Living

Once I had the staples and all the drainage paraphernalia removed, I was ready to start living my “new” life again. I had a bladder that thought it was still...

When it comes to surgery and recovery, there can be complications. And guess what? I couldn’t dodge the bullet. Discharged after seven days and sent home with three drainage bags...

When I first heard that I'd need chemotherapy to treat my bladder cancer, terrifying visions swam into my head. Knowing virtually nothing about cancer treatment, I pictured chemotherapy like it's...

I came across a few blogs, articles, and other writing that were focused on one topic of bladder cancer. Many people wanted to know if cancer, specifically bladder cancer, was...

Maybe it's a generational thing (I'm a Millennial), but when I get news that's confusing or scary, my first urge is to research it extensively on the Internet. My urologist...

Life with bladder cancer can take unexpected twists and turns. In many cases, your story may develop into something completely different than what you had envisioned at the time of...

The hardest part about recovering from surgery, for me, was allowing my body to heal. I wanted to be better yesterday; I don’t have a lot of patience. But the...

I’ve had my stoma, “my Winnie”, coming up on two years now. Having my stoma hasn’t stopped me from doing anything: traveling, spa days, swimming, etc. In fact, I have...

I am a 48-year-old female. I have/had a Neuroendocrine, small cell Bladder tumor which had spread to my lymph nodes, liver, hip, and arm bones. I have had palliative chemotherapy...

I was diagnosed with a high grade, aggressive bladder tumor. This was totally unexpected, although I had known for quite some time that something “wasn’t quite right”. What it was...

It sounds silly, but hear me out: Having bladder cancer has given me a renewed appreciation for my health and my mortality, sure. But it's also given me a phobia...

The hospital wants to get you home as soon as possible following surgery. The first 24 hours was a blur, I was aware that a nurse was in the room...

We often read how important diet can be to contribute to a healthier life, and this can become even more relevant after being diagnosed with cancer. I can honestly say...

In this series, we discuss causes of anxiety for those facing physical illness and its side effects. Phrases in bold are the words of our community members across various conditions...

Every six months, my friend Cheryl and I get together and celebrate our good health. Cheryl and I are both cancer survivors – bladder cancer for me, and appendix cancer...

The news that Johnson & Johnson knew for many years that some of its talcum powder may have been contaminated with asbestos disturbed me deeply. Some ovarian cancer patients had...

After being diagnosed with high-grade T1 bladder cancer in 2017, I was launched into a conversation with my doctor after my TURBTs that at the time I was ill-equipped to...

I had my bladder removed and a hysterectomy on August 19, 2017. In March of 2018, I saw an endocrinologist who diagnosed a few things wrong with this old body...

When you are told you need to have a cystoscopy, it can be quite terrifying.  Inserting an endoscope into your bladder with a camera on the end, while awake, scared...

So, Christmas is over. The New Year has come and gone; we are all partied out and I have survived the festive season like a pro, so why do I...