I'm new to this website and am thankful that I've been directed to it.
I was 54 and a non-smoker when I was diagnosed with Bladder/urethral cancer in July of '08. Surgery was recommended for me but I was told that chemo before surgery would be most effective in my case. I did 12 days of MVAC chemo treatments over the course of approx.3 months. I felt like a truck was on my chest. I took Zofran and Ativan prescriptions that helped me a lot with the nausea. I lost all of my hair. ( I have a 17 year old son who is a jr.in HS and I had to miss 3 of his Fri.night football games due to the nausea. I didn't think I'd EVER miss a game, but I was pretty wiped out....nauseated & very tired!) I was able to take all of my treatments with no complications (no anemia, no problems with cell counts, etc.)We didn't have to back off of any appointments. Once a month I was given a Nulasta shot.
After reading some of the posts, I'm wondering: Is MVAC an outdated choice?
My last chemo treatment was Nov.11, '08 and my "big" surgery is scheduled for this Friday morning at the James Cancer Hospital in Columbus, OH. My surgeon is Dr.Kamal Pohar and I have optimum confidence in him and his staff. My surgery is called: Radical Cystectomy with a Catheterizable Continent Urinary Diversion. I read about all the tubes and drains, etc. and I am dreading all of that. I'm told to expect a 10 hr.surgery, a 10 day stay in the hospital, and a 2 to 3 mo.recovery period. Sounds profound.
If any of you have any knowledge of or any experience with my upcoming surgery type, please respond. I live in a small Appalachian town on the Ohio River and there is very little support available.
As I read the posts on this website, I hear lots of courageous people fighting the fight. Hang tough..and as my friend (she is suffering with lung cancer) says: "Breathe in, breathe out, move on."
Truly,
Carolyn
