It's been about a month since I received my BC diagnosis, and the doctors at Mayo said that I'm practically "an anomaly." I'm a 35 year old female with squamous cell carcinoma of the bladder. I had a cystoscopy -- a portion of the tumor removed -- and I begin H-VAC chemotherapy in two weeks. I'm quite nervous about the H-VAC chemo, as the doctors said that it was a difficult regimen for many people to undergo. I'm going to try to do the full 12 week/4 cycle treatment without dropping down to the lesser chemo treatment. I want to fight hard no matter what it takes.
The information I've gotten is all kinds of conflicting and confusing. Perhaps it's been in my body about nine months. I started seeing blood in my urine in June and, as I've read many others experienced, I was treated with antibiotics. I didn't have insurance at the time and went to see an OBGYN next who sent me off to the urologist. The urologist said "Leave. Get insurance. Come back when you have it because you'll have a CT, then a surgery, whether it's a tumor or a stone."
Fast forward, I just came home from Mayo with all this information (which is awesome) and a big decision to make over the next couple of months regarding whether I'll get an IP or a neobladder. Mayo told me they see a couple of people with BC like mine in a month, but usually not women my age. They asked me if I'd spent any time in Egypt or worked around chemical dyes, neither of which I've experienced. I was raised in the NW United States. I did, however, smoke when I was a teenager until I was about 31. But, I'm beyond reasons now.
I'm super optimistic, though I have terrible anxiety and I'm often sick to my stomach especially in the mornings (pretty sure it's emotional). I feel pretty good despite having gone to Mayo and already having a surgery and having been told that what I'm up against is going to be pretty difficult. I don't know if it's just that it really hasn't sunk in yet, or if I'm actually doing well, considering.
I guess I'm wanting to know if there is anyone out there who has the same cancer I have. I'm interested in knowing if anyone has experienced HVAC and what I should expect (even though I know it's different for everyone). And, of course, I want to know about experiences with the IP and neobladder.
I'm also hoping for community and a little help while I go through this.
Thanks for taking the time to read. Looking forward to hearing from some people.