Just to clarify a bit (I was gone and didn\'t get in on the first part of this thread), in addition to supporting research throughout the US (and sometimes even abroad), NIH also has its own \"intramural\" research program. It has a HUGE hospital
(The Warren Magnusen Clinical Center); however, it does not do what is considered \"routine\" clinical care.

IF one of the reseachers is doing a study on a condition that you have, and you can get in as a patient, you are in real luck. The top of the top as far as care from people who are leaders in the field. AND, it is FREE. The hooker is that there isn\'t always someone doing reseach on whatever condition you present with.

Robert is very lucky to be able to avail himself of this. I have a very good friend who has been waiting \"in line\" since last spring to see if he can get into a study on CLL.

Robert, see that you live in Garret Park. I lived for many years in Bethesda (Wildwood Manor) while working at NIH.

Sara anne

Hi Robert..my curiosity is now peaked as i read Sara Annes post and i\'m wondering how you got into the center? It doesn\'t appear you had anything different than anyone else with T2 bladder cancer. Only trial i possibly see is the one the Italians are doing where they scrape out the T2 tumor and it sometimes comes back a lower grade...yet they told you RC was the better alternative. So what was different about your case. I know Dr. Pinto as he got his training at Johns Hopkins and i\'m sure they hated losing him.
Recovery is a bit tough at first but each day you\'ll feel a lot better. I think the waking up of the bowels is the toughest to deal with and trying to figure out what foods and quantities to eat at first .. and of course the training of the neobladder which is like a 2 yr old unfortunately.
You will see improvement.
Pat