Living

I was in 7th grade the first time I journaled. A class assignment for English, I think. We could write about anything we wanted and our grade would be on...

There are some risks that increase your chances of getting bladder cancer. Some risks cannot be avoided, like being born male or being an advanced age. Other risks are environmental...

Many of the cancer fighters I have spoken with struggle with keeping up appearances. Our concern is how the illness will affect our loved ones. Just having cancer seems to...

“Pace yourself.” What a radical idea! It is almost unheard of in our society. We live in a time of technology and multi-tasking and unlimited production. Many of us are...

I think the formula may well be “Time multiplied by loss, then divided by survival equals guilt.” I don’t know how to write that out in fancy equation form; however...

Let’s face it: chronic pain is exhausting. Just the thought of sex might make you feel tired. If you feel this way, remember that you aren’t alone! Chronic pain can...

Appreciation: “the sensitive understanding of the aesthetic value of something.” The longer I live, the more I realize my appreciation for the small. Yesterday, I called my youngest and said...

6 years ago, I was told I had bladder cancer. Chemo and neobladder surgery followed. Then, I started taking my health seriously. See, I was your typical 50-year-old man. Invincible...

After treatment for bladder cancer, while the experience of cancer treatment might be over, it is not uncommon to still be dealing with neuropathic pain long after treatment ends. The...

The scope procedure took the usual 10 minutes, maybe. The doctor was professional and courteous. The nurse was new to me, and I cannot say I would choose her if...

If you tell someone you’re a cancer survivor, they pat your back and say “good show!” Or they’ll congratulate you on your effort and perseverance. Some might say you’re a...

If you are just joining me, please read “The Prelude: Learning to Cope with Anxiety and Panic Attacks” and then come back here. There is some important backstory that will...

It's been over two years now since my life changed forever. Two years since the birth of "Winnie," my stoma. You would think that I would be used to "her" by...

Anxiety begins to manifest itself, in earnest, about a month out. It starts with the automated call confirming the upcoming appointment. It may be three weeks prior. I just know...

My rounds done and me wan' go home (Apologies to Harry Belafonte.) I had neoadjuvant chemotherapy before I had my cystectomy and prostatectomy. Neoadjuvant therapy means I had chemo administered...

One of the worst underlying symptoms of cancer is the unmitigated fatigue it brings. Cancer-related fatigue (CRF) is a problem with multiple causes: the effect of your immune system trying...

Important background info: 6-year bladder cancer survivor, neobladder, no need to catheterize, continent during the day – pretty good at night with a 3.5-hour schedule. No other issues for all...

In this article, I want to discuss dating and bladder cancer. A few months ago, I wrote a companion article on this topic for ProstateCancer.net. I suggest you take a...

Faith (noun): Let me say, here, at the beginning, I am not trying to convert or proselytize anyone. I am not trying to tell you my way is right and...

My “new normal,” a phrase often used in cancer circles to describe life in survivorship, completely took me by surprise when I exited treatment. It happened both times I experienced cancer! I...