facing a radicl cystectomy and terrified

8 years 1 month ago #50584 by cancersucksbigtime
Replied by cancersucksbigtime on topic facing a radicl cystectomy and terrified
Thank you Alan. I wish you the best of luck with your BCG treatments!

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8 years 1 month ago #50574 by Plk
Dear Mary,
You will make it through this! One day at a time. Fox Chase has an excellent reputation. It was a place recommended to me, though I ended up at Rober Wood Johnson. Just remember that people on this forum are here to listen to you, and provide support. lIsten to your surgeon and follow her instructions, and it is normal to be scared. I know I certainly was.

We are thinking of you and praying for you.

Paula (PLK)

PLK in NJ

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8 years 1 month ago #50573 by Alan
Replied by Alan on topic facing a radicl cystectomy and terrified
Mary,

One day at a time. You will get it past you when you conquer the mountain it will then be downhill.

DX 5/6/2008 TAG3 papillary tumor .5 CM in size. 2 TURBS followed by 6 instillations of BCG weekly with a second round of 6 after a 6 week wait.

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8 years 1 month ago #50571 by cancersucksbigtime
Replied by cancersucksbigtime on topic facing a radicl cystectomy and terrified
Dear PLK,

Thank you so much for your encouraging message. I am very unhappy right now, and I don't know what's in store for me until next Thursday when I see the surgeon who is going to change my life forever.

I have a very bad attitude towards this, and I know that isn't helping me get through it at all. I am trying, and it's people like you who are so kindly sharing their experiences that help me the most.

Thanks again,
Mary

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8 years 1 month ago #50570 by cancersucksbigtime
Replied by cancersucksbigtime on topic facing a radicl cystectomy and terrified
Sara Anne,

Thank you for your reply. I just sent a very long rant to Cynthia if you would care to see just where I am in this terribly frightening process.
Mary

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8 years 1 month ago #50569 by cancersucksbigtime
Replied by cancersucksbigtime on topic facing a radicl cystectomy and terrified
Hello Cynthia,
Thank you so much for your response. I have been reading on-line about the ilieal conduit and the Indiana pouch and it seems to me that the pouch would be much more civilized. I absolutely do not want the conduit. It makes me cringe.
From what I know about this cancer, which isn't really very much, it was a very small tumor. Don't know where it was located, just know my urologist said that after 6 mitomycin treatments, 15 BCG treatments and 3 turbt's the cancer had invaded the second lining of my bladder and that I needed a cystectomy.

I am going to Fox Chase Cancer Center in Philadelphia. I've had two brutal chemo treatments, they couldn't do the third because it was damaging my kidney function. I only have one kidney thanks to the high grade invasive kidney cancer I had three years ago.

I see a highly qualified surgeon next Thursday, the 11th of Feb. I am extremely anxious, do not want to go, do not want any of this. I know I have to, but I hate it.

I do not know if I'm a candidate for the pouch, but I am hoping and praying that I can have that procedure. I do know that the surgery will be robotically assisted laparoscopy, a mouthful, but it is what has been suggested as the best way to go. This surgeon does hundreds of this procedure and has done so for the last 10 years, so I know she is competent.

Please keep me in your prayers and I hope I can get to the point where I can accept what is happening and get through it with some modicum of dignity and resignation.

thank you again,
Mary
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