Ostomy HacksHaving lived with my urostomy for over two years I'm pretty confident in all aspects of ostomy life. My bag change routine...reactions7comments
Starting an In-Person Bladder Cancer Support GroupI was shocked when I was first diagnosed with bladder cancer in 2014, as are many others. Online sites were my salvation...reactionscomments
Recurrent Bladder Cancer is Unpredictable and VariableNo one is prepared for a cancer diagnosis, in my opinion. No one tells the doctor, "I think it's cancer." Cancer is...reactions13comments
Radical IndeedAfter most of 2020 dealing with nuisance symptoms like urgency and producing small foreign objects when I, then a major symptom; About...reactions1comment
Helping to Shape the Future for OstomatesI have to say. I often feel so privileged for the rewarding opportunities having been through a bladder cancer journey and becoming...reactionscomments
Walking Back Into the WardAlmost 5 years after I left the ward where I was post-surgery, I walked back in here tonight. Tonight, as the workday...reactionscomments
Who Is Nurse Anita?Nurse Anita, aka Anita Nurse, aka the Stoma Whisperer or the Stoma Doula. I'm all of those things, but mostly I consider...reactions2comments
Not Another Coloring BookLet's get in the time machine and go back to September 2019. I was freshly healed from my radical cystectomy, starting to...reactions2comments
High Grade Urothelial CarcinomaI slipped on the ice (Christmas Eve) and fell hard. Within the hour, I noticed blood in my urine. The blood was...reactions13comments
Happy to Still Be Alive!In Jan 2017, I turned 68. In 68 years, I was pretty healthy, with 4 operations in all those years (3 after...reactions6comments
5 Years Clear!The 1st of November 2017. This is a date I will never forget. A date that will always have great significance in...reactionscomments
All It Takes Is a TriggerI hadn't been thinking about bladder cancer a lot until recently. During treatment, that's all I thought about. I thought about it...reactions5comments
When All the Information Out There May Be TMI!I had an RC/IC (radical cystectomy/ileal conduit) in September 2014. I don't think about my bag; it has become a natural part of...reactions2comments
UTIs and Bladder Cancer: How do they relate?Urinary tract infections, also called UTIs, are infections of the urinary system. The most common sites of UTIs are the bladder and...reactions2comments
Cancer: A Hereditary HangoverA cancer diagnosis in the family, I've come to learn, has long-term effects for more than just the patient. In the beginning...reactions4comments
Reclaiming My NormalI have declared 2023 as the year I will reclaim my normal. In 2019 I was diagnosed with what should have been...reactions1comment
Truly Loving My Birthday Once AgainTo anyone who knows me well, I have always loved birthdays. I am writing this a few days before my 46th birthday...reactions3comments
Biomarker Research for Bladder CancerBecause cancer is caused by changes in DNA and genes, current cancer research is largely focused on understanding those changes. Scientists have...reactionscomments
My New BirthdayI am calling today my new birth date because on this day last year (2022) I was “snatched from the jaws of...reactions3comments
Learning Your Urostomy: The Early Days Post-CystectomyI am just writing this after getting up this morning. My morning is probably very similar to anyone else's: having a shower...reactionscomments
