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Bad news for me
Well as some may know I went into remission if this the correct way to say it. This was about one uear ago. Well oabout 8 weeks ago On my 3rd 3 month check Urine tested positive they did a Turb. There was ared spot that checked out to be negaetive, So Uro has me do an IVP that shows my left kidney is not contrasting with the fluid or the lrft uriter. But right side is great perfect. So in for anther turb last twesday. now i get the path report yesterday, To me it does not look good, But I meet with Doc Monday afternoon. Here is what it says So if anyone knows what all this meens or if any have had this I would be thankful for some insight. By the way I had T1 grade 3 back in feb o6 then 6 BCG then later 4 BCG/interferon that is when the monster was tamed down for while. INVASIVE HIGH GRADE UROTHELIAL CARCINOMA WITH SQUAMMOUS DIFFERENTATION,FOCAL MUSCULLAIS PROPRIA IS PRESENT. ADJACENT KERATINZING SQUAMOUS METAPASIA It sounds to me like I am for SOL if not terminal. I am very concerned over this. I may be past the Rc even helping me. Thansk for your input. I am abig boy and can handle it. If RC will do it I am ready to move forward ASAP Don
Hanging in there!17 Replies-
Don,
One more thing, as it gets closer and you have any questions , call. We are headed to Vegas in January, just booked our tickets 3 weeks ago, Gingers brother and wife and her sister and husband, we always go together, we will be laughing and forgetting about 2007. Thats 5 months since surgery, your friend, Gene -
Hi Don,
I will keep you in my prayers :) Glad you have determined to enjoy the next 2 weeks then muscle thru the RC. I’ll keep you in my prayers and keep us posted.
God Bless, Holly -
Thankyou Gene: As I told you 2 weeks from today will be the day. It has helped to talk to you and Zack. Very uplifting I am just going to enjoy the next two weeks and not worry about it. Then I will step to the plate and get it done. Doc did offer me chemo but with a 70 percent chance of cure but also a chance it will come back. I would ratheer be rid of it and move on. I will also help otehrs as you and the rest of the group do. I have been trying to tell people about BC for tha lst 20 months so they will know the signs. I will keep you updated. Today cat scan and Chest Xray did colinostipy 2 years ago this month Doc says thats good. Did all the heart stess test nucler 18 months ago. Don
Hanging in there!Don,
It wasn nice talking with you, don’t hesitate to call me again to discuss your r/c, and let me know what the Cleveland Clinic said, call anytime , if I can help relieve some of your pre-surgery jitters I am happy to do so. Its a big hit on anyone emotionally , we who have been through it such as myself make it a priority to help those who feel as we once did as well. Theres lots of life after b/c surgery, I am living proof!!! Gene
thats exactly how I felt. each time I recovered it seemed like I was back in theatre. its not really like that any more. we’re here if you need us Don
all the best
tim
Thanks Tim: That is good information. let me remind you of what a BC bladder is like, I have to pee all the time they are always going up that exit hole that is now a revolving door. Everytime I feel beter now they are there again. I have to stop the insanity. Don
Hanging in there!
hi Don
Just to briefly add to the above, if you go down the RC route, it’s a tough op but there’s an excellent quality of life on the other side. I can only mirror what Zach said above. my life is very normal now, my checkups much less frequent, I work my butt off and Im really looking forward to a great christmas and a holiday in Greece next year with the family. there’ll be a few challenges along the way but it sounds like you’ll handle them. i do have a few issues (read my other posts) but Im way way happier with the outcome of my op than I ever dreamed possible. any way we can be of any help just ask. I don’t want to make it sound easy because it isn’t but, if you end up on the road me and zach and others are on, you’ll think it not so bad either. To be honest, a year in and I can’t remember what it felt like to have a “real” bladder!!
all the best mate
tim
Hello Rose thanks for that information.It does not sound tobad. It is great to have you all helping me again. I will let you know Monday what my Doc thinks about all this, And Rose you are probably rite we should not get the path report before we see Doctor but this way I have a few ? ready to ask about this report. and there is a uro frind in texas that also giving me his thoughts on this tonight. Don
Hanging in there!
Hi Zach: It was really nice talking to you and your Wife. I am inlightened by your RC story. If I have time I will check some things. Clevland clinic is not to far, I read a post were someone had RC done there by robotics and all was good, But I do have faith in my cancer center I am at now. Or henery ford medical center in 40 min away they also do this by robotics. I have been in contact with them and after seeing Doc on Monday if they do it by robotic assited I will just stay with them. They are downtown Detroit but they seem to have doen ok with me so far. I will see how many they have done and make sure my doc can do the hand part of the rebuild, They say he is a great surgen but he might not want to be involved with this. I will keep you updated. Don
Hanging in there!
