Advice to Your Past SelfLife 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...Reactions0reactionsComments0 comments
Recovering from Surgery: Roll with the PunchesThe 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...Reactions0reactionsComments0 comments
Beginner's Mind and Cancer MindMindfulness has become a very popular concept in recent years as a means of relaxation and remaining anchored in the present moment. It originated in Zen Buddhism as a way...Reactions0reactionsComments0 comments
Bladder Cancer and Its Effect on My Body ImageI’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...Reactions0reactionsComments0 comments
Can Diet Help with Pain & Inflammation?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...Reactions0reactionsComments0 comments
The “New Normal”: Life with a StomaI 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...Reactions0reactionsComments2 comments
Urine AnxietyIt 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...Reactions0reactionsComments8 comments
My Post-Operation Hospital StayThe 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...Reactions0reactionsComments0 comments
Making Changes to Diet and LifestyleWe 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...Reactions0reactionsComments1 comments
Bladder Cancer Anxieties: Relationships & FamilyIn 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...Reactions0reactionsComments0 comments
Caregivers Have a Right to Resist Performing Medical TasksIf you compare our lives in 2018 to 25 years ago, it is stunning how much work has been outsourced to us as consumers. We scan our own groceries; we...Reactions0reactionsComments0 comments
The Six-Month LeashEvery 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...Reactions0reactionsComments4 comments
The Answer to Your Question: Get a Second Opinion!I’ve been talking to and working with bladder cancer patients and caregivers for five years. I have been a caregiver myself and I am a volunteer patient advocate. Time and...Reactions0reactionsComments0 comments
Educate Yourself About Toxins to Live a Good Life for as Long as PossibleThe 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...Reactions0reactionsComments3 comments
Living With: An Interview with Advocate Paul HebertOn the new Health Union podcast Living With, I recently interviewed Paul Hebert, an advocate for BladderCancer.net. Paul talked about his experience with bladder cancer, from diagnosis and treatment to...Reactions0reactionsComments0 comments
When is the Right Time to Change Your Treatment?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...Reactions0reactionsComments8 comments
Menopause After Bladder Cancer Surgery: The Joys of Being a WomanI 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...Reactions0reactionsComments1 comments
My Typical CystoscopyWhen 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...Reactions0reactionsComments7 comments
It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year - Thank Goodness It's Over!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...Reactions0reactionsComments0 comments
Tips to Quit Smoking for a Healthier YouMany of us know that quitting smoking can help us to be healthier, but it’s so much easier said than done. Smoking is kind of like a friend who has...Reactions0reactionsComments0 comments