Hello and thank you for your help. My mother has bladder cancer; was diagnosed in February and had some surgery to remove what was in the bladder but it had already gone through the muscle wall and the urologist said it was a very aggressive form. We went to oncologists but, at her age and with the cancer having already gone through the wall and into the tissue, we didn't really have any options. Urologists gave her between two and four months to live. She's now at six months from diagnosis, starting to have more pain (lower back - kidney), and the hospice doctor just a week ago said she should start watching for blood in her urine. Three days ago her urine started becoming pink and red.
She is a very positive person, always smiling and cheerful and not a bit afraid of dying. She's up in a recliner every day writing on her laptop (she's a writer), and tries not to lie down during the day except to ease any pain that breaks through the pain meds.
I'm just trying to get a grasp on what I should expect symptom-wise. When the blood started in her urine this week, hospice seemed to take that as a sign that things were really progressing with her cancer but I don't know if this can last months more or what to expect. My mother is the most joyful person I know; she is in an assisted living with a hospice nurse coming in twice a week and my husband and I visit her daily.
Can someone help me with what to watch for? And, what does the blood in the urine mean at this point? Thank you so much for your help and for having this forum.