Living with stage IV

Dear Forum,

It has been a while since I have given an update and thought it is about time that I did.

My initial diagnosis of invasive bladder cancer two years ago has faded into my history and my neo celebrates two years of life on Sept 14th.

Pathology after RC diagnosed me at stage IV and I received 4 cycles of Cispl/Gemz as adjuvant therapy.

My oncologist offered me a 15% chance of surviving five years and advised that the first two years were high risk for reoccurrence.

Every three months since RC I have had CT scans and thankfully all scans to this present day have been clear. Now the two year mark is approaching I have been graduated to scans every 6 months and my five year survival chance has increased to 35%. (Just statistics though right)

My wonderful neo has worked amazingly for me and I do not use a catheter. Daytime continence at 100% and at nighttimes I wake at least once naturally with a feeling I need to urinate. I still wear a shield in my underwear at night to collect dribbles if I am tired and fail to wake.

I do worry and get stressed out when appointment and scan time comes around and those tweaks and pains become worse case scenarios. This too I know is part and parcel of living in the bladder cancer bubble.

This forum has helped me immensely during my journey and I appreciate all the loving support I have received.

Thank you

Leigh