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Bladder Surgery to remove and determine stage, type, etc..
I am 52 years old. I have never smoked, but I did serve in Iraq 20 years ago where I worked near the burn pits (Toxic Exposure). On Christmas morning, while at the airport to fly to Arizona I had blood in my urine a couple of times. I quickly made an appt with my doctor for Jan 3rd. When I landed, no more blood or thereafter. Well, I kept the appt and all my tests came back normal. There was no microscopic blood in my urine. He decided to schedule a CT scan (Jan 17th) just to make sure and 9 days later he called me on a Sunday night (Jan 26th) and gave me the news. I have a mass 2.9cm x 2.8cm x 2.2cm in my bladder. No findings for metastatic disease in other areas. We were able to get an appt with a Urologist (Jan 28th) for a Cystoscopy. Based on his findings and he took pictures, I have Papillary tumors. During the Cystoscopy they took some urine for tests. They found numerous microscopic red blood cells in the urine. He didn't take a Biopsy but decided to go ahead and schedule surgery (Feb 13th) for Bladder tumor scraping, biopsy, and cauterize the area to stop the bleeding. I will leave with a Foley Catheter, which will be removed on Feb 17th. I won't know the results (Stage, Grade, type of cancer, non-invasive or invasive) until my follow-up Feb 27th. It seems like a long time to wait given others on here received their reports in a couple of days. Maybe my pathology report will be available to me earlier through my online medical records.
Should I get a PET Scan? Can anyone tell me what recovery is like? What should I expect going through this process?
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Great news, @larryyaz. Were you treated at Mayo Clinic? How often are you follow-up appointments?
When I read these stories about what the men and women have to go through for all the issues, pain, drugs, and chemo treatments, not to mention the costs, I feel badly for all the mis or poor diagnosis's that seem to exist today. I just returned from my 11 th annual checkup at the Mayo Clinic. Years ago I had a primary doc who laughed when telling me about needing a terp. I left him for a urologist at a major hospital in Tucson. He could not wait to do day surgery, then was frustrated when I asked for second opinion. He told me the other hospital was too political...his terms. I gave up immediately on the so called local docs and called the Mayo. After a day surgery, short recovery, I was on the table for 9 hours, and thank the Lord, I was done. No bladder, no prostate, no chemo, but a new life without the worry or complications beyond an occasional leak in my pouch. I listen to all these sad stories about issues and complications with so many treatments. Get the damn bladder out and enjoy your life,
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4 ReactionsYou are not alone.
My profile is blood in urine, tests, exams, scans, specialist I trust, cystoscope, 70% of tumors removed, biopsy, high grade papillary urothelial carcinoma, non-invasive. Second surgery in 2 days to remove the remaining 30%. I am opting for BCG treatment for 6 weeks, check-ups regularly thereafter.
My only advice is remain optimistic and be kind. Your body will appreciate it and act accordingly.
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1 ReactionThere are many dealing with bladder cancer and also different treatments for type and stages of cancer. I wish you well as you move forward. I agree that being optimistic and kind has a positive effect on your emotional stability while walking this path of cancer.
Thanks for your inquiry. I live in Wellington, FL in Palm Beach County, so the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville is a bit far. I was seen at MSK in New York for prostate cancer and then at Moffitt in Tampa. I finally had radiation for the prostate cancer locally here in Palm Beach County in 2018. I was diagnosed with prostate cancer last year and after the Turbt and BCG, I seem to be cancer free. I also have CLL, had CABG in 2012, and the list goes on. Longevity is not a trait in my hereditary family, so at 79 I'm grateful to be lucid, relatively pain free and not a burden to my family.
Next month I'm going for my 3rd cycstoscopy with my local urologist. He said if I'm still cancer free, I can wait 6 months for the following one. I find this support group informative and have so much compassion for those whose conditions are far more challenging.
I thank those who liked my comments. I am part of a ostomy support group, and once attended a couple of a prostate cancer group meetings.. The prostate group had the wives and the men, and everybody was trying to deal with the emotion of all of it. I said just get the prostate out and get on with life. It will be a little diffferent, but better than being in a box. Anxiety is a killer too, probably worse that cancer though they can go hand in hand.