So a quick update and as usual, a question or two.
Just to quickly recapitulate, has been 17 days since my TURBT. Cancer was TCC, T1/High Grade. Urologist is confident he got all of it with no muscle invasion, but anticipates the need for a second TURBT in two weeks to "dig a little deeper" to ensure he did. Followup cystoscopy this week (although date not yet settled - may wind up being next week). Also seeing a urological oncologist at Sloan Kettering (Dr. Guido Dalbagni) tomorrow, taking the pathology slides with me so he can give me his view on how severe the cancer is and whether it is amenable to BCG therapy; I'll report back on any insights he may have that would be more generally useful to readers on this forum. (I have a raft of questions I intend to ask him...)
Also, followup chest XRay four days ago found nothing, so no evidence as of then of any lung metastases.
So my key question is this: urination is not very painful now - pretty good actually - but I still have bladder spasms prior to urination, and occasional sharp pain in the bladder on the side where the TURBT was done. I have a general feeling as though there is something in the bladder on that side - perhaps just a tightness in the muscle - and general discomfort on the left side of my abdomen as well. Not tender to the touch, just "internal." Has not been getting better over the past week. I have been assuming this is because the first TURBT dug into some muscle so the healing process will take its time in the musculature; or possibly just longer term reaction to the mitomycin which was instilled intravesically after the procedure; but was wondering what others experienced? I.e. after a TURBT how long did others experience discomfort in the bladder especially spasms and soreness, and pain prior to urination (about 15 seconds from the start of the void until the voiding begins, then the pain abates)? Thank you as always!