Need help in Wayne's World

I beleive he said he is going OUT of NC for the sugery, He also sounds like he has done his homework.

Karen

Wayne...how do you know anything about the surgeon in Cary? If he has no references how many of these has he done? What kind of diversion are you getting? How many has he done this way? Zachary is right....you must have a very experienced surgeon for this.
My local uro who was extremely personable wanted to do my surgery ...i asked how many he had done....i would have been his first. Nope!
I'm disappointed that Dr. Walther looked like a mad scientist..he has good credentials...too bad.
Please do your homework on the surgeon in Cary. Pat

Hi Wayne,

I'm no doctor so please take my opinion with a grain of salt, but I've met with several. I have t2-t3 muscle invasive transitional BC and every one recomended that the bladder be removed. I am in middle of Chemo and have an operation scheduled 11/5 at Johns Hopkins...3 hours away from where I live. Evidently, once it invades the muscle, an RC is highly recomended. Even people with multiple TURBS often eventually need the operation. Believe me, I don't want the operation but it seems like a must for me. I'm 58 and in good shape.

If the chemo worked and removed most of yours, the decision is harder, but you may just be putting it off. I guess the surgeon was right when he said he was biased...at least he admitted it. My uro told me I needed the RC and he knew that he wasn't the one who was going to do it. I had three large tumors in the muscle and 6 smaller ones, so i guess I had more that you. The URO was unable to remove the bad tumors in the TURBS.

I'm friendly with a very skilled Ontcologist at Raleigh/Durham Hospital by the name of Mike Spiritos. You can call him and might mention you know me...he is extremely knowledgeable and helpful and has looked more deeply into BC since he helped me.

Good luck with your decision.
Michael Greenberg

Wayne,

I am glad to see that in a small part your post helped you make up your mind, and make you more certain of what to do. It is good to get others imput, I am sure from what you have posted that you have been very thorough in your search and finally your choice for your surgery. Good Luck to you, and please keep us informed of your progress. It really comes down to finding your "Comfort Zone" It is different for everyone in this situation just as it is different in every other aspect of life. Go into this knowing that you aren't losing a bladder, you are killing the cancer, and its "Host" organ, and getting rid of the other places that it feels comfortable thriving in. There is I am sure a sense of loss, and even a greiving period, but that is normal, and you can see by the other members here that though it is different, there is life after removal.

In Our thoughts,
Karen

All i can say joe is that it is a tough decision for me and sure for others that have had to do this. Right now oct.22 is the date and i am headed in that direction wide open it seems. Thanks for all your thoughts. Wayne

Rosemary

The room they put me in at Duke when i went there for a second opinion was just really nasty. The doctor was not very well groomed. Kind of reminded me of a mad scientist.I saw a few other things that kind of gave a bad feeling. I will be going out of the state of NC to have the RC and feel very good about the doctor that will do my surgery. Wishing you the best Wayne