Hello I am new here...

Update on biopsies....

Got a call - we go to see Dr next Thursday afternoon. Apparently no pathology yet? Hope it is to plan the neobladder.

Thank you for the kindness and giving me the break I needed. I think today it sunk in that I am really dealing with a bad cancer. After yesterday and how it left me feeling, I started to doubt I can face the RC if being treated like that is the norm. I decided to call a social worker to help steady how this has all hit me. It ain't pretty. I think of you folks too - armed with knowledge and grounded in pure guts to march on - thanks for not leaving me behind.

Well Pat you had posted you had a great coping mechanism and it sure sounds like you needed it. When I had my TUR my pre-op was all done and then I went down to the holding area for surgery and had all vitals done etc. Then the anesthesiologist came in and spoke to me about what he was going to do the same routine and I signed consent form and was told they would be ready soon for me. I would have been discharged the next day but I had a Cath put in ureater so I had to go back in the next day to get stent cause Cath fell out just great. All went well so at midnight they took foley out and all I needed to do was have over 240ml and I had 2x that the 1st time lol. I was discharged around 10am that morning and told urine would clear up in a couple days. Pat it is ashame how insurance are today remember when you women went in the hospital to give birth you be there 4-5 days. Now it's get them in and then get them out and I never paid a co-pay to go in hospital say 4-5 yrs ago I do now. I hate insurance companies but we got no choice. About the insurance companies I am just rambling but I am happy you are doing well. Best Wishes, Joe

Jmema...i was at Sloan Kettering!!! Pat

Pat,
Boy, am I glad I didn't go to a hospital like that. You poor girl. I come from a little town of 3,200 people. We have a hospital 18 miles away that serves about 10 small towns with awesome physicians who choose to live in a slower paced enviornment like my incredible local uro. I went to Hartford Hospital in our state capitol, Hartford, CT. to a surgeon who I must brag on today, after reading your story. Dr. Vincent Laudone, a former fellow of Sloane Kettering and a surgeon who teaches cystectomy at the University of Connecticut but who takes the time to put his hand on your shoulder and tell you everything is going to be o.k. and calls you the night before the surgery and asks you "are you ready" and tells you again that everything will be all right. He is never in a rush, which I am sure he always is. His office is across the street from the hospital so he can be there is a minute if he has to. Someone else on the board had him for surgery and has the same opinion. Having a surgeon you have faith in is a very big part of the battle.
Blessings....Jean

MZ...what happened with the pain after the first TUR you were having after the cath was left in so long? Was it infection?
I'm assuming you went in for a second TUR to get the margins?
Sounds like you were in a teaching hospital and you were right to insist that your Surgeon do the surgery....in writing!!
I guess we all have horror stories on our first encounters with treatment. One of the things especially the major Cancer Centers don't take into account is that some of us are there with a fresh diagnosis of cancer...not old pros on our 5th treatment...we're scared and its all so impersonal. The room is jam packed full of other people all with cancer which is even more terrifying...the receptionest never looks you in the eyes...your 8:00 appointment is now ll:00 and your name hasn't been called. You attempt eye contact once again with receptionest...nope not going to happen....all the expensive literature that they sent you on what to expect....nope..not going to happen....you're finally called and they tell you to put on a gown and sit some more with 5 or 6 other people waiting for surgery or chemo or who knows what....you're getting more frightened...what happened to the pre-op where they're supposed to take you to a bed ..give you a pre-op drug??...didn't happen....another 2 hrs and you're called and actually walk into the O.R. ..they point to a chalk board and ask you if you're that person...yep thats me...hop on the table scared and teary eyed....novice anesthesiologist can't get needle in for versaid....Real anesthesiologist grabs the needle from him in frustration and jabs it in as the Surgeon is grumbling.."Are we having surgery sometime soon?"...Boy was i confident!!!........Now in all fairness i had a Great surgeon...but we're not cattle and thats just how i felt. As soon as i woke up and my urine ran clear which it did the entire time they pulled out the cath and sent me out of there on my own 2 feet. The insensitivity was a bit mind-boggling. Anyway MZ i hope all is well....and that you have a good advocate at your side. Pat