Articles

Nothing about my bladder cancer journey has been typical. Most patients, at least here in the US from what I've read, receive chemo first and then have their radical cystectomy...

So many aspects of the initial part of my cancer journey are blurry. There was too much pain, too much confusion, and way too much medication to remember things fully...

Are you an adult with a current or past cancer diagnosis? Are you interested in learning more about your personality? If so, you may be qualified to participate in an...

Millions of people are caring for loved ones who are sick or disabled. In fact, some 25 percent of U.S. adults report providing care or assistance to someone with a...

Ostomies are strange things. I’ll admit when told I would be getting a urostomy, I had to immediately google what it was and I was dumbstruck. A piece of intestine...

Patient advocacy is a cause near and dear to my heart. This task is most often handed to the patient’s caregiver, meaning their spouse, close family, or parents, sometimes even...

For many people, cancer is the worst fear of all. Often, just the word cancer leads people to imagine hair loss, chemotherapy, nausea, and other physical symptoms. However, the physical...

Those who undergo bladder removal surgery (a radical cystectomy) to treat their bladder cancer are faced with another decision: which type of urinary diversion should they choose? From the ileal...

No, this is not a case of opposites attracting. (For those who may not know, reference to Paula Abdul's 1988 hit "Opposites Attract.") Today, we're talking about follow-up appointments. When...

I participate in a lot of online circles for bladder cancer and the topic of what comfort items are must-haves comes up quite a bit. What to take to the...

Immunotherapy feels like the new kid on the block when it comes to cancer treatment. And in the world of medicine, it really is. Keytruda was approved for use in...

Having a team of supporters during your cancer journey is extremely beneficial to your physical and mental health. As I stated in a prior article, building this team is of...

More often we tend to hear of people struggling to keep weight on while going through cancer treatment. Chemo and radiation can cause lack of appetite, nausea, and fatigue, all...

I’ve heard many people talk about “survivor's guilt,” but I never really experienced it - that was until just recently. Earlier this year, I found out that a very dear...

Three years ago, BladderCancer.net was born, creating a unique online space for people living with and caring for bladder cancer to connect. Since then, we have published over 700 articles...

About 4 and a half months into my diagnosis, I had my first office visit with my oncologist. I met him a few times while I was an inpatient after...

If you are familiar with my cancer story, you know that it has been ANYTHING but typical. From my age, stage of diagnosis, recovery story, even my treatment plan. Nothing...

In a previous article, I talked about the changes in support meetings through this pandemic. The topic of disappointment, I believe, goes hand in hand with this. As I've shared...

Seven years ago, I was faced with the choice of which urinary diversion to have. IP? Neobladder? Pouch? Each option has different surgical complexities, different recovery issues, and different life-long...

We hear a lot from bladder cancer survivors — about their stories, their recommendations, their fears, and their triumphs over cancer. But what about the people who don’t survive? The...