Living

This week I read a very disturbing report regarding urological cancers and suicide. The statistics that I read I found very distressing. It got me thinking about my own situation...

There’s nothing more shocking than to be told you have cancer. My wife Melanie and I drove home in silence that morning, afraid to speak for fear of realizing this...

I had a radical cystectomy just over a year ago. Prior to surgery, I was informed that the surgery would involve the removal of my bladder, cervix, appendix, ureter, part...

A cystoscopy is a procedure that looks at the urinary system to diagnose and treat conditions of the bladder, urethra, and prostate. It takes a look inside the urethra and...

After I found out I had bladder cancer, I was lucky enough to have private health insurance, so we arranged for me to go in and have a TURBT (have...

Several members of the BladderCancer.net community shared that they knew nothing about bladder cancer until after they were diagnosed. We found that this is a common experience among people living...

Bladder cancer doesn’t care about boundaries. Doesn’t matter what street, town, city, state or country you live in. It doesn’t care about trade agreements or political persuasion. It will attack...

I laid on the hospital couch, looking at the screen during my cystoscopy thinking, “What on earth is that?” My mind was all muddled; I had to close and reopen...

Most people relate Kegel exercises (Kegels) to women and childbirth. But did you know having strong Pubococcygeus (PC) muscles, the muscles that support the organs of pelvis, can help keep...

So, it’s time for that first annual check-up after my radical cystectomy. I knew what to expect: blood tests, a renogram and a CT scan of the chest and abdomen...

Finding the right doctor to treat your bladder cancer can be challenging, and many of our community members have commented that they have to travel to a major cancer center...

A cystectomy is the partial or total (radical) removal of the bladder. This can be done in multiple ways. Traditionally, a patient is given general anesthesia, an incision is made...

This is a short post. But one everyone who has been diagnosed with cancer should read. When you get the news you’ve been diagnosed with cancer, you never forget that...

Part 1 of this article described Noel's anxious experience going in for a follow-up cystoscopy and realizing that a miscommunication in the office led to the urologist leaving for the...

Not the day I was told I had Lung Cancer. Not the day I was told I had Bladder Cancer. Not before or after my surgery to remove both left...

Dealing with a diagnosis of bladder cancer on your own can be quite difficult. There are many important decisions to consider, and much to contemplate in order to take the...

I've always championed this disease; right from the outset I knew I was never going to be defined by my cancer. I wasn't at all devastated when first diagnosed, but...

“Hospice” can be a scary word for patients and families, but in reality it is a wonderful service that offers so much in a time of need. One reason “hospice”...

I believe there is a sweet spot regarding being healthy and enjoying life. There is a way to balance pleasure and health. And it's worth remembering that illness will come...

Shared decision-making is a collaborative process that allows patients and their healthcare teams to make decisions together. This process takes into consideration the most up-to-date clinical information and research in...