This is a long update. I had the six GEMDOCE treatments (on the exam table...) and I was so relieved to be done. The side effects of tiredness and some shakiness seem to subside slowly.

The process is then to have another cystoscopy to see how things went with the GEMDOCE installations. I am all clear! The oncologist announced that the treatment is working.

That's nice to hear, but then he explained that I will now have monthly installments for a year, once a month. Actually, the sixth month is "just" a cystoscopy.

What annoys me is that my energy is ridiculously low, even though the last of the six weekly treatments ended in late May. I've done some reading and see that tiredness can continue for months. Now, with monthly treatments ahead of me for a year, I am changing the way that I see my year in terms of other activities. I am disappointed about the treatments and their side-effects, but very happy that the treatment has not allowed any new growth.

One bit of really good news regarding the pain of the catheter during treatment - exaggerated by doing the "rotisserie" to wrangle my body from side to side on top of an exam table - without aid from the nurse (end of whine) - I asked my oncologist if turning was necessary. It was the nurse who suggested it (and I had read about it so was open to the idea). He said there is no solid evidence that it helps. Well, I am OK with evidence from those who experienced it, HOWEVER, I found an article (no I didn't save the medical site) about why/when to rotate.

The article stated that it is done to make certain that enough chemo is in contact with the sides and dome of the bladder, for cancers which are found in either of those locations. Mine was all in the neck of the bladder, and my doctor says it is getting plenty of contact without turning. He also said that when the chemo is "sprayed" into the bladder, it gets good coverage.

My nurse finally ordered a smaller size of catheter (probably for kids), because I need that. She used one size smaller than normal and it helped with the pain, but she got an even smaller one to try going forward.

I cannot say I am looking forward to another year of treatments, but perhaps without having to move around, and having a thinner catheter, I will be better able to tolerate the 90 minutes of gemcitibine. They remove the catheter after taking out the gemcitibine and putting in the docetaxel. At that point, I am released to finish up at home.

I have found that after releasing the chemotherapy, "WaterWipes" are a great help in keeping my skin clear of the chemicals that can otherwise irritate it. I am sensitive to almost everything that can come into contact with the skin, but water wipes are fine.

So for now, I am delighted that the treatment is working, that I will not have to rotate, and that the catheter might be more comfortable in a smaller size. Here is hoping that I can find a way to recoup some energy. Changing my diet is next - to clean it up and remove the comfort food that crept in during all of this.