My Bonus-Mom: New Diagnosee

OH MY...yes get her out of W.Va....Depending on where you are in W.Va. The Cleveland Clinic is the #2 Urology Hospital in the US....and the #1 place is Johns Hopkins in Baltimore...which ever is closest. They are both excellent.
www.hopkinskimmelcancercenter.org/cancertypes/bladder-cancer.cfm?cancerid=20
my.clevelandclinic.org/disorders/Bladder_Cancer/hic_Bladder_Cancer.aspx
Dr. Cambells credentials at The Cleveland Clinic
my.clevelandclinic.org/staff_directory/7/Staff_6257.aspx#spe
Pat

Hi Whitney,

So am I to understand that she is going to be hospitalized until the Doctors meet to discuss her case? Is she still on dialysis? I don't quite understand how it can be determined that she has malignant bladder cancer without a biopsy of some sort. Usually, the tumor(s) is removed and a pathology report determines the stage of cancer so that treatment can be determined. What kind of "initial" lab tests did she have?

Best regards,
Rosemary

Whitney,
I am thinking she needs to move quicker for treatment, it is not usual that you have to wait for the week the doctors meet to get an answer, are you in West Virginia??? Get her to the Cleveland Clinic, I met several people there from West Virginia when my husband had a bladder removal surgery.. best place to be and is close to you ,, the UROLOCICAL INSTITUTE CLEVELAND CLINIC, our surgeon was Dr. Stephen Campbell and Dr. Gill. She sounds like she has multiple problems, and needs qualified people to look at her situation!!! Ginger

IS THE TUMOR ON HER BLADDER OR IN HER BLADDER???

Hi -

Thanks for posting.

She is 47, she is a non-smoker, never exposed to any chemicals (per the types we keep getting asked about at the hospital).
Prior medical conditions: a minor heart "murmur" of sorts. Her mother had breast cancer about 20 years ago and her dad had testicular cancer at age 67 that spread to his kidneys and system...

She went into menopause early (8 year ago) and other than that, I don't know of anything else.

She's about two hours from DC in WV.

About a year ago she went in with bladder spasms and what they thought was incontinence. She was diagnosed with cystitis. Over the last year shes had a few moments of pain that were thought to be bladder infections and treated with antibiotics. Her incontinence worsened and in May, after Mothers day, she was in bed with severe vomiting...which brings you up to where she was.

The kidney situation is (as best the doctors can see at this time) the result of the tumor's location on her bladder...it is shutting/blocking off her right side kidney.

They have mentioned sending her to a surgeon in DC when they can. We are waiting to see if they are doing chemo first or just doing the surgery right away...


And shes my bonus mom b/c we had a good laugh about wicked step-moms in the movies and we upgraded her title after an interview we saw with Susan Sarandon...sort of silly, I know...and now a tiny bit ironic given it was for the movie Stepmom.

Hi Whitney,

I am glad to meet you, but wish it were under different circumstances...Can you give us some information about your "Bonus Mom"? How old is she? Does she have any other medical issues besides what is happening with her kidneys and of course the bladder cancer? What part of the country is she in? Obviously she needs to be stablized before you can seek a second opinion, but they are reccommended by most on this site...There are major cancer centers here in the US that specialize in bladder cancer, uro-oncology and the like...if you give an idea of the major city closest to her, I am sure you will get numerous relies...I hope they get the kidneys under control soon...

All the Best,
Karen

Hi everyone,

Thought I'd take a minute to say hello.

My bonus-mom was just diagnosed. Today is actually the one week "anniversary" of her hospital admittance.


She thought she had the flu, then a bladder or kidney infection, then a flu...on week 3 of having severe vomiting she went to a doctor and the ultrasound revealed an enlarged bladder.

She was sent for more tests.

She went to the hospital 7 days ago for the tests and was immediately taken for surgery as her kidneys were both barely functioning.

She has spent the last seven days doing dialysis and treatments to regain her strength and kidney function.


Initial labs confirmed it was a malignant bladder cancer however we won't hear more about a course of treatment for another week (the docs in her area all meet every other week to review cancer cases -- is that normal?)


Many mixed emotions over here. Thankful for a diagnosis, optimistic about the future but lots of nerves about the future at the same time...

So hi, I'm Whitney.