Any advice appreciated....

Dear Melissa,

I just wanted to say welcome to the forum and wish your father all the very best with his first chemo this Friday.

Gemz/Cispl is far less toxic than other chemo regimes and many people including me had few side effect except tiredness and low blood counts.

I hope your dad sails through his chemo and has fantastic results...

Wishing you and your family lots of strength during this time..

Leigh

I see your Doctor has great credentials, he studied and had a fellowship from Sloan Kettering, Lets see how he reacts to the chemo, and pray it does its job on the cancer, then who knows about the time element.. Ginger

Melissa,
I would be optomistic about the time frame, I cannot say for sure but I know some here have made it longer than previous told by the surgeons. It all depends on how he reacts to the chemo and if it works really well for him. We send many to Sloan Kettering , is it in your area? Just curious. No symtoms is strange, most have blood in the urine and frequent urination. The chemical plant, have they had others come down with bladder cancer? We will put you and your family on our prayer chain, we have so many at this time, you are on the list!!!!! LOTS OF PRAYERS FROM CLEVELAND OHIO Ginger

Hello,

My parents live in Ocean Township (which is near Deal and Long branch), his oncologist is in West Long Branch but he has also seen a Dr. Robert Weiss at the Cancer Institute at Robert Wood. He is a urological surgeon. Both agree with the treatment right now. I guess I am just wondering if the 15-20 months that they told us is about accurate, or if there are people who have made it longer? He had no symptoms prior to diagnosis and this was only discovered because he was sent for a test by his previous employer (he worked in a chemical factory for 40 years). He is experiencing pain in his leg and we now know that this is a "hot spot". Any encouragement is greatly appreciated as this is an extremely difficult time right now.

Thank you for all of your prompt replies,

Melissa

Melissa,
Boy thats a bit of bad news to say the least. You had a second opinon , by Doctors who are specialists in this field. The chemo he is having seems to be standard for what he has been diagnosed. Karen will chime in as her husband is being treated with med's that hit this situation. Dad is 65, so I imagine he isn't ready to give up at all, and I agree, he has to remain positive, they can do so much to extend life for him, Karen husband was stage 4 last year and he is holding his own right now. It is so important he keep that positive attitude, with our prayers he may just fool everyone and stick around a long time.. Ginger Beane

Hi Mel09,

A fellow Jersey Girl (I live in NC now) but my mom lives in Spring Lake, my sister in Manalapan, and my brother in Berkeley Hts...welcome...I wish it were under different circumstances...

My husband also has metastatic bladder cancer to the bone...it is a tough nut to swallow...Where is your father being treated? NY?

Karen