Hi Pat, yes she is in a major hospital with an specialist urology wing with doctors from the South West of England all working from there.
I don't think they had the results back from pathology, but the surgeon who did the op yesterday did say it was muscle invasive, though it hadn't breached the wall and that she would start mum on chemo bringing her back in about 3 weeks time. She made no mention of taking the bladder.
However,I've read so many blogs about people with this disease and most of them say when it gets to muscle invasive, i.e. T2 onwards to give yourself the best chance of beating it, is to go for a radical cystectomy and there are plenty people post 4 / 5 years following a RC living a near-normal life albeit sometimes with a bag.
I'm just worried the med team will waste time trying to save the bladder when the best option is just to get it out.
Do you all think that I should wait for the staging to be done or should I start to suggest gently to mum about considering the bladder coming out. My mother is a very practical lady, if I said that it wouldn't shock her.
I feel like I'm on the edge of the grand canyon just about to fall over the edge into despair and heartache.
Best wishes
Moglie