Moments MatterI get up at 3:30 in the morning, six days a week to go to work. Friday, was no different. Get up, pack my lunch and get my coffee and...Reactions0reactionsComments13 comments
Beating Hospital InsomniaIt is often said that hospitals are where you go to be treated, but home is where you get well. That idea comes from the fact that sleep does not...Reactions0reactionsComments1 comments
Have You Truly Grieved the Loss of Your Bladder?Let's be honest right out of the gate, not a single one of us woke up one morning and said, "Gee - I think I want to have my bladder...Reactions0reactionsComments6 comments
Pelvic Floor Prolapse: Should You be Worried?If you have bladder cancer, your doctor might recommend a procedure called a radical cystectomy. During a radical cystectomy, doctors remove your bladder. They may also remove your surrounding organs...Reactions0reactionsComments2 comments
Accepting What You Can Not ChangeWhether you are on day 1, day 101, or day 1001 of a bladder cancer journey, working towards accepting what you can not change is probably the hardest goal you...Reactions0reactionsComments3 comments
Take the Health and Media Habits Survey!The Media Habits Survey is now closed. Thank you for your interest!" Managing a chronic condition is not easy and can be physically and mentally exhausting. What types of media...Reactions0reactionsComments0 comments
Job Hunting With CancerAs a young adult with bladder cancer, one of the biggest hurdles has been balancing my career and my cancer. I needed to continue working out of necessity as I...Reactions0reactionsComments1 comments
One Woman's Bladder Tumor Resection ExperienceMy son picked me up for the 45-minute drive to the surgical pavilion at UW Medical Center. We arrived 10 minutes past check-in time, and everything was fine. I told...Reactions0reactionsComments4 comments
Common Ostomy Questions Answered by an OstomateWhen you or someone close to you finds out they will need surgery to create an ostomy (stoma), it can be a very scary thing to hear. The main reason...Reactions0reactionsComments0 comments
Illness, Self Care, and Self Neglect!I should be the queen of self-care by now. You would think so, wouldn't you? But I'm not... I'm human and I struggle with a lot of things. My mental...Reactions0reactionsComments13 comments
Life After Bladder Cancer: Taking Time to ProcessI am four years on from my cancer diagnosis and surgery. I am, as of today, still cancer-free. I always say you are only as good as your last scan...Reactions0reactionsComments2 comments
Using a Co-Pay Assistance ProgramImmunotherapy is an incredibly expensive cancer treatment. On average, it can cost a patient over 100,000 dollars per year in drug costs alone for this life-saving treatment. Oftentimes due to...Reactions0reactionsComments1 comments
Dale's Story: Surviving Bladder Cancer and a Radical CystectomyDale shared insight on his journey and how this experience has informed how he carries himself through life after bladder cancer and a radical cystectomy. I was diagnosed with stage...Reactions0reactionsComments4 comments
My Adventures in Gemcitabine Induction Therapy: Week 1Tomorrow I begin 6 weeks of intravesical chemotherapy induction with gemcitabine. I am feeling less anxious than I did two weeks ago. After all, I have been too busy planning...Reactions0reactionsComments24 comments
Managing Scan and Medical AnxietyPrior to my bladder cancer journey, I was probably the weakest person I knew when it came to anything medical. In the later years before her passing, my mother-in-law was...Reactions0reactionsComments3 comments
Ask the Advocate: Advice around Reconstructive Bladder SurgeryWe asked the ostomates among our patient leader team, "what advice would you give someone who was feeling unsure about reconstructive bladder surgery?" Our group shed some invaluable, down-to-earth perspectives...Reactions0reactionsComments1 comments
Get a NotebookMedical appointments are hectic. Often times you are meeting with several people and covering many different issues in what feels like a rush. I know my oncologist can seem like...Reactions0reactionsComments2 comments
Both Sides NowLooking Back Through Both Sides Now by Joni Mitchell. Great song for this old hippie guitar man. For my purposes today let's substitute cancer for clouds. Think it applies to...Reactions0reactionsComments8 comments
Self-Advocacy After a Bladder Cancer DiagnosisI was diagnosed with late-stage aggressive bladder cancer in September 2017. The months that followed were a whirlwind in many respects. On one hand, there was always that next consultation...Reactions0reactionsComments4 comments
Spreading Joy and Cheer During Bladder Cancer CareIt's the most wonderful time of the year for many people. But for you, it might be the most solitary time. Perhaps you live too far away from your family...Reactions0reactionsComments2 comments