New here....

Hi Rosemary, Patricia and Tim,

Thanks so much for your quick responses. I already feel as though I have more support from people 'in the know' from reading your responses than I have done throughout this thing so far.... much appreciated.

Yes we are in England. Mum and Dad are based in Essex and I am in Oxfordshire. Because of the two hour journey and the fact tha I run my own business, unfortunately up until this point I have been unable to be present at his appointments, although my sister has been able to attend with them. It is frustrating though, having to hear the diagnosis second hand, and as far as I can ascertain so far he has had the cystoscopy and blood tests. He has been fitted with a catheter as he was experiencing extreme pain whilst peeing and not being able to pee properly (this is how they originally discovered he had a problem). The catheter seems to have caused no end of problems, including a water infection, which we are praying will not stop the surgery going ahead on the 29th March.

I will be back from my parents place probably by Sunday and should have a much clearer picture of what we are dealing with hopefully.

Best regards to all
Londongurl.

Londongurl
I am in Bristol (although i lived in london for a decade or so). I have to echo the above re; knowing grade and stage of illness but it could well just be a case of removal, testing the tissue sample to ascertain the nature of disease (if there is one) and then a watch and wait. Or it may be something more proactive like a chemical of some sort to slow any future growths down. I've heard tell that these things move more slowly in elderly patients although only second or third hand. The main thing is to try and keep an open mind until you have some hard facts and try not to be too stressed. Although that's pretty hard. Please keep us posted on what's going on and certainly if they give you any terminology you don't understand Im sure someone here will be able to help. Ive been with this illness for 14 years. I've certainly been kept waiting for over a month at times with known tumour in me. I'm guessing maybe they did a flexible cystoscopy and saw something and now want to get him under general anaesthesia to remove it? If thats the case, they can usually guess quite a lot about the nature of it from looking at it through the flexi scope. But getting it out and into the lab is best. I wonder if that is why he has the infection - because of the flexi?

all the best

tim

Just wondering London what your father has had done? Did they do a cystoscopy...a CT scan........How was the diagnosis of cancer of the bladder made if they haven't gone in there yet? Pat

Hey London,

I just want to say "hey" and I'm hoping that Tim B will be popping in before long and giving you a reply, because Tim B lives in the UK (Just assuming that you live there too, by your name).

However, just by reading what you have indicated so far, I can tell you that there is really no way to know how this is going to turn out until they get in there and get some of the tissue for a pathology.

Waiting is the worst part.

I'm hoping that your father is comfortable with his health care providers and that this infection clears up soon so that you all can get some definitive answers and start your battle plan.

You will be able to find lots of help here.  Lots of us have been on this road.

Best regards,
Rosemary

Hi everyone I am new here, and have to say that I guess it's not really something to celebrate.  My Dad has bladder cancer but at this present time we don't really know any more than this (we haven't been told what stage or grade the tumor is at).  He has been kept waiting for over a month now for an op to remove a tumor and see what else is there, but it may be that they can't even do the op on the 29th of March because he currently has a water infection that is being treated by antibotics at the moment....

I suppose I am here really more than anything, to get other people's takes on what we should prepare ourselves for... He has been lead to believe (or is choosing to ignore the facts?) that it will be a case of take out the tumor and that will be that.  Maybe it's his way of coping, but this is pretty unlikely isn't it?  He is in his early eighties and otherwise fit and strong for a man of his age.

Any advice on what to expect/how to help him cope/How we can best cope would be much appreciated.