Telling Older Children
I feel it is a lot harder to tell older children that you have cancer. Let me explain. My son …
Anita Brown
New Friends
On your journey, you will meet amazing people, just like you, who unfortunately also have the same bladder cancer was …
Complementary Therapies: Essential Oils
You have been diagnosed with bladder cancer and are having treatment, in the form of BCG, chemotherapy, or …
But You Look So Well!
It’s Monday, and I was meant to be having my PET scan today. That did not happen. Why? Because I …
Living with a Stoma: A Year Later!
Wow, it’s been nearly a whole year since I had the operation and lost my bladder. What can I …
What Do We Mean When We Say Self-Care?
“Self-care.” This is something we hear, see and read about while going through treatments. What do we mean when we …
Dear Husband (or Wife or Partner)
Dear Husband, Wife, Partner and Caregiver… What we want you to know: We want you to know that we appreciate …
A Letter to My Bladder Cancer Friends
Dear Fellow Bladder Cancer… well, I’m stuck here. I don’t want to put “sufferers” or “patients,” so I’m going to …
A Simple Guide to the First Few Weeks During Diagnosis
In those first few weeks/month after your bladder cancer diagnosis, you will be sent off for scans and blood …
So You Have Just Been Diagnosed with Bladder Cancer… What Now?
You have just had THE most awful news you could ever possibly imagine! You will be stunned, in shock, overwhelmed, …
Terminal Diagnosis: How Do You and Your Family and Friends Cope?
How do you cope with a terminal diagnosis? What do you do when you hear those words, “It’s terminal”? I’m …
Am I Going Bonkers?!
Let’s chat about Mental Health and Cancer. They seem to go hand in hand; you can’t fight this …
Life Goes On…
As the title suggests, life does indeed go on… so here I am with No Evidence of Disease and yet …
Choosing to Have My Bladder Removed
We had already spoken to my Oncologist, in November 2016, about having the bladder removed; however, I had decided not …
Before, During, and After My Cystectomy
The morning of my radical cystectomy came, although I swear that night felt like it would never end. I said …
A Bag for Life!
I was allowed to go home on day 5 after my radical cystectomy. I was eating, only little bits, …
Big Decisions
I was diagnosed with a Neuroendocrine, Small Cell Bladder Cancer. It was rare and highly aggressive. We Googled the life …
TURBTs, PET Scans, and the Day of Truth
After I found out I had bladder cancer, I was lucky enough to have private health insurance, so we arranged …
Cupcakes, Prosecco, and Bladder Cancer
I laid on the hospital couch, looking at the screen during my cystoscopy thinking, “What on earth is that?” …
Coming Face to Face With My Tumor
Hello, let me introduce myself: my name is Anita, and on the 1st of April, 2016, I saw my Bladder …