muscle involvement, so a few weeks later, she had surgery to remove her left kidney and ureter. Her recovery went well, despite a 14 inch incision.

Pathology reports showed a possibility that some cancer cells might have escaped her kidney before removal or entered her bloodstream, so she started chemo therapy of taxol and carboplatin 12/99. She is scheduled to have 6 rounds which will end in April 2000.

Update:
Chemo went well.  Mom lost her hair, and had the numbness in her hands and feet for months after chemo ended. However, at every check up since then she’s received NED (no evidence of disease) diagnoses.  

She has a head of lovely curly hair now, and has resumed her normal travel and activities.

She does recommend to anyone starting chemo to shave their hair as soon as it starts to fall out (you may feel a strange tingling ache in your scalp before hand).  She shaved hers after part had fallen out, and she found that the part she shaved grew in better and faster than the part that fell out.  

Update 2006–My mom, Sally, had one recur of TCC in her bladder a year or two after chemo.  She also had gallbladder problems and had that organ removed.  She has been NED, however, since that single recur, and she sends her best wishes to all who are battling this disease.  

I join Mom in sending good luck and best wishes to all!

Sara Ambarian
ambarian@frazmtn.com