Newly Diagnosed at 27!

Zach, great words to live by.

Joe

I've been thinking about your post for the last couple of hours, and wondering what possible suggestions I could give you.

Right now, you have a little voice in your head. The little voice is incessant, whispering over and over "cancer.... cancer... cancer..... cancer..." And even though it's a whisper, it's a louder voice than any of your other thoughts. It drowns out your wife, your daughter, your friends, and your will power.

We've all had that little voice, and I'm glad to tell you than in time, it becomes fainter and fainter. It's important not to do what the voice is urging you to do, which is to define yourself as a cancer patient. A cancer victim. A cancer causality.

I know this is incredibly difficult. But it's possible to, in time, and with determination, to put cancer on the bottom of your list. You're a husband, a father, a friend, a son, a neighbor--put those qualities at the top of your mental list.

More later. I have a turkey on the bbq that needs attention. At the top of my list, right this moment, I'm a turkey chef. Cancer survivor is about... oh... 29th.

Zach

Mitomycin... burning ... not much I could do with.. that's why I stopped after 5 treatments the first time and 2 the second time. I told my uro no more of that. I guess different people react diffently. Felt like I was peeing gasoline!!! Maybe BCG will be calmer... hope I never even have to find out!!!

My two pathology reports were done by Osceola Regional Medical Center in Kissimmee, FL and they did not use the standard grading system.. but based on their wording.. "Low Grade Papillary Urothelial Carcinoma"... my Uro and I are calling it Ta G1...

Bill

Good deal!

Thanks for all the info guys. I know that there will be a long road ahead of me and my family, but we look forward to meeting it head on!

Thanks for the info Bill. What was your original pathology report? Mine was stage 0 low grade non-invasive. Thanks.

Bill, thanks for the info. I will be starting the BCG first week of Feb. Could you take anything for the burning? How long did it last?

Joe

This is a little long.. but here is my case history...

Jan 05.. blood in urine... same as you
Feb 05.. visit to Family Doc, says get to urologist
Feb 05.. visit to urologist.. ultasound
Mar 05.. First Cystoscopy.. obvious tumor
Apr 05.. Surgery... with an instillation of mitomycin
Pathology: Bladder Tumor:
Low grade Papillary Urothelial carcinoma
No extension into lamina propia is present
Detrusor muscle is present and is negative for tumor
Gross description.... multiple pink tan rubbery tissues that
measure in aggregate 5 x 5 x 2 CM
Aug 05.. Cysto...clear
Feb 06.. Cysto...clear
Sep 06.. Cysto...obvious tumor
Oct 06.. Surgery... with an instillation of mitomycin
Pathology:Bladder Tumor
Low grade papillary urothelial carcinoma
Extension into the lamina propria is not apparent
No detrusor muscle is present in the biopsy
Gross description: single fragment of pink tan friable tissue
measuring .3 x .2 x .2 CM
Oct 06.. Uro prescribed 6 weekly instillatations of mitomycin, but could
only tolerate 5 ot them.. very irritating stuff
Jan 07.. Cysto..clear
Apr 07.. Cysto..clear
May 07.. Uro prescribed 3 Maintenance instillations of mitomycin, but could
only tolerate 2.. that stuff really burns!!!!
Aug 07.. Cysto..clear
Dec 07.. Cysto..clear ;D

Perhaps this case history will give you idea of what you may be up against
and relieve some of the stress. Sure the tumors have a good chance of coming
back, but with routine cystos your uro can stay ahead of them. They do not
have to progress.

I never smoked so who knows why... but hang in there..

And a HAPPY NEW YEAR.... ... BILL