When they removed my 80-year-old father's bladder in April of this year, they also removed the prostate and found that he did, indeed, have prostate cancer in addition to the bladder cancer. The bladder cancer had not invaded the muscle and the lymph nodes were clear. In June, he had X-rays and a CAT scan to try to diagnose what was causing him to have a terrible cough, and a spot was found on his lung, but thankfully it turned out to be nothing. The pulmonary doctor prescribed Nexium as GERD can cause a cough, and Dad no longer has the cough after taking the Nexium.
He had a bone scan last month because he's having severe leg pain, and thankfully the scan was normal for his hip, leg and pelvis. However, the spine specialist noticed two spots on the spine which he wants biopsied. That procedure is scheduled for this Thursday. Who knows? Those spots could have been there his entire life and no one knew because he never had a bone scan or back x-rays before. All the specialists he's seen seem to think the pain is being caused by his hip and that the spine spots would not cause pain in the area where he is having the pain. He will not consider doing anything else medically until he gets the results of the spine biopsy. Dad remarked that once you have cancer, every little spot or blip gives the doctors reason to think the cancer has spread.
Dad seems to be adjusting to his conduit and pouch. He still has a stent running from his left kidney, through the ureter and out the stoma. The urologist is in no hurry to remove it since Dad had that horrible leak that sent him back to the hopsital for 18 more days after he had been released. He's had a couple of UTI's and a slight rash around the stoma area which is being managed by painting the rash with Mylanta. His appetite is coming back and he would like to be exercising but can't because of the leg pain. He does manage to get around with a walker or a cane. He drives, is attending church and eating out from time to time. He jokes that most of his activity involves seeing doctors and having tests! Mom seems to be handling everything really well and helps with the appliance change twice a week.
If we could only get this leg pain issue resolved I think Dad would be well on the way to getting back almost to his old self.