Folks - started having blood in urine about a week ago; bleeding stopped after two days (I was on Plavix, and stopped taking it temporarily per doctor's orders). CT scan yesterday (08/14) showed mass in bladder, 20mmX17mmX14mm, radiology report says likely tumor but could be large blood clot. Examination of urine showed "atypical epithelial cells" which I know is suggestive of cancer. Cystoscopy being scheduled as soon as possible, likely including trans urethral resection. Praying it is not malignant - just a blood clot - but resigned to the fact that it probably is a tumor.
Urologist said that if it is cancer, he will pump my bladder full of chemo after he removes it, which I understand is pretty standard approach; I intend to ask him about BCG treatment too.
My questions are: (a) all of this will be done under anesthesia (propofol), but I am guessing that going forward, I had better get used to catheters being inserted without anesthesia - makes me cringe more than anything else in my life (three parts of the body I do NOT like being worked on, eyes are two of them...) - so, any advice on how best to tolerate? Or - is there some way to insist on anesthesia (I will review my medical insurance on this - Federal employee BC/BS primary, Tricare secondary, not quite to Medicare, 64 years old); (b) for a newly diagnosed person such as myself, any general advice about do's and don't's going in to the procedure; (c) also any general advice longer term?
Thank you so much. Never had cancer before (no risk factors - never smoked, no exposure to toxic chemicals, and no family history); do have heart disease (treated successfully with stents) and other, non-life-threatening maladies, but this is the worst I have faced to date.