Associate Professor of Urology and Preventive Medicine, Keck School of Medicine; Staff Urologist, USC/Norris Cancer Center, Los Angeles, California
Keratinizing squamous metaplasia in and of itself is not a worrisome finding. Some studies have shown that concurrent carcinoma (transitional cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, or adenocarcinoma) of the bladder was found in 10% to 20% of patients with squamous metaplasia, but the malignant lesion was usually noted to arise in the nonmetaplastic portions of the epithelium. Because both squamous metaplasia and certain types of bladder cancer can be caused by chronic inflammation, it is not surprising that these 2 entities may occur in the same patient. However, the way to lower the patient’s risk of developing cancer is not to remove the squamous metaplasia, but to eliminate the source of the chronic inflammation.
In this case, it sounds as if the patient is having low-grade recurrent urinary tract infections (UTIs) likely due to the incomplete emptying of the diverticulum. By report, the patient’s symptoms respond to antibiotics, implying that he had a UTI. One of the indications for surgical removal of a bladder diverticulum is recurrent UTIs. I would obtain a cystogram, if this has not been done already, to see if the diverticulum empties with voiding and to better understand the bladder anatomy. I would then likely proceed with diverticulectomy. This would remove the source of the patient’s chronic infections and inflammation, preventing him from experiencing future symptomatic UTIs and potentially reducing his future risk of developing bladder cancer due to chronic irritation.
Rosemary
Age – 55
T1 G3 – Tumor free 2 yrs 3 months
Dx January 2006
Don, I didn’t have a chance to ask you–are you going to (or have access to) a major cancer center for your treatment options?
“Standing on my Head”––my chemo journal
T3a Grade 4 N+M0
RC at USC/Norris June 23, 2006 by Dr. John Stein
[quote author=skypilot link=topic=1505.msg11164#msg11164 date=1196525374]
Thankyou Zack. I have not talked to Doc since results came back I will see him Monday as planed.I have read all your post, At this point as long as I can still reman as near normal.
[/quote]It’s been a bit more than a year after my RC, and my life, in the big scheme of things, is back to normal. In five minutes we’re going to walk our two dogs to the coffee shop and then throw tennis balls for them. After that I’m going to take a load to the dump, and after that we’re going to a Christmas party. After that–this evening–we’re going to pick up a dog that we’re going to foster until we find a new home for him.
That’s a long-winded way of saying that’s about the exact same thing I’d be doing if I hadn’t had an RC. My life is pretty good, and I’m betting yours will be too.
I’m sending you my cell number if you have any questions or want to talk about this.
My best to you,
Zach
“Standing on my Head”––my chemo journal
T3a Grade 4 N+M0
RC at USC/Norris June 23, 2006 by Dr. John Stein
Thankyou Zack. I have not talked to Doc since results came back I will see him Monday as planed.I have read all your post, At this point as long as I can still reman as near normal. I will step to the plate and do the RC I will if all is ok do it by tghe divinci / surgen method I am a beliver in this and have done a lot of research on it. I will let you know what Doc says Monday. My concern is they can do it I hope without Cemo. I would realy like to avoid it if possible unless it is in the nodes after the do surgery. Don
Hanging in there!
Don–what did your doctor say when you asked him?
Since he’s the professional that is not only treating you, but knows your situation better than any of us possibly could, what did he tell you when you asked him these questions?
Zach
Afterthought–all any of us can do is guess, but if I’m reading your post accurately, it sounds like you’re now a candidate for an RC. That is certainly not a terminal situation. If you’ve read any of my posts on this you know that it impacted my life in a very minimal way, especially considering the alternative. This is far too soon to talk about checking out of life’s hotel. For one thing, you don’t get your security deposit back.
But one thing I can say for certain is it is time to get clarity from your doctor–that’s the first and most important step. Believe me, I understand the shock and dismay you’re going through, but let’s get some perspective from your medical team. I’ll be thinking about you today and I hope your doctor has some enlightening–and comforting–words for you.After Afterthought–Don, I just re-read your first post and I see that you have a meeting with your doctor on Monday. Actually that’s a good thing, since it gives you some time to write questions down for him. If you have his email, you might email him with the link to this thread–I know my own doctor responds to email pretty quickly.
“Standing on my Head”––my chemo journal
T3a Grade 4 N+M0
RC at USC/Norris June 23, 2006 by Dr. John Stein
Don,
Let’s not look down that road just yet. This is why it isn’t always good to see your Path before talking to the Doc.
Zach is on line now. Maybe he has an answer or some help.
My Mom is waiting on me, I gotta go.
I’ll be back later.
Luvs,
Rosemary
Rosemary
Age – 55
T1 G3 – Tumor free 2 yrs 3 months
Dx January 2006Sign In to reply.
