Behind the Door of an Ostomy OrganizationIt's Monday Morning. Back at work after two days away from my day job. E-mails to catch up on. Busy? Yes, however, I am buzzing from my trip during my...Reactions0reactionsComments0 comments
Good Thing I LookedI have a 90-year-old friend that said she heard animals in her crawl space. She asked me to investigate, and reluctantly, I went down there and looked. The space was...Reactions0reactionsComments3 comments
Medical Records and History - Are They Current and Accurate?When we put our lives in the hands of medical providers, the information gained from our conversations, tests, procedures, surgeries, and prescriptions are recorded. It is imperative that this medical...Reactions0reactionsComments1 comments
What Is the Social Health Network Community?Like our other Health Union condition communities, the Social Health Network brings people together to drive unique and impactful conversations about health. It also aims to expand opportunities for health...Reactions0reactionsComments0 comments
Radical Cystectomy in DecemberWow. This has happened so quickly. I'm a 67-year-old male, soon to be 68, healthy as a horse, a horse with arthritis. In July my local urologist detected blood in...Reactions0reactionsComments5 comments
My First Experience with a Urinary Diversion Before Bladder RemovalFor most people, the words urostomy, stoma, ostomy, and ileal conduit are all foreign unless, of course, you have one or know someone who does. I readily admit that the...Reactions0reactionsComments0 comments
Finding a Caregiver in the Most Unexpected PlacesMost humans put others before themselves. It is in our nature and part of our makeup. Many people find this very difficult when we are presented with a situation where...Reactions0reactionsComments1 comments
Stepping Back on Board Post-PandemicThe sun setting as we took off from Faro Airport in Portugal was a sight to behold. The sun was also setting on our first holiday abroad since the pandemic...Reactions0reactionsComments18 comments
That Could Have Been 2 BitesI am sure every parent had had those times when a child inserted more food in their mouth than they thought possible. When that happened at our table, the child...Reactions0reactionsComments1 comments
Preparing for My Annual ScopeOn the 18th of October, I will submit to my annual cystectomy. I believe this will be my 16th yearly check-up. Last week, Thursday, I decided what I really needed...Reactions0reactionsComments4 comments
Bladder Cancer JourneyI am on my third chemo, just to get rid of any lingering cells if any. I have Bladder cancer 60yrs young. The only thing I find is not getting...Reactions0reactionsComments8 comments
Health Insurance in the US - What to ConsiderInsurance can be confusing. Recently I have seen posts regarding the high costs related to bladder cancer. I hope that this information will be beneficial to many of you. For...Reactions0reactionsComments0 comments
I Am a SurvivorDo I consider myself a survivor? Yes, I do. Per the definition of a survivor by the Oxford dictionary, "A person who survives, especially a person remaining alive after an event...Reactions0reactionsComments2 comments
Radical SurgeryHello, I had my bladder, uterus/tubes, ovaries, and bladder diversion made back in 2019. I was diagnosed with high-grade muscle invasion of cancer. I was told it had not spread...Reactions0reactionsComments4 comments
The Scope After BCGMom didn't get to enjoy the holidays of 2020. Halloween and Thanksgiving were not the celebrations she deserved. Furthermore, the family stayed away while she was in discomfort and fear...Reactions0reactionsComments16 comments
The Struggles: Embarrassment and Diapers, Really!Living with bladder cancer is no easy feat. One of the comments said, in part, "No man is comfortable hearing about this procedure." I was struck by how lonely this...Reactions0reactionsComments3 comments
When Managing Cancer Is a Way of LifeTo the vast majority, cancer brings only 2 options. You either kill it with aggressive treatment, or it kills you. But what if cancer were another chronic disease you had...Reactions0reactionsComments5 comments
Should I Have My Stoma Refashioned?I am 4 and a half years after the surgery that changed and saved my life. This operation was for stage 4 bladder cancer and included removing my bladder and...Reactions0reactionsComments7 comments
My Doctor Says I Am Cancer-FreeI have not written in a bit as I was busy preparing for the 13th annual bladder cancer retreat I co-host. But now that it is over for this year...Reactions0reactionsComments3 comments
Radical Cystectomy Scheduled for February 2023I was diagnosed with NMIBC in 2021 and have had 4 turbts because it keeps recurring. Had BCG and it didn't work, and the last pathology report indicated that it...Reactions0reactionsComments18 comments